Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics Annual TV award
The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . It is awarded to the best original song or score created specifically for a television program. The award was first presented in 2000 and has since become a prestigious honor in the television industry . The nominees are judged based on their creativity, originality, and contribution to the overall quality of the program. The award recognizes the importance of music and lyrics in television, and the impact they have on the audience's emotional connection to the show.
The award has gone by several names:
Outstanding Achievement in Music, Lyrics and Special Material (1970–1973)
Best Song or Theme (1974)
Outstanding Achievement in Special Musical Material (1975–1978)
Outstanding Achievement in Music and Lyrics (1981–1991)
Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music and Lyrics (1992–1995)
Outstanding Music and Lyrics (1996–2005)
Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics (2006–present)
Winners and nominations
1970s
1980s
Year
Program
Song
Composer / Lyricist
Network
1980
Outstanding Individual Achievement - Special Events[ 11] [ note 3]
The 52nd Annual Academy Awards
"Dancin' on the Silver Screen"
ABC
1981 [ 12]
Linda in Wonderland
"This Is My Night"
Ken & Mitzie Welch (music & lyrics)
CBS
All Commercials... A Steve Martin Special
"Truman Capote Jeans"
Earl Brown (music & lyrics)
NBC
Perry Como's Christmas in the Holy Land
"The City of Tradition"
Ray Charles (music & lyrics)
ABC
Homeward Bound
"Home"
CBS
The Way They Were
"In the Beginning"
Syndicated
1982 [ 13]
Shirley MacLaine... Illusions
"On the Outside Looking In"
CBS
Advice to the Lovelorn
"If This is Love"
NBC
The Gift of Life
"Just a Little More Love"
CBS
The Greatest American Hero ("Dreams")
"Dreams"
Stephen Geyer (music & lyrics)
ABC
Night of 100 Stars
"What's Your Line?"
Kohan (music & lyrics)
ABC
Walt Disney... One Man's Dream
"Marceline"
Ken & Mitzie Welch (music & lyrics)
CBS
1983 [ 14]
Two of a Kind (GE Theater )
"We'll Win This World"
CBS
The 55th Annual Academy Awards
"And It All Comes Down to This"
ABC
Bare Essence
"In Finding You, I Found Love"
CBS
Cheers ("Give Me a Ring Sometime ")
"Where Everybody Knows Your Name "
NBC
Happy Endings
Theme Song
William Goldstein (music)
Molly-Ann Leikin (lyrics)
CBS
Quincy, M.E. ("Quincy's Wedding, Part 2")
"Quincy's Wedding Song"
NBC
Suzanne Somers ... and 10,000 G.I.'s
"We're Not So Dumb"
Earl Brown & Artie Butler (music & lyrics)
CBS
1984 [ 15]
Here's Television Entertainment
"Gone Too Soon"
NBC
Burnett Discovers Domingo
"No Time Now"
Ken & Mitzie Welch (music & lyrics)
CBS
Fame ("Break Dance")
"I Still Believe In Me"
Syndicated
Fame ("Catch a Falling Star")
"Whatever Happened to the Heroes?"
Earl Brown (music)
Brown & Jean-Pierre Philippe (lyrics)
Two Marriages
"Home Here"
ABC
1985 [ 16]
Love Lives On
"Wildflower" & "Lullaby"
NBC
Disneyland's 30th Anniversary Celebration
"Thank You (For Thirty Happy Years)"
Ken & Mitzie Welch (music & lyrics)
NBC
Moonlighting ("Pilot")
"Moonlighting "
ABC
Motown Returns to the Apollo
"Tall, Tan, and Teasing"
NBC
1986 [ 17]
Andy Williams and the NBC Kids Search for Santa
"My Christmas Wish"
NBC
All-Star Party for "Dutch" Reagan
"America Is Changing Back to What She Used to Be"
Earl Brown (music)
Brown & Toby Martin (lyrics)
CBS
America Picks the #1 Song
"Take It to the People"
Ray Charles (music & lyrics)
ABC
Growing Pains
"As Long As We Got Each Other "
The Third Annual NBC All-Star Hour
"One Big Happy Family"
Ken & Mitzie Welch (music & lyrics)
NBC
The 12th People's Choice Awards
"The People's Choice"
Brown (music & lyrics)
CBS
1987 [ 18]
Liberty Weekend: Opening Ceremonies
"Welcome to Liberty"
ABC
The 59th Annual Academy Awards
"Sing Me the Song, the Song from the Movie"
Ken & Mitzie Welch (music & lyrics)
ABC
Jack and Mike ("Fire and Ice")
"This Love's for Real"
Nan Schwartz (music & lyrics)
Liberty Weekend: Closing Ceremonies
"Liberty! Remember, Rejoice, Renew"
Earl Brown (music & lyrics)
1988 [ 19]
Julie Andrews: The Sound of Christmas
"The Sound of Christmas"
ABC
Growing Pains ("Aloha")
"Swept Away"
ABC
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
"Comedy Ain't No Joke"
NBC
NBC Investigates Bob Hope
"A Man Is Innocent/Until Proven Guilty"
Bob Alberti (music)
Martha Bolton & Gene Perret (lyrics)
1989 [ 20]
Beauty and the Beast ("A Distant Shore")
"The First Time I Loved Forever"
CBS
Dadah Is Death ("Part 1")
"In The Light of Our Love"
CBS
Roseanne ("Radio Days")
"I'll Never Change My Mind"
Dan Foliart & Howard Pearl (music)
Foliart (lyrics)
ABC
Sesame Street… 20 Years & Still Counting
"Look Through the Window"
Joe Raposo (music & lyrics)
NBC
Shining Time Station ("A Place Unlike Any Other")
"Start Where You Are"
PBS
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Year
Program
Song
Composer / Lyricist
Network
2020 [ 51]
Euphoria ("And Salt the Earth Behind You")
"All for Us "
Labrinth (music & lyrics)
HBO
The Black Godfather
"Letter to My Godfather"
Chad Hugo & Pharrell Williams (music & lyrics)
Netflix
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver ("Episode 629 ")
"Eat Shit, Bob "
David Dabbon (music) Joanna Rothkopf, Jill Twiss & Seena Vali (lyrics)
HBO
Little Fires Everywhere ("Find a Way")
"Build It Up"
Ingrid Michaelson (music & lyrics)
Hulu
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ("Strike Up the Band")
"One Less Angel"
Thomas Mizer & Curtis Moore (music & lyrics)
Prime Video
This Is Us ("Strangers")
"Memorized"
Taylor Goldsmith & Siddhartha Khosla (music & lyrics)
NBC
Watchmen ("This Extraordinary Being ")
"The Way It Used to Be"
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (music & lyrics)
HBO
2021 [ 52]
WandaVision ("Breaking the Fourth Wall ")
"Agatha All Along "
Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez (music & lyrics)
Disney+
Bo Burnham: Inside
"Comedy"
Bo Burnham (music & lyrics)
Netflix
The Boys ("The Big Ride ")
"Never Truly Vanish
Christopher Lennertz (music) Lennertz & Michael Saltzman (lyrics)
Prime Video
The Queen's Gambit ("Adjournment")
"I Can't Remember Love"
Anna Hauss & Robert Weinröder (music) William Horberg (lyrics)
Netflix
Soundtrack of Our Lives
"The End Titles"
Marc Shaiman (music & lyrics)
YouTube
Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist ("Zoey's Extraordinary Birthday")
"Crimson Love"
Andrew Hey & Harvey Mason Jr. (music) Lindsey Rosin & Austin Winsberg (lyrics)
NBC
2022 [ 53]
Schmigadoon! ("Schmigadoon!")
"Corn Puddin'"
Cinco Paul (music & lyrics)
Apple TV+
Euphoria ("You Who Cannot See, Think of Those Who Can")
"I'm Tired"
Labrinth (music) Sam Levinson & Zendaya (lyrics)
HBO
Euphoria ("All My Life, My Heart Has Yearned for a Thing I Cannot Name")
"Elliot's Song"
Labrinth (music) Muz & Zendaya (lyrics)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ("How to Chew Quietly and Influence People")
"Maybe Monica"
Thomas Mizer & Curtis Moore (music & lyrics)
Prime Video
This Is Us ("Day of the Wedding")
"The Forever Now"
Taylor Goldsmith & Siddhartha Khosla (music & lyrics)
NBC
2023 [ 54]
Ted Lasso ("So Long, Farewell ")
"A Beautiful Game"
Max Martin , Ed Sheeran & Foy Vance (music & lyrics)
Apple TV+
Ginny & Georgia ("Hark! Darkness Descends!")
"Marriage Is a Dungeon"
Ben Bromfield & Lili Haydn (music & lyrics)
Netflix
The L Word: Generation Q ("Questions for the Universe")
"All About Me"
Heather McIntosh, Allyson Newman & Taura Stinson (music & lyrics)
Showtime
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ("Susan")
"Your Personal Trash Man Can"
Thomas Mizer & Curtis Moore (music & lyrics)
Prime Video
Ted Lasso ("Mom City ")
"Fought & Lost "
Jamie Hartman , Tom Howe & Sam Ryder (music & lyrics)
Apple TV+
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
"Now You Know"
"Weird Al" Yankovic (music & lyrics)
The Roku Channel
2024 [ 55]
Only Murders in the Building ("Sitzprobe")
"Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?"
Benj Pasek , Justin Paul , Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman (music & lyrics)
Hulu
Girls5eva ("New York")
"The Medium Time"
Sara Bareilles (music & lyrics)
Netflix
Saturday Night Live ("Host: Maya Rudolph")
"Maya Rudolph Mother's Day Monologue"
Eli Brueggemann (music) Mike DiCenzo, Jake Nordwind, Maya Rudolph & Auguste White (lyrics)
NBC
The Tattooist of Auschwitz ("Episode 6")
"Love Will Survive"
Walter Afanasieff , Kara Talve & Hans Zimmer (music) Charlie Midnight (lyrics)
Peacock
True Detective: Night Country ("Part 5 ")
"No Use"
John Hawkes (music & lyrics)
HBO
Multiple wins
Multiple nominations
15 nominations
12 nominations
9 nominations
7 nominations
6 nominations
5 nominations
4 nominations
3 nominations
2 nominations
Programs with multiple awards
Programs with multiple nominations
12 nominations
9 nominations
5 nominations
4 nominations
3 nominations
2 nominations
Notes
^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The benchmark was not met and no award was given.
^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominee did not meet the benchmark and no award was given.
^ As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. The nominees did not meet the benchmark and no award was given.
References
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy" . Television Academy . Retrieved April 18, 2020 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved April 25, 2020 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 13, 2017 .
^ "Nominees/Winners" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 12, 2018 .
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 16, 2019 .
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved September 17, 2020 .
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 13, 2021 .
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 20, 2024 .
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 14, 2023 .
^ "Nominees/Winners | Television Academy" . Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved July 20, 2024 .
1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s
"Up to You" – Music and Lyrics by John Kimbrough (2000)
"A Dream That Only I Can Know" – Music and Lyrics by Patrick Williams (2001)
"You've Got a Lot to See" – Music by Walter Murphy ; Lyrics by Seth MacFarlane (2002)
"Aren't They All Our Children" – Music by David Foster ; Lyrics by Linda Thompson (2003)
"Because You Are Beautiful" – Music by Toni Childs ; Lyrics by Toni Childs , Eddy Free, and David Ricketts (2004)
"Mary Jane/Mary Lane" – Music by Dan Studney; Lyrics by Kevin Murphy (2005)
"A Wonderfully Normal Day" – Music by Greg O'Connor ; Lyrics by Jim Wise (2006)
"Dick in a Box " – Music by Katreese Barnes , Asa Taccone , Jorma Taccone , and Justin Timberlake ; Lyrics by Andy Samberg , Akiva Schaffer , Jorma Taccone , and Justin Timberlake (2007)
"I'm F**king Matt Damon" – Music and Lyrics by Tony Barbieri , Sal Iacono , Wayne McClammy, Sarah Silverman , and Dan Warner (2008)
"Hugh Jackman Opening Number" – Music by John Kimbrough, William Ross , and Rob Schrab ; Lyrics by Dan Harmon and Ben Schwartz (2009)
2010s 2020s
Programs Performance Directing Writing Animation Casting Choreography Cinematography Commercials Costume Design Hairstyling Lighting Main Title / Motion Design Makeup Music Picture Editing Production Design Sound Editing Sound Mixing Special Effects Stunts Technical Direction Engineering Retired