Which Academy Award category did The Little Mermaid win for its musical score at the 62nd Oscars?

The Little Mermaid won the Academy Award for Best Original Score at the 62nd Oscars.

Composer Alan Menken received the award for the film’s score, which combines orchestral writing with the musical storytelling associated with Broadway. The score supports Ariel’s underwater world, the romance with Eric, and the danger created by Ursula.

The 1989 film also won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Under the Sea,” written by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. These are separate Oscar categories: one honors the film’s overall score, while the other recognizes an individual song.

The ceremony took place on March 26, 1990, honoring films released during 1989. The awards were especially significant because The Little Mermaid helped restore attention and prestige to Disney’s feature animation division. Its success also established a model in which original songs could advance both character development and plot.