Hugh Jackman was the host of the 2009 Academy Awards and performed in the opening ceremony, where he sang and made fun of the movies nominated for Best Picture.

There was a song-and-dance routine with Jackman, Beyonce, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper directed by Baz Luhrmann. E Online: Oscar Scoop: Beyonce, Zac Efron & More to Sing (February 17, 2009)

A medley of the songs nominated for Best Song were performed by John Legend, AR Rahman and the Soweto Gospel Choir.

The music performances at the 2009 Academy Awards were be performed as a medley. Three songs were nominated for Best Song. Slumdog Millionaire received two nominations for the songs "O Saya" and "Jai Ho". Wall-E received one nomination for the song "Down to Earth." Jai Ho won for the award.

"Down to Earth" from the film Wall-E was written by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman. Gabriel was scheduled to perform at the ceremony, but canceled because he was only given a 65 second to perform during the Best Song medley. In his absence, Gabriel said he hoped the Soweto Gospel Choir would perform in his place. Soweto Gospel Choir did perform, but musician John Legend also joined, singing Gabriel's part. "Jai Ho" and "O...Saya", both from Slumdog Millionaire, were written by A.R. Rahman, who performed the songs at the award.BBC: Peter Gabriel pulls out of Oscars (February 17, 2009) Rahman's Slumdog Millionaire score has already won a Golden Globe award for Best Original Score and a BAFTA award for Best Music in a film.

1. First held May 16, 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt HotelOfficial Site: History of Academy Awards
2. First host: Douglas FairbanksOfficial Site: History of Academy Awards
3. First Best Picture: Wings
4. Paper ballots are tabulated by PricewaterhouseCoopersUSA Today: Oscar Nominations Pushed Back (April 14, 2008)
5. First live telecast was in 1953 on NBC
6. Model for the Oscar statuette was Emilio "El Indio" Fernandez