The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in musical theatre (distinct from incidental music in plays) across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. The award was originally entitled Best Composer, before being renamed to its current title in 1969. The award is often referred to as Outstanding Score of a Musical.

Winners and nominees Key

1960s Year Composer Production Ref. 1968 Al Carmines In Circles Galt MacDermot Hair 1969 Al Carmines Peace Burt Bacharach Promises, Promises

1970s Year Composer Production Ref. 1970 Stephen Sondheim Company |rowspan=2| |- |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Kurt Weill| Mahagonny 1971 Stephen Sondheim Follies | |- ! rowspan="2" align="center"| 1972 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Galt MacDermot| Two Gentlemen of Verona | |- ! rowspan="2" align="center"| 1973 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Stephen Sondheim| A Little Night Music | |- ! rowspan="2" align="center"| 1974 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Al Carmines| The Faggot 1975 Charlie Smalls The Wiz |rowspan=4| |- | Gene Curty, Nitra Scharfman & Chuck Strand | The Lieutenant |- | Jerry Herman | Mack and Mabel |- | Fred Silver | In Gay Company |- ! rowspan="5" align="center"| 1976 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Marvin Hamlisch| A Chorus Line |rowspan=4| |- | Leonard Bernstein | 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue |- | Bill Heyer & Hank Beebe | Tuscaloosa's Calling Me |- | Stephen Sondheim | Pacific Overtures |- ! rowspan="5" align="center"| 1977 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Cy Coleman| I Love My Wife |rowspan=4| |- | Charles Strouse | Annie |- | Elizabeth Swados | Nightclub Cantata |- | Robert Waldman | The Robber Bridegroom |- ! rowspan="4" align="center"| 1978 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Cy Coleman| On the Twentieth Century |rowspan=3| |- |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Carol Hall| The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Elizabeth Swados Runaways 1979 Stephen Sondheim Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Nancy Ford I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road Marvin Hamlisch & Neil Simon They're Playing Our Song Jerome Kass Ballroom Michel Legrand The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

1980s Year Composer Production Ref. 1980 Andrew Lloyd Webber Evita Cy Coleman Barnum Elizabeth Swados Runaways 1981 colspan="3" 1982 Maury Yeston Nine Stephen Sondheim Merrily We Roll Along Jim Wann Pump Boys and Dinettes 1983 Andrew Lloyd Webber Cats Larry Grossman A Doll's Life Gerald Jay Markee Charlotte Sweet Des McAnuff Death of Von Richthofen Alan Menken Little Shop of Horrors 1984 Jerry Herman La Cage aux Folles Galt MacDermot The Human Comedy David Shire Baby Stephen Sondheim Sunday in the Park with George 1985 Larry Grossman Grind Roger Miller Big River Michael Rupert 3 Guys Naked from the Waist Down 1986 Rupert Holmes The Mystery of Edwin Drood Polly Pen Goblin Market Charles Strouse Mayor Andrew Lloyd Webber Song and Dance 1987 Noel Gay Me and My Girl Claude-Michel Schönberg Les Misérables Nick Bicat The Knife Charles Strouse Rags Andrew Lloyd Webber Starlight Express 1988 Andrew Lloyd Webber Phantom of the Opera Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus Chess David Evans Birds of Paradise Hugh Masekela & Mbongeni Ngema Sarafina! Stephen Sondheim Into the Woods 1989 colspan="3"

1990s Year Composer Production Ref. 1990 Cy Coleman City of Angels |rowspan=5| |- | Chet Forrest, Bob Wright & Maury Yeston | Grand Hotel |- | Ástor Piazzolla | Dangerous Games |- | David Shire | Closer Than Ever |- | Andrew Lloyd Webber | Aspects of Love |- ! rowspan="6" align="center"| 1991 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Cy Coleman| The Will Rogers Follies |rowspan=5| |- | David Bucknam | The Waves |- | William Finn | Falsettoland |- | Lucy Simon | The Secret Garden |- | Stephen Sondheim | Assassins |- ! rowspan="2" align="center"| 1992 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Erik Frandsen, Michael Garin, Robert Hipkins & Paul Lockheart| Song of Singapore 1993 Marvin Hamlisch The Goodbye Girl John Kander Kiss of the Spider Woman Jeffrey Lunden Wings 1994 Stephen Sondheim Passion Michael John LaChiusa Hello Again Alan Menken Beauty and the Beast Polly Pen Christina Alberta's Father Tom Waits The Black Rider 1995 colspan="2" 1996 Jonathan Larson Rent Adam Guettel Floyd Collins Stephen Hoffman Splendora Polly Pen Bed and Sofa David Shire Big Bob Telson & Michael John LaChiusa Chronicle of a Death Foretold 1997 Cy Coleman The Life John Kander Steel Pier Jeanine Tesori Violet 1998 Stephen Flaherty Ragtime Paul Simon The Capeman Stephen Trask Hedwig and the Angry Inch Frank Wildhorn The Scarlet Pimpernel 1999 Jason Robert Brown Parade Cy Coleman Exactly Like You William Finn A New Brain Frank Wildhorn The Civil War

2000s Year Composer Production Ref. 2000 Andrew Lippa The Wild Party Shaun Davey James Joyce's The Dead Stephen Sondheim Saturday Night 2001 David Yazbek The Full Monty |rowspan=6| |- | Kirsten Childs | The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin |- | Stephen Flaherty | Seussical |- | Mark Hollmann | Urinetown |- | Ed Kleban | A Class Act |- | Laurence O'Keefe | Bat Boy: The Musical |- ! rowspan="5" align="center"| 2002 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Jason Robert Brown| The Last Five Years Marvin Hamlisch Sweet Smell of Success Jonathan Larson Tick, Tick... BOOM! Jeanine Tesori Thoroughly Modern Millie 2003 Marc Shaiman Hairspray Tim Acito Zanna, Don't! Stephen Flaherty A Man of No Importance Michel Legrand Amour Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx Avenue Q Anderson Edwards, Keith Glover & Keb' Mo' Thunder Knocking on the Door 2004 Jeanine Tesori Caroline, or Change RaRa Avis & Andrew Yeater Ramayana 2K3 Boy George Taboo Eric Rockwell The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) Stephen Schwartz Wicked Martin Silvestri & Joel Higgins Johnny Guitar 2005 Adam Guettel The Light in the Piazza Gary Adler & Michael Patrick Walker Altar Boyz Terry Davies Play Without Words William Finn The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Stephen Flaherty Dessa Rose David Yazbek Dirty Rotten Scoundrels 2006 Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison The Drowsy Chaperone Stephen Dolginoff Thrill Me Scott Frankel Grey Gardens Michael John LaChiusa See What I Wanna See Peter Mills The Pursuit of Persephone Matthew Sklar The Wedding Singer 2007 Duncan Sheik Spring Awakening John Kander Curtains Paul Leschen & Gila Sand Twist: Please, Sir, May I Have Some More? Peter Rodgers Melnick Adrift in Macao Lin-Manuel Miranda In the Heights Laurence O'Keefe & Nell Benjamin Legally Blonde 2008 Heidi Rodewald & Stew Passing Strange John Bucchino A Catered Affair Stephen Flaherty The Glorious Ones Tom Kitt Next to Normal Mark Mulcahy The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island Joshua Schmidt Adding Machine 2009 Elton John Billy Elliot the Musical Neil Bartram The Story of My Life Zina Goldrich Dear Edwina Dolly Parton 9 to 5 Stephen Sondheim Road Show Jeanine Tesori Shrek the Musical

2010s Year Composer Production Ref. 2010 David Bryan Memphis |rowspan=6| |- | Michael Friedman | Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson |- | Joe Iconis | Bloodsong of Love |- | John Kander & Fred Ebb | The Scottsboro Boys |- | Andrew Lippa | The Addams Family |- | Joseph Zellnik | Yank! |- ! rowspan="7"| 2011 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Trey Parker, Robert Lopez & Matt Stone| The Book of Mormon |align=center rowspan=6| |- | Brad Alexander | See Rock City & Other Destinations |- | Alan Menken | Sister Act |- | Marc Shaiman | Catch Me If You Can |- | Mike Stoller & Artie Butler | The People in the Picture |- | David Yazbek | Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown |- ! rowspan="7"| 2012 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | Alan Menken| Newsies |rowspan=6 align=center|

| Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová | Once |- | Michael John LaChiusa | Queen of the Mist |- | Alan Menken | Leap of Faith |- | Frank Wildhorn | Bonnie & Clyde |- | Maury Yeston | Death Takes a Holiday |- ! rowspan="7"| 2013 |- style="background:#DCEEFF" | David Byrne & Fatboy Slim| Here Lies Love Trey Anastasio & Amanda Green Hands on a Hardbody Michael John LaChiusa Giant Dave Malloy Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 Benj Pasek & Justin Paul A Christmas Story: The Musical David Rossmer & Steve Rosen The Other Josh Cohen 2014 Jason Robert Brown The Bridges of Madison County Andrew Lippa Big FishSteven Lutvak A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder Alan Menken Aladdin Kevin Murphy & Laurence O'Keefe Heathers: The Musical Jeanine Tesori Fun Home 2015 Lin-Manuel Miranda Hamilton Jason Robert Brown Honeymoon in Vegas Michael Friedman The Fortress of Solitude John Kander The Visit Dave Malloy Ghost Quartet Sting The Last Ship 2016 Steve Martin & Edie Brickell Bright Star Sara Bareilles Waitress Michael John LaChiusa First Daughter Suite Andrew Lloyd Webber School of Rock The Lobbyists SeaWife2017 David Yazbek The Band's Visit Stephen Flaherty Anastasia Dave Malloy Beardo Richard Oberacker Bandstand Irene Sankoff & David Hein Come from Away 2018 David Friedman Desperate Measures The Bengsons The Lucky Ones Ben Caplan & Christian Barry Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story Erin McKeown Miss You Like Hell Helen Park & Max Vernon KPOP2019 David Yazbek Tootsie Andrew R. Butler Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future Joe Iconis Be More Chill Peter Mills The Hello Girls Mark Sonnenblick Midnight at the Never Get Shaina Taub Twelfth Night

2020s Year Composer Production Ref. 2020 Dave Malloy Octet Ross Golan The Wrong Man Michael R. Jackson A Strange Loop Joshua Rosenblum Einstein's Dreams Duncan Sheik The Secret Life of Bees Jeanine Tesori Soft Power 2021 colspan="2" 2022 Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss Six Jason Howland Paradise Square Matt Ray The Hang Carrie Rodriguez ¡Americano! Jeanine Tesori Kimberly Akimbo 2023 Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally Shucked Michael R. Jackson White Girl in Danger Tom Kitt and AnnMarie Milazzo Almost Famous Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson Between the Lines The Kilbanes Weightless2024 Shaina Taub Suffs Jason Robert Brown The Connector Justin Huertas Lizard Boy: The Musical Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine The Outsiders David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna Dead Outlaw 2025 Will Aronson Maybe Happy Ending David Foster Boop! The Musical Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez Real Women Have Curves Zoe Sarnak The Lonely FewThe Lazours We Live in Cairo2026Brian Quijada and Nygel D. RobinsonMexodusThe LazoursNight Side SongsEthan D. Pakchar and Douglas LyonsBeau the MusicalMichael ThurberGoddessEthan LiptonThe Seat of Our Pants

Multiple wins

5 wins Cy Coleman Stephen Sondheim

3 wins Al Carmines Jason Robert Brown Andrew Lloyd Webber David Yazbek

2 wins Marvin Hamlisch

Multiple nominations

12 nominations Stephen Sondheim

7 nominations Andrew Lloyd Webber Jeanine Tesori

6 nominations Cy Coleman Stephen Flaherty Michael John LaChiusa Alan Menken David Yazbek

5 nominations Jason Robert Brown John Kander

4 nominations Dave Malloy

3 nominations Marvin Hamlisch Andrew Lippa Laurence O'Keefe Polly Pen David Shire Charles Strouse Elizabeth Swados Maury Yeston Frank Wildhorn

2 nominations Al Carmines William Finn Michael Friedman Larry Grossman Adam Guettel Jerry Herman Joe Iconis Michael R. Jackson Tom Kitt Jonathan Larson Michel Legrand Robert Lopez Galt MacDermot Peter Mills Lin-Manuel Miranda Marc Shaiman Duncan Sheik Shaina Taub

See also Tony Award for Best Original Score

References