Gwyneth Paltrow, Zachary Levi, Mandy Moore And More Performing Songs At The Oscars

The Best Original Song Oscar has a troubled history, not only because there have been some specious winners-- "It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp" was a strange moment, friends-- but because the telecast producers are always trying to cut performances of the song out of the broadcast. Setting aside the fact that it often leads to some amazing television moments-- again, "It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp" comes to mind-- but cutting the songs really gives short-shrift to the nominees, who are often celebrities people actually like seeing on television.

At least at this year's Oscars, things will be going the way they're supposed to. The Academy has announced via a press release on their website that artists will be performing all four nominated songs during the broadcast-- and it's not necessarily all the artists you expect. Yes, Gwyneth Paltrow will perform "Country Strong" as she did in the movie of the same name, but Florence of the band Florence + the Machine will be performing "If I Rise" alongside A.R. Rahman, as opposed to the actual nominee Dido. Then we'll have Zachary Levi and Mandy Moore performing their song "I See The Light" from Tangled, with actual nominee Alan Menken accompanying them on the piano, and Randy Newman will take the stage for his song "We Belong Together" from Toy Story 3.

No word on whether or not Cher will storm the stage and demand her song "You Haven't Seen the Last Of Me" be nominated after all, but I'm starting that rumor just to keep things interesting.