Entertainment | Oscars New Rule: No Good Songs, No Best Song Oscar Category may be skipped if year's contenders aren't deemed worthy By Nick McMaster Posted Jun 26, 2009 3:55 PM CDT Copied Academy President Sid Ganis announces the Academy Awards are doubling the number of best-picture nominees from five to 10, during a news conference in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Wednesday, June 24, 2009. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) Future Academy Awards may not include an Oscar for best original song, the New York Times reports. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has changed the rules for the category: Only songs that score reach 8.25 or better in its scoring system will be nominated. If only one song tops 8.25, it will compete against the next-best scorer. If no songs attain the score, no Oscar will be awarded. Read These Next Houston homeowner kills 2 men posing as police. Pentagon is planning a federal deployment to Chicago. The internet's newest archetype has some telling characteristics. How to live a good life? Be 'psychologically rich.' Report an error