Danny Elfman is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and composer. He led the rock band Oingo Boingo from 1976 until its breakup in 1995, but is most known for composing "The Simpsons Theme" and numerous film scores for director and producer Tim Burton, including Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Batman Returns (1992), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Mars Attacks! (1996), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Planet of the Apes (2001), Big Fish (2003), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005), and 9 (2009). Elfman has composed scores for dozens of additional films, a few of which have charted on the Billboard 200 (Batman peaked at #30, Dick Tracy peaked at #194, and Batman Returns peaked at #61).
Elfman's first major recognitions occurred in 1989, when he was nominated by the Emmy Awards for Outstanding Main Title Theme Music for "The Simpsons Theme" and by the Grammy Awards for his film score to Batman (Best Instrumental Composition for the "Title Theme" and Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture for the score). From these nominations, he won the Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition. Elfman has been nominated a total of four times by the Academy Awards (including twice for two different scores in 1997), twice by the Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards, ten times by the Grammy Awards, five times by the Saturn Awards (from which he won seven awards), and once each by the Annie Awards, British Academy Film Awards, and BMI Film & Television Awards. Overall, Elfman has won 33 awards from 74 nominations.
Academy Awards The Academy Awards are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry. Elfman has received four nominations.
YearNominated workAwardResult 1998 Good Will Hunting Best Original Dramatic Score Men in Black Best Original Musical or Comedy Score 2004 Big Fish Best Original Score 2009 Milk Best Original Score
Annie Awards The Annie Awards is an animation award show created and produced by the Los Angeles, California branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood, since 1972. Originally designed to celebrate lifetime or career contributions to animation in the fields of producing, directing, animation, design, writing, voice acting, sound and sound effects, etc., in 1992 it began to honor animation as a whole, and created the category of Best Animated Feature. New categories were subsequently added for different animation media. Elfman has received one nomination.
YearNominated workAwardResult 2007 Danny Elfman, Rufus Wainwright,Rob Thomas: Meet the Robinsons Music in an Animated Feature Production
BMI Film & Television Awards Established in 1986, the BMI Film & Television Awards "recognize the composers of the top grossing films and the highest-rated prime time television shows of the past year". Elfman has received 25 awards.
YearNominated workAwardResult 1987 Back to School BMI Film Music Award 1989 Beetlejuice BMI Film Music Award Scrooged BMI Film Music Award 1990 Batman BMI Film Music Award 1991 Dick Tracy BMI Film Music Award 1993 Batman Returns BMI Film Music Award 1996 The Simpsons BMI TV Music Award 1997 Mission: Impossible BMI Film Music Award 1998 Good Will Hunting BMI Film Music Award Flubber BMI Film Music Award Men in Black BMI Film Music Award The Simpsons BMI TV Music Award 2000 Sleepy Hollow BMI Film Music Award 2001 The Family Man BMI Film Music Award 2002 Danny Elfman Outstanding Career Achievement Award Planet of the Apes BMI Film Music Award 2003 Chicago BMI Film Music Award Men in Black II BMI Film Music Award Spider-Man BMI Film Music Award The Simpsons BMI TV Music Award 2004 Hulk BMI Film Music Award 2005 Spider-Man 2 BMI Film Music Award Desperate Housewives BMI TV Music Award 2006 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory BMI Film Music Award Desperate Housewives BMI TV Music Award BMI TV Music Award 2007 Charlotte's Web BMI Film Music Award Meet the Robinsons BMI Film Music Award Nacho Libre BMI Film Music Award Desperate Housewives BMI TV Music Award 2008 Desperate Housewives BMI TV Music Award 2009 Desperate Housewives BMI TV Music Award 2010 Terminator Salvation BMI TV Music Award The Wolfman BMI TV Music Award Alice in Wonderland BMI TV Music Award
British Academy Film Awards The British Academy Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). First awarded in 1947, the awards are often cited as the British equivalent to the Academy Awards. Elfman has been nominated twice.
YearNominated workAwardResult 2002 Chicago Best Film Music (Anthony Asquith Award) 2010 Alice in Wonderland Best Film Music (Anthony Asquith Award)
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards The Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, commonly called the Critics' Choice Awards, are bestowed annually by the Broadcast Film Critics Association to honor the finest in cinematic achievement. Nominees are selected by written ballots in a week-long voting period, and are announced in December. Elfman has been nominated twice.
YearNominated workAwardResult 2003 Big Fish Best Composer 2008 Milk Best Composer
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Elfman has been nominated four times.
YearNominated workAwardResult 1999 A Simple Plan Best Original Score 2003 Big Fish Best Original Score 2006 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Best Original Score 2008 Milk Best Original Score
Emmy Awards Administered by three sister organizations who focus on various sectors of television and broadband programming (Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences), the Emmy Awards "recognize excellence within various areas of television and emerging media". Elfman has received three awards from five nominations.
YearNominated workAwardResult 1990 "Main Title Theme" from The Simpsons Outstanding Main Title Theme Music 2005 "Title Theme" from Desperate Housewives Outstanding Main Title Theme Music 2016 Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton (Live from Lincoln Center) (PBS) Outstanding Music Direction 2023 "Title Theme" from Wednesday Outstanding Main Title Theme Music Wednesday: Woe is the Loneliest Number (shared with Chris Bacon) Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
Golden Globes The Golden Globe Awards are presented annually by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) to recognize outstanding achievements in the entertainment industry, both domestic and foreign, and to focus wide public attention upon the best in film and television. The formal ceremony and dinner at which the awards are presented is a major part of the film industry's awards season, which culminates each year with the Academy Awards. Elfman has been nominated three times.
YearNominated workAwardResult 1994 The Nightmare Before Christmas Best Original Score 2004 Big Fish Best Original Score 2011 Alice in Wonderland Best Original Score
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the record industry. Often considered the highest music honor, the awards were established in 1958. Elfman has received one award from twelve nominations.
YearNominated workAwardResult 1990 "The Batman Theme" from Batman Best Instrumental Composition Batman Best Album or Original Instrumental Background Score 1991 Dick Tracy Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for TV 1992 Edward Scissorhands Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for TV 1993 The Nightmare Before Christmas Best Musical Album for Children 1997 Men in Black Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for TV 2001 Planet of the Apes Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture or TV 2002 Spider-Man Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture or TV 2003 Big Fish Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture or TV 2006 "Wonka's Welcome Song" fromCharlie and the Chocolate Factory Best Song Written for a Motion Picture or TV 2010 Milk Best Score Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media 2011 Alice in Wonderland Best Score Soundtrack Album For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards The Phoenix Film Critics Society (PFCS) is an organization of film reviewers from Phoenix-based publications. In December of each year, the PFCS meets to vote on their Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards (first given in 2000) for films released in the same calendar year.
YearNominated workAwardResult 2003 Big Fish Best Original Score 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Best Original Score 2012 Hitchcock Best Original Score
Satellite Awards Originally known as the Golden Satellite Awards, the Satellite Awards are an annual award given by the International Press Academy to acknowledge the year's "outstanding artists, films, television shows, DVDs, and interactive media". Elfman has received one award from six nominations.
YearNominated workAwardResult 1996 Mars Attacks! Best Original Score 1999 Sleepy Hollow Best Original Score 2000 Proof of Life Best Original Score 2004 Spider-Man 2 Best Original Score 2005 Corpse Bride Best Original Score 2008 Milk Best Original Score
Saturn Awards The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in science fiction, fantasy, and horror in film, television, and home video. First presented in 1972, the Saturn Awards are voted on by members of the presenting Academy. Elfman has received 7 awards from 16 nominations.
YearNominated workAwardResult 1989 Beetlejuice Best Music 1991 Edward Scissorhands Best Music 1993 The Nightmare Before Christmas Best Music 1995 Dolores Claiborne Best Music 1996 Mars Attacks! Best Music The Frighteners Best Music 1997 Men in Black Best Music 1999 Sleepy Hollow Best Music 2002 Spider-Man Best Music 2003 Hulk Best Music 2004 Spider-Man 2 Best Music 2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Best Music 2012 Frankenweenie Best Music 2013 Oz the Great and Powerful Best Music 2019 Dumbo Best Music 2022 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness Best Music
Sierra Awards The Las Vegas Film Critics Society (LVFCS) is a non-profit organization composed of selected print, television and film critics in the Las Vegas area. The LVFCS presents its Sierra Awards each year for the best in film. Elfman has received one award from two nominations.
YearNominated workAwardResult 1998 A Simple Plan Best Score 2000 Sleepy Hollow Best Score
World Soundtrack Awards The World Soundtrack Academy, launched in 2001 by the Flanders International Film Festival to organize and oversee the educational, cultural, and professional aspects of the art of film music, including the preservation of the history of the soundtrack and its worldwide promotion. The World Soundtrack Awards are "distributed annually to mark and celebrate outstanding achievements in scoring music for motion pictures, and to honor other achievements". Elfman has been nominated twice.
YearNominated workAwardResult 2002 Spider-Man Best Original Soundtrack of the Year 2006 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Soundtrack Composer of the Year 2009 Milk, Taking Woodstock, Notorious Soundtrack Composer of the Year 2010 Alice in Wonderland, The Wolfman Soundtrack Composer of the Year 2013 Epic, Frankenweenie, Hitchcock, Oz the Great and Powerful, Promised Land, Silver Linings Playbook Soundtrack Composer of the Year
20/20 Awards YearNominated workAwardResult 2011 Edward ScissorhandsBest Original Score 2017 Mars Attacks!Best Original Score https://www.imdb.com/de/event/ev0003733/2017/1/?ref_=ev_tl_yr_3
Other recognitions