# Remembering When an Unheralded Singer-Songwriter Made a Memorable Oscars Appearance in 1998

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/remembering-when-an-unheralded-singer-songwriter-made-a-memorable-oscars-appearance-in-1998/
- Published: 2026-10-27T10:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-27T10:24:10+00:00
- Original publisher: American Songwriter
- Original article: https://americansongwriter.com/remembering-when-an-unheralded-singer-songwriter-made-a-memorable-oscars-appearance-in-1998/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Elliott Smith performed “Miss Misery” at the 1998 Oscars.
- The song was featured in *Good Will Hunting*.
- The appearance helped raise Smith’s profile.

## Summary

At the 1998 Oscars, little-known singer-songwriter Elliott Smith performed “Miss Misery” from *Good Will Hunting*, bringing a quiet acoustic song into a programme dominated by powerful vocals and orchestral arrangements. The appearance introduced Smith to a far wider audience and helped mark a turning point in his career.

Director Gus Van Sant had become a fan of Smith’s music and invited him to contribute to the film. Smith submitted “Miss Misery”, which he had written and recorded earlier, and performed a shortened version at the ceremony between Trisha Yearwood and Celine Dion. The song lost to Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On”; later that year, Smith released *XO*, his major-label debut, and became a more widely recognised artist.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.