Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special

This is a list of winners and nominees of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special.

Primetime Emmy Award for Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special
Awarded forOutstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special
CountryUnited States
Presented byAcademy of Television Arts & Sciences
First awarded1955
Currently held byWeird: The Al Yankovic Story (2023)
Websiteemmys.com

Starting in 2019, the category recognizes scripted programs. Unscripted programs compete for Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special.[1]

Winners and nominations

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1950s

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YearProgramNominee(s)Network
1955DragnetWalter SchumannNBC
Amahl and the Night VisitorsGian-Carlo MenottiNBC
A Christmas CarolBernard HerrmannCBS
Light's Diamond JubileeVictor Young[note 1]
MedicNBC
1956No Award Given
1957No Award Given
1958No Award Given
1959No Award Given

Note: The award presented in 1955 was for "Best Original Music Composed for TV"

1960s

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YearProgramNominee(s)Network
1960No Award Given
1961No Award Given
1962Winston Churchill: The Valiant YearsRichard RodgersABC
The Price of TomatoesLeith StevensNBC
Project XXRobert Russell Bennett
Second ChanceJohn WilliamsABC
Vincent Van Gogh: A Self-PortraitJacques BelascoNBC
1963Project XXRobert Russell BennettNBC
The Dick Powell ShowJoseph MullendoreNBC
Flashing SpikesJohn WilliamsABC
LabyrinthGian-Carlo MenottiNBC
1964
The Making of the President 1960Elmer BernsteinABC
East Side/West SideKenyon HopkinsCBS
Elizabeth Taylor in LondonJohn Barry
Greece: The Golden AgeGeorge KleinsingerNBC
The KremlinGeorges Auric
Saga of a Western ManUlpio Minucci, Joe Moon and Rayburn WrightABC
1965No Award Given
1966No Award Given
1967No Award Given
1968No Award Given
1969No Award Given

Note: Award titled Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composed for Television 1962–64

1970s

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YearProgramEpisodeNominee(s)Network
1970
(22nd)
The ChallengersPete RugoloCBS
Gene Kelly's Wonderful World of GirlsVan AlexanderNBC
1971
(23rd)
The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau"The Tragedy of the Red Salmon"Walter ScharfABC
Do You Take This Stranger?Pete RugoloNBC
HamletJohn Addison
1972
(24th)
Jane EyreJohn WilliamsNBC
Brian's SongMichel LegrandABC
The Snow GooseCarl DavisNBC
1973
(25th)
The Red PonyJerry GoldsmithNBC
A Brand New LifeBilly GoldenbergABC
Liza with a ZJohn Kander and Fred EbbNBC
1974
(26th)
The Autobiography of Miss Jane PittmanFred KarlinCBS
The MigrantsBilly GoldenbergCBS
Portrait: A Man Whose Name Was JohnLaurence RosenthalABC
1975
(27th)
QB VII"Part 1 & 2"Jerry GoldsmithABC
Queen of the Stardust BallroomBilly GoldenbergCBS
1976
(28th)
BabeJerry GoldsmithCBS
Dark VictoryBilly GoldenbergNBC
Gypsy in My SoulCy ColemanCBS
The SupercopsJack Urbont
1977
(29th)
SybilLeonard Rosenman and Alan and Marilyn BergmanNBC
Eleanor and Franklin: The White House YearsJohn BarryABC
Helter SkelterBilly GoldenbergCBS
Minstrel ManFred Karlin
Raid on EntebbeDavid ShireNBC
1978
(30th)
See How She RunsJimmie HaskellCBS
ActorBilly GoldenbergPBS
The Defection of Simas KudirkaDavid ShireCBS
Ziegfeld: The Man and His WomenDick DeBenedictisNBC
1979
(31st)
Friendly FireLeonard RosenmanABC
First, You CryPeter MatzCBS
The Hal Linden SpecialKen Welch and Mitzie WelchABC
The WordAlex NorthCBS

1980s

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YearProgramEpisodeNominee(s)Network
1980
(32nd)
High MidnightJerry Fielding (posthumously)CBS
The Last Convertible"Part 1"Pete RugoloNBC
Salem's LotHarry SukmanCBS
The Silent LoversGerald FriedNBC
1981
(33rd)
Masada"Part 2"Jerry GoldsmithABC
Father Damien: The Leper PriestPeter MatzNBC
Homeward BoundFred KarlinCBS
Masada"Part 4"Morton StevensABC
The Tempest Live with the San Francisco Ballet (Great Performances)Paul ChiharaPBS
1982
(34th)
The Princess and the CabbiePatrick WilliamsCBS
IvanhoeAllyn FergusonCBS
Jacqueline Bouvier KennedyBilly GoldenbergABC
KilljoyBruce BroughtonCBS
The LetterLaurence RosenthalABC
A Woman Called GoldaMichel LegrandSyndicated
1983
(35th)
Rage of AngelsBilly GoldenbergNBC
The Blue and the Gray"Part 2"Bruce BroughtonCBS
Drop-Out FatherPeter Matz
The Thorn Birds"Part 1"Henry ManciniABC
VJoe HarnellNBC
Who Will Love My Children?Laurence RosenthalABC
1984
(36th)
The First Olympics: Athens 1896"Part 1"Bruce BroughtonNBC
Concealed Enemies"Investigation"Jonathan TunickPBS
Master of the Game"Part 1"Allyn FergusonCBS
The Mystic Warrior"Part 1"Gerald FriedABC
Something About AmeliaMark Snow
1985
(37th)
CamilleAllyn FergusonCBS
Do You Remember LoveDavid ShireCBS
Murder with MirrorsRichard Rodney Bennett
SeducedPatrick Williams
1986
(38th)
Peter the Great"Part 1"Laurence RosenthalNBC
Death of a SalesmanAlex NorthCBS
An Early FrostJohn KanderNBC
A Letter to Three WivesJohnny Mandel
North and South"Part 1"Bill ContiABC
1987
(39th)
Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna"Part 1"Laurence RosenthalNBC
The Last Days of PattonAllyn FergusonCBS
LBJ: The Early YearsJohnny MandelNBC
Nutcracker: Money, Madness and Murder"Part 2"Billy Goldenberg
Under the InfluenceNan SchwartzCBS
1988
(40th)
The Bourne Identity"Part 1"Laurence RosenthalABC
April MorningAllyn FergusonCBS
FoxfireJohnny Mandel
Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story"Part 3"Gerald FriedABC
Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging AceDick DeBenedictisNBC
1989
(41st)
Lonesome Dove"The Return"Basil PoledourisCBS
Bridge to SilenceFred KarlinCBS
The Hijacking of the Achille LauroChris BoardmanNBC
Pancho BarnesAllyn FergusonCBS
War and Remembrance"Part 11"Bob CobertABC

1990s

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YearProgramEpisodeNominee(s)Network
1990
(42nd)
[2]
The Shell SeekersJames Di PasqualeABC
Do You Know the Muffin Man?Lee HoldridgeCBS
The Kennedys of Massachusetts"Part 3"David ShireABC
Last Flight OutChristopher YoungNBC
The Old Man and the SeaBruce Broughton
People Like Us"Part 2"Billy Goldenberg
The Phantom of the Opera"Part 2"John Addison
1991
(43rd)
[3]
Stephen King's It"Part 1"Richard BellisABC
Decoration DayPatrick WilliamsNBC
Johnny RyanChris Boardman
The Killing MindJames Di PasqualeLifetime
Lies Before KissesDon DavisCBS
1992
(44th)
[4]
O Pioneers!Bruce BroughtonCBS
DoublecrossedRichard BellisHBO
Fire in the DarkArthur KempelCBS
A Little Piece of HeavenDon DavisNBC
Survive the Savage SeaFred KarlinABC
1993
(45th)
[5]
Danielle Steele's Jewels"Part 1"Patrick WilliamsNBC
An American StoryMark SnowCBS
Call of the WildLee Holdridge
Mortal SinsJoseph ConlanUSA
The Sea WolfCharles BernsteinTNT
1994
(46th)
[6]
Lush LifeLennie NiehausShowtime
Double, Double, Toil and TroubleRichard BellisABC
GeronimoPatrick WilliamsTNT
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All"Part 1"Mark SnowCBS
Stephen King's The Stand"Part 4"W. G. Snuffy WaldenABC
1995
(47th)
[7]
Young Indiana Jones and the Hollywood FolliesLaurence RosenthalFamily
Buffalo Girls"Part 1"Lee HoldridgeCBS
Children of the Dust"Part 1"Mark Snow
Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. LongPatrick WilliamsTNT
30 Years of National Geographic SpecialsJay ChattawayNBC
1996
(48th)
[8]
The Canterville GhostErnest TroostABC
Annie: A Royal Adventure!David Michael FrankABC
Larry McMurtry's Dead Man's Walk"Part 1"David Bell
Norma Jean & MarilynChristopher YoungHBO
The Tuskegee AirmenLee Holdridge
1997
(49th)
[9]
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles: Travels with FatherLaurence RosenthalFamily
After JimmyPatrick WilliamsCBS
Calm at SunsetErnest Troost
Quicksilver HighwayMark MothersbaughFox
True WomenBruce BroughtonCBS
1998
(50th)
[10]
Glory & HonorBruce BroughtonTNT
Forbidden Territory: Stanley's Search for LivingstoneMark AdlerABC
From the Earth to the Moon"1968"Michael KamenHBO
House of Frankenstein"Part 2"Don DavisNBC
Merlin"Part 1"Trevor Jones
1999
(51st)
[11]
Alice in WonderlandRichard HartleyNBC
David and LisaMarco BeltramiABC
MutinyLee HoldridgeNBC
Rear WindowDavid ShireABC
Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for YouCarl Johnson

2000s

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YearProgramEpisodeNominee(s)Network
2000
(52nd)
[12]
RKO 281John AltmanHBO
Beyond the Prairie: The True Story of Laura Ingalls WilderErnest TroostCBS
Don QuixoteRichard HartleyTNT
Enslavement: The True Story of Fanny KembleCharles BernsteinShowtime
Walking with DinosaursBen BartlettDiscovery
2001
(53rd)
[13]
For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval StoryArturo SandovalHBO
Bailey's MistakeMason DaringABC
HavenLawrence ShraggeCBS
Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of CamelotMartin DavichNBC
Papa's AngelsVelton Ray BunchCBS
2002
(54th)
[14]
Shackleton"Part 2"Adrian JohnstonA&E
Dinner with FriendsDave GrusinHBO
Last CallBrian TylerShowtime
Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story"Part 2"Rupert Gregson-WilliamsCBS
The Mists of Avalon"Part 1"Lee HoldridgeTNT
We Were the MulvaneysPatrick WilliamsLifetime
2003
(55th)
[15]
Eloise at the PlazaBruce BroughtonABC
Hitler: The Rise of EvilNormand CorbeilCBS
The Lost World"Part 2"Robert LaneA&E
Martin and LewisErnest TroostCBS
The Roman Spring of Mrs. StoneJohn AltmanShowtime
2004
(56th)
[16]
Eloise at ChristmastimeBruce BroughtonABC
Dance in America: Lar Lubovitch's Othello (Great Performances)Elliot GoldenthalPBS
Fallen AngelErnest TroostCBS
Helter SkelterMark Snow
The Last King"Part 2"Robert LaneA&E
The Nazi Officer's WifeSheldon Mirowitz
2005
(57th)
[17]
Warm SpringsBruce BroughtonHBO
Miracle RunJoseph ConlanLifetime
PrideGeorge FentonA&E
Revelations"Part 1"Joseph VitarelliNBC
Salem's LotChristopher Gordon and Lisa GerrardTNT
Sometimes in AprilBruno CoulaisHBO
2006
(58th)
[18]
Into the WestGeoff ZanelliTNT
The Dive from Clausen's PierBruce BroughtonLifetime
Human Trafficking"Part 1"Normand Corbeil
Sleeper Cell"Al-Faitha"Paul HaslingerShowtime
The Water Is WideJeff BealCBS
2007
(59th)
[19]
Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King"Battleground"Jeff BealTNT
Boffo! Tinseltown's Bombs and BlockbustersTodd BoekelheideHBO
Broken TrailDavid Mansfield and Van Dyke ParksAMC
Bury My Heart at Wounded KneeGeorge S. ClintonHBO
The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's MinesJoseph LoDucaTNT
LongfordRobert LaneHBO
The Path to 9/11John CameronABC
2008
(60th)
[20]
The Company"Part 1"Jeff BealTNT
Bernard and DorisAlex WurmanHBO
For One More DayLennie NiehausABC
John Adams"Independence"Robert LaneHBO
Masters of Science Fiction"Jerry Was a Man"Laura KarpmanShowtime
Sense and SensibilityMartin PhippsPBS
2009
(61st)
[21]
Into the StormHoward GoodallHBO
Grey GardensRachel PortmanHBO
Little Dorrit"Part 5"John LunnPBS
Loving LeahJeff BealCBS
Taking ChanceMarcelo ZarvosHBO
24: RedemptionSean CalleryFox

2010s

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YearProgramEpisodeNominee(s)Network
2010
(62nd)
[22]
Temple GrandinAlex WurmanHBO
Blessed Is the Match (Independent Lens)Todd BoekelheidePBS
Georgia O'KeeffeJeff BealLifetime
The Pacific"Part 10"Blake Neely, Geoff Zanelli, and Hans ZimmerHBO
When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson StoryLawrence ShraggeCBS
You Don't Know JackMarcelo ZarvosHBO
2011
(63rd)
[23]
Mildred Pierce"Part 5"Carter BurwellHBO
Any Human Heart"Part 2"Dan JonesPBS
The Pillars of the Earth"Anarchy"Trevor MorrisStarz
SherlockA Study in PinkDavid Arnold and Michael PricePBS
ThurgoodRob MathesHBO
2012
(64th)
[24]
Hemingway & GellhornJavier NavarreteHBO
Game ChangeTheodore ShapiroHBO
Hatfields & McCoys"Part 1"John Debney and Tony MoralesHistory
Missing"The Hard Drive"Robert Duncan and Kim PlanertABC
Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. NiceMichael Giacchino
SherlockA Scandal in BelgraviaDavid Arnold and Michael PricePBS
2013
(65th)
[25]
World Without End"Medieval Life and Death"Mychael DannaReelz
The GirlPhillip MillerHBO
Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of GodIvor Guest and Robert Logan
Parade's End"Part 5"Dirk Brossé
RestlessLorne BalfeSundance
Ring of FireAnton SankoLifetime
2014
(66th)
[26]
Sherlock"His Last Vow"David Arnold and Michael PricePBS
American Horror Story: Coven"The Seven Wonders"James S. LevineFX
Clear HistoryLudovic BourceHBO
Fargo"The Crocodile's Dilemma"Jeff RussoFX
Herblock: The Black & the WhiteRob MathesHBO
The White Queen"The Final Battle"John LunnStarz
2015
(67th)
[27]
BessieRachel PortmanHBO
American Horror Story: Freak Show"Orphans"Mac QuayleFX
Away and BackWilliam RossHallmark
The Missing"Eden"Dominik ScherrerStarz
Sofia the First"The Curse of Princess Ivy"Kevin KlieschDisney Channel
24: Live Another Day"11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m."Sean CalleryFox
2016
(68th)
[28]
The Night Manager"Part 2"Victor ReyesAMC
All the WayJames Newton HowardHBO
DescendantsDavid LawrenceDisney
Fargo"Loplop"Jeff RussoFX
Jesse Stone: Lost in ParadiseJeff BealHallmark
War & Peace"Part 1"Martin PhippsLifetime
2017
(69th)
[29]
Fargo"Aporia"Jeff RussoFX
Feud: Bette and Joan"Pilot"Mac QuayleFX
Five Came Back"The Price of Victory"Jeremy TurnerNetflix
O.J.: Made in America"Part 3"Gary LionelliESPN
Suite FrançaiseRael JonesLifetime
The White HelmetsPatrick JonssonNetflix
2018
(70th)
[30]
March of the Penguins 2: The Next StepCyril AufortHulu
Alias Grace"Part 1"Mychael Danna and Jeff DannaNetflix
The Commuter (Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams)Harry Gregson-WilliamsPrime Video
Crazy Diamond (Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams)Cristobal Tapia de Veer
Godless"Homecoming"Carlos Rafael RiveraNetflix
USS Callister (Black Mirror)Daniel Pemberton
2019
(71st)
[31]
Chernobyl"Please Remain Calm"Hildur GuðnadóttirHBO
Escape at Dannemora"Episode 5"Edward ShearmurShowtime
Good Omens"In the Beginning"David ArnoldPrime Video
True Detective"The Final Country"T Bone Burnett and Keefus CianciaHBO
When They See Us"Part 2"Kris BowersNetflix

2020s

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YearProgramEpisodeNominee(s)Network
2020
(72nd)
[32]
Watchmen"It's Summer and We're Running Out of Ice"Trent Reznor and Atticus RossHBO
Hollywood"Hooray for Hollywood, Part 2"Nathan BarrNetflix
Little Fires Everywhere"The Spider Web"Mark Isham and Isabella SummersHulu
Mrs. America"Reagan"Kris BowersFX
Unorthodox"Part 1"Antonio GambaleNetflix
2021
(73rd)
[33]
The Queen's Gambit"End Game"Carlos Rafael RiveraNetflix
Fargo"East/West"Jeff RussoFX
OsloJeff Russo and Zoë KeatingHBO
The Underground Railroad"Chapter 2: South Carolina"Nicholas BritellPrime Video
WandaVision"Previously On"Christophe BeckDisney+
2022
(74th)
[34]
The White Lotus"Mysterious Monkeys"Cristobal Tapia de VeerHBO
1883"1883"Brian Tyler and Breton VivianParamount+
Moon Knight"Asylum"Hesham NazihDisney+
Station Eleven"Unbroken Circle"Dan RomerHBO Max
A Very British Scandal"Episode 1"Nathan BarrPrime Video
2023
(75th)
[35]
Weird: The Al Yankovic StoryLeo Birenberg and Zach RobinsonRoku
Hocus Pocus 2John DebneyDisney+
Ms. Marvel"Time and Again"Laura Karpman
PreySarah SchachnerHulu
A Small Light"What Can Be Saved"Ariel MarxNat Geo

Notes

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  1. ^ Light's Diamond Jubilee was simulcast on ABC, CBS, DuMont and NBC.

Programs with multiple nominations

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Composers with multiple awards

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Composers with multiple nominations

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References

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