Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media

Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media
Awarded for	quality instrumental score soundtrack albums
Country	United States
Presented by	National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
First awarded	1960
Last awarded	2015
Official website	grammy.com

The Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media has been awarded since 1960. Until 2001, the award was presented to the composer of the music alone. From 2001 to 2006, the producer and engineers shared in this award. In 2007, the award reverted to a composer-only award.

The award is presented to (a) composer(s) for an original score created for a film, a TV show or series, video games or other visual media.

There have been several minor changes to the name of the award:

• In 1959 the award was known as Best Sound Track Album – Background Score from a Motion Picture or Television
• From 1961 to 1962 it was awarded as Best Sound Track Album or Recording of Music Score from Motion Picture or Television
• From 1964 to 1968 it was awarded as Best Original Score from a Motion Picture or Television Show
• From 1969 to 1973 and in 1978 it was awarded as Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special
• From 1974 to 1977 it was awarded as Album of Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special
• From 1979 to 1986 it was awarded as Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special
• From 1988 to 1990 it was awarded as Best Album of Original Instrumental Background Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television
• From 1991 to 1999 it was awarded as Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television
• In 2000 it was awarded as Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
• From 2001 to 2011 it was awarded as Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
• Since 2012 this category has been known as Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media

Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.

1950s

2nd Grammy Awards (1959)^[1]

• Anatomy of a Murder – Duke Ellington
  • "M Squad" – Stanley Wilson – For "The Music from the M Squad"
  • "Peter Gunn" – Henry Mancini – For "More Music from Peter Gunn"
  • The Nun's Story – Franz Waxman
  • Pete Kelly's Blues – Dick Cathcart

1960s

3rd Grammy Awards (1961)^[2]

• Exodus – Ernest Gold
  • "Mr. Lucky" – Henry Mancini
  • "The Untouchables" – Nelson Riddle
  • The Apartment – Adolph Deutsch
  • Ben-Hur – Miklós Rózsa

4th Grammy Awards (1962)

• Breakfast at Tiffany's – Henry Mancini
  • "Checkmate" – John Williams
  • La Dolce Vita – Nino Rota
  • The Guns of Navarone – Dimitri Tiomkin
  • Paris Blues – Duke Ellington

5th Grammy Awards (1963)

• none

6th Grammy Awards (1964)

• Tom Jones – John Addison
  • Cleopatra – Alex North
  • Lawrence of Arabia – Maurice Jarre
  • Mondo cane – Riz Ortolani

7th Grammy Awards (1965)

• Mary Poppins – Richard M. Sherman; Robert B. Sherman
  • Goldfinger – John Barry
  • A Hard Day's Night – John Lennon; Paul McCartney
  • The Pink Panther – Henry Mancini
  • Robin and the 7 Hoods – Sammy Cahn; Jimmy Van Heusen

8th Grammy Awards (1966)

• The Sandpiper – Johnny Mandel
  • "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." – Lalo Schifrin; Morton Stevens; Walter Scharf; Jerry Goldsmith
  • Alexis Zorbas – Mikis Theodorakis
  • Help! – John Lennon; Paul McCartney; George Harrison; Ken Thorne
  • Les Parapluies de Cherbourg – Michel Legrand; Jacques Demy

9th Grammy Awards (1967)

• Doctor Zhivago – Maurice Jarre
  • Alfie – Sonny Rollins
  • Arabesque – Henry Mancini
  • Born Free – John Barry
  • Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Alex North

10th Grammy Awards (1968)

• "Mission: Impossible" – Lalo Schifrin
  • Casino Royale – Burt Bacharach
  • Doctor Dolittle – Leslie Bricusse
  • In the Heat of the Night – Quincy Jones
  • To Sir, with Love – Ron Grainer; Don Black; Mark London

11th Grammy Awards (1969)

• The Graduate – Dave Grusin; Paul Simon
  • Bonnie and Clyde – Charles Strouse
  • The Fox – Lalo Schifrin
  • The Odd Couple – Neal Hefti
  • Valley of the Dolls – André Previn

1970s

12th Grammy Awards (1970)

• Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid – Burt Bacharach
  • The Lost Man – Quincy Jones
  • Mackenna's Gold – Quincy Jones
  • Me, Natalie – Henry Mancini
  • Yellow Submarine – John Lennon; Paul McCartney; George Harrison; George Martin

13th Grammy Awards (1971)

• Let It Be – John Lennon; Paul McCartney; George Harrison; Ringo Starr
  • Airport – Alfred Newman
  • Darling Lili – Johnny Mercer; Henry Mancini
  • MASH – Johnny Mandel
  • The Sterile Cuckoo – Fred Karlin

14th Grammy Awards (1972)

• Shaft – Isaac Hayes
  • Bless the Beasts and Children – Barry De Vorzon; Perry Botkin Jr.
  • Friends – Elton John; Bernie Taupin
  • Love Story – Francis Lai
  • Ryan's Daughter – Maurice Jarre

15th Grammy Awards (1973)

• The Godfather – Nino Rota
  • $ – Quincy Jones
  • Il Giardino dei Finzi-Contini – Manuel De Sica
  • Nicholas and Alexandra – Richard Rodney Bennett
  • Super Fly – Curtis Mayfield

16th Grammy Awards (1974)

• Jonathan Livingston Seagull – Neil Diamond
  • Live and Let Die – Paul McCartney; Linda McCartney; George Martin
  • Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid – Bob Dylan
  • Sounder – Taj Mahal
  • Ultimo Tango a Parigi – Gato Barbieri

17th Grammy Awards (1975)

• The Way We Were – Alan Bergman; Marilyn Bergman; Marvin Hamlisch
  • "QB VII" – Jerry Goldsmith
  • Death Wish – Herbie Hancock
  • Serpico – Mikis Theodorakis
  • The Three Musketeers – Michel Legrand

18th Grammy Awards (1976)

• Jaws – John Williams
  • Murder on the Orient Express – Richard Rodney Bennett
  • Nashville – Keith Carradine; Ronee Blakley; Richard Baskin; Ben Raleigh; Richard Reicheg; Henry Gibson; Karen Black
  • The Return of the Pink Panther – Henry Mancini
  • The Wind and the Lion – Jerry Goldsmith

19th Grammy Awards (1977)

• Car Wash – Norman Whitfield
  • "Rich Man, Poor Man" – Alex North
  • The Omen – Jerry Goldsmith
  • One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest – Jack Nitzsche
  • Taxi Driver – Bernard Herrmann
  • Three Days of the Condor – Dave Grusin

20th Grammy Awards (1978)

• Star Wars – John Williams
  • Rocky – Bill Conti
  • The Spy Who Loved Me – Marvin Hamlisch
  • A Star is Born – Kenny Ascher; Alan Bergman; Marilyn Bergman; Rupert Holmes; Leon Russell; Barbra Streisand; Donna Weiss; Paul Williams; Kenny Loggins
  • You Light Up My Life – Joe Brooks

21st Grammy Awards (1979)

• Close Encounters of the Third Kind – John Williams
  • "Holocaust" – Morton Gould
  • "Battlestar Galactica" – Stu Phillips; John Andrew Tartaglia; Sue Collins; Glen A. Larson
  • Midnight Express – Giorgio Moroder; Christine Bennett; David Castle; Billy Hayes; Oliver Stone
  • Revenge of the Pink Panther – Henry Mancini (composer); Leslie Bricusse (lyricist)

1980s

22nd Grammy Awards (1980)

• Superman – John Williams
  • Alien – Jerry Goldsmith
  • Apocalypse Now – Carmine Coppola; Francis Ford Coppola
  • The Muppet Movie – Paul Williams; Kenny Ascher
  • Ice Castles – Alan Parsons (composer); Eric Woolfson (composer); Marvin Hamlisch (composer); Carole Bayer Sager (lyricist)

23rd Grammy Awards (1981)

• The Empire Strikes Back – John Williams
  • Fame – Michael Gore; Anthony Evans; Paul McCrane; Dean Pitchford; Lesley Gore; Robert F. Colesberry
  • Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants – Stevie Wonder; Michael Sembello; Stephanie Andrews; Yvonne Wright
  • One Trick Pony – Paul Simon
  • Urban Cowboy – J.D. Souther; Boz Scaggs; David Foster; Jerry Foster; Bill Rice; Brian Collins; Robby Campbell; Joe Walsh; Bob Morrison; Johnny Wilson; Dan Fogelberg; Bob Seger; Wayland Holyfield; Bob House; Wanda Mallette; Patti Ryan

24th Grammy Awards (1982)

• Raiders of the Lost Ark – John Williams
  • The Elephant Man – John Morris
  • Endless Love – Jonathan Tunick; Lionel Richie; Thomas McClar
  • The Jazz Singer – Neil Diamond; Gilbert Bécaud; Alan E. Lindgren; Richard Bennett; Doug Rhone
  • Nine to Five – Charles Fox; Dolly Parton

25th Grammy Awards (1983)

• E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – John Williams
  • The French Lieutenant's Woman – Carl Davis
  • On Golden Pond – Dave Grusin
  • Ragtime – Randy Newman
  • Victor Victoria – Henry Mancini (composer); Leslie Bricusse (lyricist)

26th Grammy Awards (1984)

• Flashdance – Giorgio Moroder; Laura Branigan; Keith Forsey; Irene Cara; Shandi Sinnamon; Ronald Magness; Doug Cotler; Richard Gilbert; Michael Boddicker; Jerry Hey; Phil Ramone; Michael Sembello; Kim Carnes; Duane Hitchings; Craig Krampf; Dennis Matkosky
  • Gandhi – Ravi Shankar; George Fenton
  • Return of the Jedi – John Williams
  • Staying Alive – Frank Stallone; Bruce Stephen Foster; Roy Freeland; Vince DiCola; Thomas Marolda; Joe Esposito; Randy Bishop; Tommy Faragher; Barry Gibb; Maurice Gibb; Robin Gibb
  • Tootsie – Dave Grusin

27th Grammy Awards (1985)

• Purple Rain – Prince; Lisa Coleman; Wendy Melvoin; John L. Nelson
  • Against All Odds – Phil Collins; Stevie Nicks; Peter Gabriel; Stuart Adamson; Michael Rutherford; Kid Creole; Michel Colombier; Larry Carlton
  • Footloose – Bill Wolfer; Dean Pitchford; Kenny Loggins; Tom Snow; Sammy Hagar; Michael Gore; Eric Carmen; Jim Steinman
  • Ghostbusters – Ray Parker Jr.; Kevin O'Neal; Bobby Alessi; David Immer; Tom Bailey; Graham Russell; David Foster; Jay Graydon; Diane Warren; Mick Smiley; Elmer Bernstein
  • Yentl – Michel Legrand; Alan Bergman; Marilyn Bergman

28th Grammy Awards (1986)

• Beverly Hills Cop – Marc Benno; Harold Faltermeyer; Keith Forsey; Micki Free; John Gilutin Hawk; Howard Hewett; Bunny Hull; Howie Rice; Sharon Robinson; Danny Sembello; Sue Sheridan; Richard Theisen; Allee Willis
  • Back to the Future – Johnny Colla; Chris Hayes; Huey Lewis; Lindsey Buckingham; Alan Silvestri; Eric Clapton; Sean Hopper
  • A Passage to India – Maurice Jarre
  • St. Elmo's Fire – David Foster; John Parr; Billy Squier; John Elefante; Dino Elefante; Jon Anderson; Fee Waybill; Steve Lukather; Richard Marx; Jay Graydon; Steve Kipner; Peter Beckett; Cynthia Weil
  • Witness – Maurice Jarre

29th Grammy Awards (1987) (film music was nominated in the Best Instrumental Composition category)

• Out of Africa – John Barry
  • Aliens – James Horner
  • Earth Run – Lee Ritenour, Dave Grusin
  • Elektric City  – Chick Corea
  • J Mood  – Wynton Marsalis
  • Top Gun Anthem (from Top Gun)  – Harold Faltermeyer
  • Young Sherlock Holmes – Bruce Broughton

30th Grammy Awards (1988)

• The Untouchables – Ennio Morricone
  • An American Tail – James Horner
  • The Glass Menagerie – Henry Mancini
  • The Princess Bride – Mark Knopfler
  • The Witches of Eastwick – John Williams

31st Grammy Awards (1989)

• The Last Emperor – David Byrne; Cong Su; Ryuichi Sakamoto
  • Empire of the Sun – John Williams
  • Fatal Attraction – Maurice Jarre
  • Tucker: The Man and His Dream – Joe Jackson
  • Who Framed Roger Rabbit – Alan Silvestri

1990s

32nd Grammy Awards (1990)

• The Fabulous Baker Boys – Dave Grusin
  • Batman – Danny Elfman
  • Field of Dreams – James Horner
  • Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – John Williams
  • The Last Temptation of Christ – Peter Gabriel – For "Passion"

33rd Grammy Awards (1991)

• Glory – James Horner
  • "Twin Peaks" – Angelo Badalamenti – For the soundtrack
  • Dick Tracy – Danny Elfman – For the original score
  • Driving Miss Daisy – Hans Zimmer – For the end titles (original soundtrack)
  • The Little Mermaid – Alan Menken – For the original motion picture soundtrack

34th Grammy Awards (1992)

• Dances with Wolves – John Barry
  • Avalon – Randy Newman
  • Awakenings – Randy Newman
  • Edward Scissorhands – Danny Elfman
  • Havana – Dave Grusin
  • Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – Michael Kamen

35th Grammy Awards (1993)

• Beauty and the Beast – Alan Menken – For the instrumental score portion of the soundtrack
  • "Northern Exposure" – David Schwartz – For the series' theme
  • Hook – John Williams
  • The Mambo Kings – Arturo Sandoval – For "Mambo Caliente"
  • Rush – Eric Clapton

36th Grammy Awards (1994)

• Aladdin – Alan Menken
  • The Age of Innocence – Elmer Bernstein
  • The Firm – Dave Grusin
  • Jurassic Park – John Williams
  • A River Runs Through It – Mark Isham

37th Grammy Awards (1995)

• Schindler's List – John Williams
  • The Lion King – Hans Zimmer
  • Little Buddha – Ryuichi Sakamoto
  • The Shawshank Redemption – Thomas Newman
  • Wolf – Ennio Morricone

38th Grammy Awards (1996)

• Crimson Tide – Hans Zimmer – For "Crimson Tide"
  • Batman Forever – Elliot Goldenthal – For "Batman Forever"
  • The Cure – Dave Grusin – For "The Cure"
  • Ed Wood – Howard Shore – For "Main Title"
  • Joe Cool's Blues – Wynton Marsalis – For "Buggy Ride"

39th Grammy Awards (1997)

• Independence Day – David Arnold – For "Independence Day"
  • Get Shorty – John Lurie – For "Get Shorty"
  • A Time to Kill – Elliot Goldenthal – For "Defile and Lament"
  • Unstrung Heroes – Thomas Newman
  • L'Uomo delle stelle – Ennio Morricone

40th Grammy Awards (1998)

• The English Patient – Gabriel Yared
  • The Lost World: Jurassic Park – John Williams
  • Men in Black – Danny Elfman – For the main theme
  • Selena – Dave Grusin
  • Seven Years in Tibet – John Williams

41st Grammy Awards (1999)

• Saving Private Ryan – John Williams
  • Amistad – John Williams
  • Bulworth – Ennio Morricone
  • City of Angels – Gabriel Yared – For the track from City of Angels (various artists)
  • Rush Hour – Lalo Schifrin

2000s

42nd Grammy Awards (2000)

• A Bug's Life – Randy Newman
  • Shakespeare in Love – Stephen Warbeck
  • Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace – John Williams
  • Le Violon Rouge – John Corigliano
  • La Vita è Bella – Nicola Piovani

43rd Grammy Awards (2001)

• American Beauty – Thomas Newman
  • The Cider House Rules – Rachel Portman
  • Gladiator – Lisa Gerrard; Hans Zimmer
  • Magnolia – Jon Brion
  • Toy Story 2 – Randy Newman

44th Grammy Awards (2002)

• Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – Tan Dun
  • A.I. Artificial Intelligence – John Williams
  • Chocolat – Rachel Portman
  • Men of Honor – Mark Isham
  • Planet of the Apes – Danny Elfman
  • Traffic – Cliff Martinez

45th Grammy Awards (2003)

• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – Howard Shore (composer); John Kurlander (engineer/mixer)
  • A Beautiful Mind – James Horner
  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone – John Williams
  • Monsters, Inc. – Randy Newman
  • Spider-Man – Danny Elfman

46th Grammy Awards (2004)

• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – Howard Shore (composer); John Kurlander (engineer); Peter Cobbin (engineer/mixer)
  • Catch Me If You Can – John Williams
  • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – John Williams
  • The Hours – Philip Glass
  • Seabiscuit – Randy Newman

47th Grammy Awards (2005)

• The Lord of the Rings: The Return Of The King – Howard Shore (composer); John Kurlander (engineer); Peter Cobbin (engineer/mixer)
  • "Angels in America" – Thomas Newman
  • Big Fish – Danny Elfman
  • Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – Jon Brion
  • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – John Williams

48th Grammy Awards (2006)

• Ray – Craig Armstrong
  • The Aviator – Howard Shore
  • The Incredibles – Michael Giacchino
  • Million Dollar Baby – Clint Eastwood
  • Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith – John Williams

49th Grammy Awards (2007)

• Memoirs of a Geisha – John Williams
  • The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – Harry Gregson-Williams
  • The Da Vinci Code – Hans Zimmer
  • Munich – John Williams
  • Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest – Hans Zimmer

50th Grammy Awards (2008)

• Ratatouille – Michael Giacchino
  • Babel – Gustavo Santaolalla
  • Blood Diamond – James Newton Howard
  • The Departed – Howard Shore
  • Happy Feet – John Powell
  • Pan's Labyrinth – Javier Navarrete

51st Grammy Awards (2009)

• The Dark Knight – Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard
  • Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – John Williams
  • Iron Man – Ramin Djawadi
  • There Will Be Blood – Jonny Greenwood
  • WALL-E – Thomas Newman

2010s

52nd Grammy Awards (2010)

• Up – Michael Giacchino
  • The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Alexandre Desplat
  • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – Nicholas Hooper
  • Milk – Danny Elfman
  • Star Trek – Michael Giacchino

53rd Grammy Awards (2011)

• Toy Story 3 – Randy Newman
  • Alice in Wonderland – Danny Elfman
  • Avatar – James Horner
  • Inception – Hans Zimmer
  • Sherlock Holmes – Hans Zimmer

54th Grammy Awards (2012)

• The King's Speech – Alexandre Desplat
  • Black Swan – Clint Mansell
  • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 – Alexandre Desplat
  • The Shrine – Ryan Shore
  • Tron Legacy – Daft Punk

55th Grammy Awards (2013)

• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
  • The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn – John Williams
  • The Artist – Ludovic Bource
  • The Dark Knight Rises – Hans Zimmer
  • Hugo – Howard Shore
  • Journey – Austin Wintory

56th Grammy Awards (2014)

• Skyfall – Thomas Newman
  • Argo – Alexandre Desplat
  • The Great Gatsby – Craig Armstrong
  • Life of Pi – Mychael Danna
  • Lincoln – John Williams
  • Zero Dark Thirty – Alexandre Desplat

57th Grammy Awards (2015)

• The Grand Budapest Hotel – Alexandre Desplat
  • Frozen – Christophe Beck
  • Gone Girl – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross
  • Gravity – Steven Price
  • Saving Mr. Banks – Thomas Newman

58th Grammy Awards (2016)

• Birdman – Antonio Sanchez
  • The Imitation Game – Alexandre Desplat
  • Interstellar – Hans Zimmer
  • The Theory of Everything – Johann Johannson
  • Whiplash – Justin Hurwitz

See also

• Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media
• List of film music awards § Best score

References