By Steve Pond

Sixty-eight songs and 135 scores have been included on checklists sent to members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Music Branch who will vote in the Best Original Song and Best Original Score categories. That’s the smallest number of qualifying songs in 14 years and the fewest scores in 10 years.

From those lists, voters in the branch can choose as many as 15 songs and 20  scores in shortlist voting that will begin on Monday, Dec. 8 and run for five days.  The shortlists from which the branch will choose the final nominees  will be announced on Dec. 16.