Oscars Snubbed Twilight's 'A Thousand Years' in 2011

Christina Perri's hit song was overlooked despite its universal appeal and emotional resonance.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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In a surprise snub, the 84th Academy Awards named only two Best Original Song nominees in 2011, leaving Christina Perri's 'A Thousand Years' from The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 off the list. The song, which captured the franchise's central romance, was a global smash but was passed over due to the Academy's points-based nomination system that year.

Why it matters

The Twilight films were never awards darlings, but the music was consistently strong, with 'A Thousand Years' standing out as a soaring, emotionally resonant love ballad that transcended the franchise. The song's exclusion from the Oscars highlighted the Academy's disconnect from mainstream pop culture at the time.

The details

Written for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1, 'A Thousand Years' distilled the Edward-and-Bella romance into a single, plainspoken but universal love song. The track's warm, hopeful key and honest lyrics pushed it past the Twilight fandom and into mainstream rotation. A re-recorded 'A Thousand Years, Pt. 2' was later featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2, helping the song become a global smash.

  • The 84th Academy Awards ceremony took place in 2011.
  • The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 was released in 2011.
  • The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 was released in 2012.

The players

Christina Perri

An American singer-songwriter who wrote and performed 'A Thousand Years' for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1.

The Twilight Saga

A popular vampire romance film franchise based on the book series by Stephenie Meyer.

The Academy Awards

The annual American awards ceremony honoring achievements in the film industry, also known as the Oscars.

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What’s next

The Academy has since changed its rules for Best Original Song nominations, moving to a fixed five nominees per year. If that system had been in place in 2011, 'A Thousand Years' would likely have been included.

The takeaway

While the Twilight films were never awards darlings, the franchise's music, particularly Christina Perri's 'A Thousand Years,' stood out as a high point. The song's exclusion from the 2011 Oscars highlighted the Academy's disconnect from mainstream pop culture at the time, but the track's enduring popularity has proven its lasting emotional resonance.