Golden Globes 2026 Soundtrack Stuns
**At a Glance
- The Jan. 11 ceremony featured a surprise-heavy playlist spanning 2004 to 2024
- Host Nikki Glaser, a self-proclaimed Swiftie, walked onstage to Taylor Swift’s “Style”
- Viewers flooded social media asking “who is on aux?” after hearing LMFAO score Paul Thomas Anderson’s win
- Why it matters: The music choices became a real-time storyline, rivaling the awards chatter online
The music at the January 11, 2026 Golden Globes became an unexpected star of the night, with viewers at home racing to social media to decode the wildly eclectic soundtrack pulsing through the Beverly Hilton.
From Charli XCX to 2004 Throwbacks
As the champagne flowed inside the Beverly Hills ballroom, the speakers blasted a time-warped mix anchored by Charli XCX’s brat-summer anthem “Von Dutch” and Usher’s 2004 smash “Yeah!” featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris. The combo set the tone for a playlist that hopscotched across decades without warning.
Other mainstream cuts included:
- Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” soundtracking Heated Rivalry stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams‘ entrance
- Multiple Taylor Swift tracks hand-picked by host Nikki Glaser, who returned for her second consecutive year
- An LMFAO deep-cut that soundtracked Paul Thomas Anderson’s Best Screenplay win for One Battle After Another
Host Nikki Glaser’s Swift-Centric Strategy
Glaser, 41, leaned on the Grammy winner’s catalog for courage. “I just want to have fun,” she told Live From E!: Golden Globes before the telecast. “I literally was having fun last time. I was surprisingly present. You don’t know until it happens. I hope that happens for me tonight when I walk out on stage-to a Taylor Swift song, by the way.”
She ultimately strutted out to “Style” from Swift’s 1989 album. “I never go out of style is all I’ll say,” Glaser teased. “I’m so excited about it. It gives me this most confidence to strut out there to that song.”
The comedian also performed a parody musical medley tribute to KPop Demon Hunters and Marty Supreme during the ceremony.
Social Media Reacts in Real Time
The unpredictable setlist triggered instant commentary online. One viewer posted on X: “The music playing at the golden globes is actually wild-who is on aux?”
Another joked: “What millennial is in charge of the music at the golden globes? Everything is from like 2007-2016 lmao.”
The moment that drew the loudest confusion paired Anderson’s Best Screenplay win with LMFAO’s party anthem, prompting the post: “Why is Paul Thomas Anderson walking up to party rock anthem?”
Red-Carpet Soundtrack Moments
The soundtrack wasn’t confined to the ballroom. Songs echoed across the red carpet where Timothée Chalamet, Teyana Taylor, Jessie Buckley, and other winners posed for photos. Jonathan P. Miller reported that the music choices became a secondary conversation topic among arriving talent and publicists.
Award Highlights Amid the Beats
While the music choices stole side conversations, the trophies still took center stage:
- Timothée Chalamet won
- Teyana Taylor won
- Jessie Buckley won
- Paul Thomas Anderson won Best Screenplay – Motion Picture for One Battle After Another
News Of Losangeles confirmed the complete winners list after the ceremony concluded.
Final Takeaway
The 2026 Golden Globes proved that a carefully curated-if delightfully chaotic-playlist can become as buzz-worthy as the trophies themselves, turning every commercial break into a guessing game for viewers eager to predict the next throwback track.
