Awardica Recommends
Songs for Winners 🏆
The ultimate playlist for every stage of award season — from the opening sprint to the victory lap. Scientifically curated. Mostly.
The Awardica Team
In between deadline sprints
May 13, 2026
Awards season is a lot of things. Exciting. Stressful. Humbling. Occasionally unhinged. What it is not, under any circumstances, is something you should do in silence.
We asked ourselves: if an award application were a movie, what would be on the soundtrack? The answer below took longer than we'd like to admit, and we stand by every single pick.
Disclaimer: Awardica takes no responsibility for motivational outbursts, desk-dancing, or submitting applications at 11:58 PM fuelled by Eminem.
#1
Queen — “We Are the Champions”
The only acceptable reaction to hitting Submit on your Inc. 5000 application. Play loud. Neighbours be damned.
#2
DJ Khaled ft. T-Pain, Ludacris & Snoop Dogg — “All I Do Is Win”
Set this as your alarm on every awards deadline day. Do not question it. Just let it happen.
#3
ABBA — “The Winner Takes It All”
For when your competitor wins the award you applied to. The full emotional journey in 4 minutes and 55 seconds.
#4
Drake — “Started from the Bottom”
The mandatory soundtrack for every 'company origin story' section of every award application you will ever write.
#5
Linkin Park — “Heavy Is the Crown”
The psychological weight of maintaining your award streak year over year. It is real. It is heavy. Linkin Park understood.
#6
Survivor — “Eye of the Tiger”
Queue this up for the 72-hour sprint to finish your award essays before the deadline. You are Rocky. The deadline is Apollo Creed.
#7
Eminem — “Lose Yourself”
One shot. One opportunity. One application window per year. Snap back to reality — the deadline is in 48 hours.
#8
Chumbawamba — “Tubthumping (I Get Knocked Down)”
For when the rejection email lands. You get up again. You request feedback. You apply again next year. This is the way.
#9
Destiny's Child — “Survivor”
How your marketing team feels after submitting twelve award applications in Q1 while also running a product launch.
#10
Katy Perry — “Roar”
The energy required to write your fourth 'what makes your company innovative' essay in the same week. You find it. Somehow.
#11
Kanye West — “Champion”
What you tell yourself while filling in the 'describe a challenge you overcame' section for the third time this quarter.
#12
Gloria Gaynor — “I Will Survive”
A timely reminder that not making the shortlist for a regional business journal award is not the end of your recognition strategy.
#13
Daft Punk — “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger”
The spirit of every award application. Make the metrics 20% better. Make the narrative tighter. Then apply. Repeat forever.
#14
Salt-N-Pepa — “Push It”
The exact vibes when you are 11 minutes from the deadline and your cursor is hovering over the Submit button.
#15
Vangelis — “Chariots of Fire”
How award winners definitely feel walking into the ceremony in slow motion. This is not up for debate.
🎉
Now go win something.
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