The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction is awarded to one television series or special each year.
In the following list, the first titles listed in gold are the winners; those not in gold are nominees, which are listed in alphabetical order. The years given are those in which the ceremonies took place.
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Winners and nominations
1970s Year Program Episode Nominees Network 1970 Kraft Music Hall "The Sound of Burt Bacharach" Peter Matz NBC The Merv Griffin Show "Chuck Connors, Joey Heatherton, Buddy Greco and Jack E. Leonard" Mort Lindsey CBS This Is Tom Jones "Mary Hopkins, Shelley Berman and José Feliciano" Johnnie Spence ABC 1971 Swing Out, Sweet Land Dominic Frontiere NBC Hamlet John Addison NBC The Merv Griffin Show "Big Band Salute" Mort Lindsey CBS 1972 Jack Lemmon in 'S Wonderful, 'S Marvelous, 'S Gershwin Elliot Lawrence CBS The Golddiggers Chevrolet Show "Fess Parker" Van Alexander Syndicated The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour "Jean Stapleton and Mike Connors" James E. Dale CBS 1973 The Carol Burnett Show "Anthony Newley and Bernadette Peters" Peter Matz CBS Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Irwin Kostal NBC The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters "Debbie Reynolds" Van Alexander Syndicated 1974 Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments Jack Parnell, Mitzie Welch and Ken Welch CBS The Carol Burnett Show "The Australia Show" Peter MatzCBS The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour "The Sonny and Cher Years" Marty Paich 1976 Evening at Symphony "Central Park in the Dark/A Hero's Life" Seiji Ozawa PBS Gypsy in My Soul Cy Coleman and Donn Trenner CBS 1977 America Salutes Richard Rodgers: The Sound of His Music Ian Fraser CBS Bronk "The Vigilante" Jacques Urbont CBS The New York Philharmonic: Rafael Kubelik (Live from Lincoln Center) Rafael KubelíkPBS Previn and the Pittsburgh "Mozart as Keyboard Prodigy" André Previn Sills and Burnett at the Met Peter Matz CBS 1978 The Sentry Collection Presents Ben Vereen: His Roots Ian Fraser ABC The New York Philharmonic with Zubin Mehta and Shirley Verrett (Live from Lincoln Center) Zubin MehtaPBS Previn and the Pittsburgh "The Music That Made the Movies" André Previn The Second Barry Manilow Special Jimmie Haskell ABC
1980s Year Program Episode Nominees Network 1980 Baryshnikov on Broadway Ian Fraser ABC Barry Manilow: One Voice Artie Butler ABC The Big Show "Steve Lawrence and Don Rickles" Nick Perito, Joe Lipman, Angela Morley and Peter Myers NBC 1981 Outstanding Music Direction Linda in Wonderland Ian Fraser, Chris Boardman, Billy Byers and Bob Florence CBS The Magic of David Copperfield III Sid Feller, Norman Mamey and George Wyle CBS Omnibus "Aretha Franklin, Princess Grace of Monaco and John Ritter" Alf Clausen, Jack Elliott and William GoldsteinABC Perry Como's Christmas in the Holy Land Nick Perito Stand by Your Man Carl Brandt, Deane Hagen and Earle Hagen CBS Outstanding Individual Achievement - Special ClassAs 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. The Kennedy Center Honors: A National Celebration Alan Barker, Zubin Mehta, Nick Perito and Michael Tilson Thomas CBS 1982 Night of 100 Stars Bill Elton, Elliot Lawrence, Lanny Meyers, Tommy Newsom, Jonathan Tunick and Torrie Zito ABC Ain't Misbehavin' Luther HendersonNBC The American Movie Awards Allyn Ferguson Shirley MacLaine... Illusions Peter MatzCBS Walt Disney: One Man's Dream Ian Fraser, Chris Boardman and Billy Byers 1983 Eubie Blake: A Century of Music (Kennedy Center Tonight) Dick Hyman PBS Epcot Center: The Opening Celebration Ian Fraser, Chris Boardman and Billy Byers CBS Ellington: The Music Live (Great Performances) Mercer Ellington PBS Perry Como's Christmas in Paris Jon Charles and Nick Perito ABC Sheena Easton... Act One Peter Matz NBC 1984 The Screen Actors Guild 50th Anniversary Celebration Ian Fraser, Chris Boardman, Billy Byers, J. Hill and Lenny Stack CBS Marilyn Horne's Great American Songbook (Live from Lincoln Center) William D. Brohn, Paul Chihara, Jack Gale, Glenn Osser, Leonard Slatkin and Jonathan Tunick PBS The Magic of David Copperfield VI Mauro Bruno and George Wyle CBS Perry Como's Christmas in New York Nick Perito ABC The Stars Salute the U.S. Olympic Team Ray Charles and Jon Charles NBC 1985 Christmas in Washington Ian Fraser, Billy Byers and Angela Morley NBC Disneyland's 30th Anniversary Celebration Tony Fox, J. Hill, John Rodby and Lenny Stack NBC Night of 100 Stars II Bill Elton, Lawrence James, Elliot Lawrence, Lanny Meyers, Tommy Newsom, Glen Roven and Torrie ZitoABC Perry Como's Christmas in England Nick Perito 1986 The 1986 Tony Awards Elliot Lawrence, James Lawrence, Lanny Meyers, Tommy Newsom, Glen Roven, Larry Schwartz and Torrie Zito CBS Andy Williams and the NBC Kids Search for Santa Ian Fraser, Chris Boardman, J. Hill and Lenny Stack NBC The Kennedy Center Honors Bob Alberti, Jon Charles, Allyn Ferguson, Peter Matz and Nick PeritoCBS Kraft Salutes George Burns' 90th Birthday Peter Matz 1987 Broadway Sings: The Music of Jule Styne (Great Performances) Buster Davis, Don Pippin and Eric Stern PBS A Carol Burnett Special... Carol, Carl, Whoopi & Robin Peter MatzABC Liberty Weekend: Opening Ceremonies Ian Fraser, Chris Boardman, Ralph Burns, Alexander Courage, J. Hill and Angela Morley The Perry Como Christmas Special Nick Perito The 1987 Tony Awards Larry Grossman, Wally Harper, Elliot Lawrence, James Lawrence, Lanny Meyers and Torrie Zito CBS 1988 Julie Andrews: The Sound of Christmas Ian Fraser, Chris Boardman, Alexander Courage and Angela Morley ABC Celebrating Gershwin (Great Performances) Michael Tilson Thomas PBS Irving Berlin's 100th Birthday Celebration Larry Grossman, Mark Hummel, Elliot Lawrence, James Lawrence, Peter Matz, Lanny Meyers, Tommy Newsom, Larry Schwartz, Don Sebesky and Torrie Zito CBS Moonlighting "Cool Hand Dave, Part 2" Alf Clausen, Brad Dechter, George Gaffney, Hummie Mann and Don Nemitz ABC 1989 Outstanding Music Direction Christmas in Washington Ian Fraser, Chris Boardman and J. Hill NBC Late Night with David Letterman "7th Anniversary Special" Paul Shaffer, Bruce Kapler NBC Michelob Presents Saturday Night Marcus Miller Syndicated Moonlighting "A Womb with a View" Alf Clausen, Brad Dechter, George Gaffney, Hummie Mann and D'Vaughn Pershing ABC The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour "Kenny Rogers, Maureen McGovern and Geoffrey Lewis" Jack Elliott CBS Outstanding Music for Special EventsAs 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. The 11th Annual Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts Bob Alberti, Jon Charles, Ray Charles, Mark Hummel, Dick Lieb and Nick Perito CBS
1990s Year Program Episode Nominees Network 1990 Julie Andrews in Concert (Great Performances) Ian Fraser, Billy Byers, Chris Boardman, Bob Florence, J. Hill and Angela Morley PBS The 63rd Annual Academy Awards Bill Conti, Jack Eskew, Julie Giroux, Ashley Irwin, William Kidd, Morton Stevens, Peter Matz and Billy Byers ABC The Kennedy Center Honors Nick Perito, Ray Charles and Jon Charles CBS Sammy Davis Jr. 60th Anniversary Celebration Glen Roven, David Michael Frank, Bruce Miller, Joe Curiale and Lawrence Schwartz ABC The Songwriters Hall of Fame 20th Anniversary... The Magic of Music Elliot Lawrence, Jack Cornter, Marvin Laird, Jamie Lawrence, Peter Matz, Lanny Meyers, James 'Buddy' Skipper and Torrie Zito CBS 1991 The Walt Disney Company Presents the American Teacher Awards Ian Fraser, Billy Byers, Chris Boardman and J. Hill Disney The 63rd Annual Academy Awards Bill Conti, Jack Eskew, Julie Giroux, Ashley Irwin, Dennis McCarthy and Marc Shaiman ABC The Josephine Baker Story Ralph Burns HBO The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson Larry Grossman, Paul McKibbons, Torrie Zito and Jamie LawrenceCBS The 1990 Tony Awards Elliot Lawrence, Lanny Meyers, Torrie Zito and Jamie Lawrence 1992 The 64th Annual Academy Awards Bill Conti, Jack Eskew, Julie Giroux, Ashley Irwin and Hummie Mann ABC Christmas in Washington Ian Fraser, Chris Boardman, Billy Byers and J. Hill NBC The Kennedy Center Honors Nick Perito and Ray Charles CBS Late Night with David Letterman "10th Anniversary Special" Paul Shaffer and Bruce Kapler NBC 1993 The 52nd Presidential Inaugural Gala Ian Fraser CBS The 65th Annual Academy Awards Bill Conti ABC The Kennedy Center Honors Nick PeritoCBS Sinatra "Part 1" Artie Butler The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles "Young Indiana Jones and the Mystery of the Blues" Joel McNeely ABC 1994 Gypsy Michael Rafter CBS The 66th Annual Academy Awards Bill Conti ABC Jerry Herman's Broadway at the Bowl (Great Performances) Donald Pippin PBS The Kennedy Center Honors Elliot Lawrence CBS The Walt Disney Company Presents the American Teacher Awards Ian Fraser Disney 1995 Barbra Streisand: The Concert Marvin Hamlisch HBO The 67th Annual Academy Awards Bill Conti ABC The Kennedy Center Honors Elliot Lawrence CBS The 38th Pablo Casals Festival Krzysztof Penderecki A&E The Walt Disney Company Presents the American Teacher Awards Ian Fraser Disney 1996 Sinatra: 80 Years My Way Glen Roven ABC Bye Bye Birdie Irwin Fisch ABC Christmas in Washington Ian Fraser NBC The 39th Pablo Casals Festival Krzysztof Penderecki A&E Peter and the Wolf George Daugherty ABC 1997 Centennial Olympic Games: Opening Ceremonies Mark Watters NBC The 69th Annual Academy Awards Bill Conti ABC Bette Midler: Diva Las Vegas Bobby Lyle HBO The 53rd Presidential Inaugural Gala: An American Journey Ian Fraser CBS The Simpsons "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious" Alf Clausen Fox 1998 The 70th Annual Academy Awards Bill Conti ABC Michael Crawford in Concert Ian Fraser PBS Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella Paul Bogaev ABC The Simpsons "All Singing, All Dancing" Alf Clausen Fox Star Trek: Deep Space Nine "His Way" Jay Chattaway Syndicated 1999 The Rat Pack Mark Adler HBO The 71st Annual Academy Awards Bill Conti ABC And the Beat Goes On: The Sonny and Cher Story Steve Tyrell ABC Christmas in Washington Ian Fraser TNT Janet: The Velvet Rope Rex Salas HBO The Temptations "Part 1" Daniel Carlin NBC
2000s