Motion picture award for music
The Academy Award for Best Original Score is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer.[ 1] 2021 is established as 35% of the music, which is raised to 80% for sequels and franchise films .[ 2]
The Academy began awarding movies for their scores in 1935 . The category was originally called Best Scoring . At the time, winners and nominees were a mix of original scores and adaptations of pre-existing material. Following the controversial win of Charles Previn for One Hundred Men and a Girl 1938 , a film without a credited composer that featured pre-existing classical music, the Academy added a Best Original Score category in 1939 .[ 3] 1942 , the distinction between the two Scoring categories changed slightly as they were renamed to Best Music Score of a Dramatic Picture and Best Scoring of a Musical Picture .[ 4] 1985 . From 1942 to 1985 , musical scores had their own category, with the exception of 1958 , 1981 , and 1982 . During that time, both categories had many name changes:
1. Non-musical scores Best Music Score of a Dramatic Picture (1942 ) Best Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (1943 –1962 ) Best Music Score—substantially original (1963 –1966 ) Best Original Music Score (1967 –1968 ) Best Original Score—for a motion picture [not a musical] (1969 –1970 ) Best Original Score (1971 , 1976 –1995 , 2000 -today) Best Original Dramatic Score (1972 –1975 , 1996 –1999 )
2. Musical scores Best Scoring of a Musical Picture (1942 –1962 ) Best Scoring of Music—adaptation or treatment (1963 –1968 ) Best Score of a Musical Picture—original or adaptation (1969 –1970 ) Best Original Song Score (1971 ) Best Scoring: Adaptation and Original Song Score (1972 –1973 ) Best Scoring: Original Song Score and Adaptation -or- Scoring: Adaptation (1974 –1976 ) Best Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score (1977 –1978 ) Best Adaptation Score (1979 ) Best Original Song Score and Its Adaptation -or- Adaptation Score (1980 , 1983 ) Best Original Song Score or Adaptation Score (1984 ) Best Original Song Score (1985 ) Best Original Musical or Comedy Score (1996 –1999 )
Following the wins of four Walt Disney Feature Animation films in six years from 1990 to 1995 (The Little Mermaid Beauty and the Beast Aladdin The Lion King Disney Renaissance , it was decided to once again split the Best Original Score category by genres, this time by combining comedies and musicals together. As Alan Bergman , the chairman of the Academy's music branch said, "People were voting for the songs, not the underscores. We felt that Academy members outside the music branch didn't distinguish between the two. So when a score like The Lion King is competing against a drama like Forrest Gump ,[ 5] Best Original Dramatic Score and Best Original Musical or Comedy Score in 1996 . This change proved unpopular in the other branches of the Academy as Charles Bernstein , chairman of the Academy's rules committee, noted that "no other Oscar category depended on a film's genre" and "the job of composing an underscore for a romantic comedy is not substantially different from working on a heavy drama."[ 5] 2000 .
In 2020 , rules were changed to require that a film's score include a minimum of 60% original music. Franchise films and sequels must include a minimum of 80% new music.[ 6] 2021 , the rules were changed again, lowering the minimum percentage of original music from 60% to 35% of the total music in the film.[ 7]
Academy Award for Best Original Musical [ edit ] The Academy Award for Best Original Musical is a category that was re-established in 2000 after the Best Original Musical or Comedy Score category was retired. It has never been awarded in its present form due to a prolonged drought of films meeting the sufficient eligibility requirements. The Music Branch Executive Committee of the Academy decides whether there are enough quality submissions to justify its activation.[ 8]
According to the rules, the Best Original Musical is defined as follows:
An original musical consists of not fewer than five original songs by the same writer or team of writers, either used as voiceovers or visually performed. Each of these songs must be substantively rendered, clearly audible, intelligible, and must further the storyline of the motion picture. An arbitrary group of songs unessential to the storyline will not be considered eligible.[ 8]
Winners and nominees [ edit ] The following is the list of nominated composers organized by year, and listing both films and composers. The years shown in the following list of winners are the production years, thus a reference to 1967 means the Oscars presented in 1968 for films released in 1967.
Year Film Nominees 1934 (7th) [ note 1] One Night of Love Columbia Studio Music Department , Louis Silvers , head of department (Thematic music by Victor Schertzinger and Gus Kahn ) The Gay Divorcee RKO Radio Studio Music Department , Max Steiner , head of department (Score by Kenneth Webb and Sam Hoffenstein ) The Lost Patrol RKO Radio Studio Music Department, Steiner, head of department (Score by Steiner) 1935 (8th) The Informer RKO Radio Studio Music Department , Max Steiner , head of department (Score by Steiner) Captain Blood [ note 2] [ 9] Warner Bros. -First National Studio Music Department , Leo F. Forbstein , head of department (Score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold ) Mutiny on the Bounty Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Music Department , Nat W. Finston, head of department (Score by Herbert Stothart ) Peter Ibbetson Paramount Studio Music Department , Irvin Talbot, head of department (Score by Ernst Toch ) 1936 (9th) Anthony Adverse Warner Bros. Studio Music Department , Leo F. Forbstein , head of department (Score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold ) The Charge of the Light Brigade Warner Bros. Studio Music Department, Forbstein, head of department (Score by Max Steiner ) The Garden of Allah Selznick International Pictures Music Department , Steiner, head of department (Score by Steiner) The General Died at Dawn Paramount Studio Music Department , Boris Morros , head of department (Score by Werner Janssen ) Winterset RKO Radio Studio Music Department , Nathaniel Shilkret , head of department (Score by Shilkret) 1937 (10th) [ note 3] One Hundred Men and a Girl Universal Studio Music Department , Charles Previn , head of department (no composer credit) The Hurricane Samuel Goldwyn Studio Music Department , Alfred Newman , head of department (Score by Newman) In Old Chicago 20th Century-Fox Studio Music Department , Louis Silvers , head of department (no composer credit) The Life of Emile Zola Warner Bros. Studio Music Department , Leo F. Forbstein , head of department (Score by Max Steiner ) Lost Horizon Columbia Studio Music Department , Morris Stoloff , head of department (Score by Dimitri Tiomkin ) Make a Wish Principal Productions, Hugo Riesenfeld , head of department (Score by Riesenfeld) Maytime Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studio Music Department , Nat W. Finston, head of department (Score by Herbert Stothart ) Portia on Trial Republic Studio Music Department , Alberto Colombo , head of department (Score by Colombo) The Prisoner of Zenda Selznick International Pictures Music Department , Alfred Newman , head of department (Score by Newman) Quality Street RKO Radio Studio Music Department , Roy Webb , head of department (Score by Webb) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Walt Disney Studio Music Department , Leigh Harline , head of department (Score by Frank Churchill , Harline and Paul Smith ) Something to Sing About Grand National Studio Music Department , Constantin Bakaleinikoff , head of department (Score by Victor Schertzinger ) Souls at Sea Paramount Studio Music Department , Boris Morros , head of department (Score by W. Franke Harling and Milan Roder) Way Out West Hal Roach Studio Music Department , Marvin Hatley , head of department (Score by Hatley) 1938 (11th) Original Score The Adventures of Robin Hood Erich Wolfgang Korngold Army Girl Victor Young Block-Heads Marvin Hatley Blockade Werner Janssen Breaking the Ice Victor Young The Cowboy and the Lady Alfred Newman If I Were King Richard Hageman Marie Antoinette Herbert Stothart Pacific Liner Russell Bennett Suez Louis Silvers The Young in Heart Franz Waxman Scoring Alexander's Ragtime Band Alfred Newman Carefree Victor Baravalle Girls' School Morris Stoloff and Gregory Stone The Goldwyn Follies Alfred Newman Jezebel Max Steiner Mad About Music Charles Previn and Frank Skinner Storm Over Bengal Cy Feuer Sweethearts Herbert Stothart There Goes My Heart Marvin Hatley Tropic Holiday Boris Morros The Young in Heart Franz Waxman 1939 (12th) Original Score The Wizard of Oz Herbert Stothart Dark Victory Max Steiner Eternally Yours Werner Janssen Golden Boy Victor Young Gone with the Wind Max Steiner Gulliver's Travels Victor Young The Man in the Iron Mask Lud Gluskin and Lucien Moraweck Man of Conquest Victor Young Nurse Edith Cavell Anthony Collins Of Mice and Men Aaron Copland The Rains Came Alfred Newman Wuthering Heights Scoring Stagecoach Richard Hageman , W. Franke Harling , John Leipold and Leo Shuken Babes in Arms Roger Edens and Georgie Stoll First Love Charles Previn The Great Victor Herbert Phil Boutelje and Arthur Lange The Hunchback of Notre Dame Alfred Newman Intermezzo Louis Forbes Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Dimitri Tiomkin Of Mice and Men Aaron Copland The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex Erich Wolfgang Korngold She Married a Cop Cy Feuer Swanee River Louis Silvers They Shall Have Music Alfred Newman Way Down South Victor Young
Year Film Nominees 1940 (13th) Original Score Pinocchio Leigh Harline , Paul Smith and Ned Washington Arizona Victor Young Dark Command The Fight for Life Louis Gruenberg The Great Dictator Meredith Willson The House of the Seven Gables Frank Skinner The Howards of Virginia Richard Hageman The Letter Max Steiner The Long Voyage Home Richard Hageman The Mark of Zorro Alfred Newman My Favorite Wife Roy Webb North West Mounted Police Victor Young One Million B.C. Werner Heymann Our Town Aaron Copland Rebecca Franz Waxman The Thief of Bagdad Miklós Rózsa Waterloo Bridge Herbert Stothart Scoring Tin Pan Alley Alfred Newman Arise, My Love Victor Young Hit Parade of 1941 Cy Feuer Irene Anthony Collins Our Town Aaron Copland The Sea Hawk Erich Wolfgang Korngold Second Chorus Artie Shaw Spring Parade Charles Previn Strike Up the Band Roger Edens and Georgie Stoll 1941 (14th) Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture The Devil and Daniel Webster Bernard Herrmann Back Street Frank Skinner Ball of Fire Alfred Newman Cheers for Miss Bishop Edward Ward Citizen Kane Bernard Herrmann Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Franz Waxman Hold Back the Dawn Victor Young How Green Was My Valley Alfred Newman King of the Zombies Edward Kay Ladies in Retirement Morris Stoloff and Ernst Toch The Little Foxes Meredith Willson Lydia Miklós Rózsa Mercy Island Cy Feuer and Walter Scharf Sergeant York Max Steiner So Ends Our Night Louis Gruenberg Sundown Miklós Rózsa Suspicion Franz Waxman Tanks a Million Edward Ward That Uncertain Feeling Werner Heymann This Woman Is Mine Richard Hageman Scoring of a Musical Picture Dumbo Frank Churchill and Oliver Wallace All-American Co-Ed Edward Ward Birth of the Blues Robert E. Dolan Buck Privates Charles Previn The Chocolate Soldier Herbert Stothart and Bronisław Kaper Ice-Capades Cy Feuer The Strawberry Blonde Heinz Roemheld Sun Valley Serenade Emil Newman Sunny Anthony Collins You'll Never Get Rich Morris Stoloff 1942 (15th) Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture Now, Voyager Max Steiner Arabian Nights Frank Skinner Bambi Frank Churchill (p.n. ) and Edward Plumb The Black Swan Alfred Newman The Corsican Brothers Dimitri Tiomkin Flying Tigers Victor Young The Gold Rush Max Terr I Married a Witch Roy Webb Joan of Paris Jungle Book Miklós Rózsa Klondike Fury Edward Kay The Pride of the Yankees Leigh Harline Random Harvest Herbert Stothart The Shanghai Gesture Richard Hageman Silver Queen Victor Young Take a Letter, Darling The Talk of the Town Friedrich Hollaender and Morris Stoloff To Be or Not to Be Werner Heymann Scoring of a Musical Picture Yankee Doodle Dandy Ray Heindorf and Heinz Roemheld Flying with Music Edward Ward For Me and My Gal Roger Edens and Georgie Stoll Holiday Inn Robert E. Dolan It Started with Eve Hans J. Salter and Charles Previn Johnny Doughboy Walter Scharf My Gal Sal Alfred Newman You Were Never Lovelier Leigh Harline 1943 (16th) Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture The Song of Bernadette Alfred Newman The Amazing Mrs. Holliday Frank Skinner and Hans J. Salter Casablanca Max Steiner Commandos Strike at Dawn Morris Stoloff and Louis Gruenberg The Fallen Sparrow Roy Webb and Constantin Bakaleinikoff For Whom the Bell Tolls Victor Young Hangmen Also Die! Hanns Eisler Hi Diddle Diddle Phil Boutelje In Old Oklahoma Walter Scharf Johnny Come Lately Leigh Harline The Kansan Gerard Carbonara Lady of Burlesque Arthur Lange Madame Curie Herbert Stothart The Moon and Sixpence Dimitri Tiomkin The North Star Aaron Copland Victory Through Air Power Edward Plumb , Paul Smith and Oliver Wallace Scoring of a Musical Picture This Is the Army Ray Heindorf Coney Island Alfred Newman Hit Parade of 1943 Walter Scharf Phantom of the Opera Edward Ward Saludos Amigos Edward Plumb, Paul Smith and Charles Wolcott The Sky's the Limit Leigh Harline Something to Shout About Morris Stoloff Stage Door Canteen Fred Rich Star Spangled Rhythm Robert E. Dolan Thousands Cheer Herbert P. Stothart 1944 (17th) Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture Since You Went Away Max Steiner Address Unknown Morris Stoloff and Ernst Toch The Adventures of Mark Twain Max Steiner The Bridge of San Luis Rey Dimitri Tiomkin Casanova Brown Arthur Lange Christmas Holiday Hans J. Salter Double Indemnity Miklós Rózsa The Fighting Seabees Walter Scharf and Roy Webb The Hairy Ape Michel Michelet and Edward Paul It Happened Tomorrow Robert Stolz Jack London Fred Rich Kismet Herbert Stothart None but the Lonely Heart Constantin Bakaleinikoff and Hanns Eisler The Princess and the Pirate David Rose Summer Storm Karl Hajos Three Russian Girls Franke Harling Up in Mabel's Room Edward Paul Voice in the Wind Michel Michelet Wilson Alfred Newman The Woman of the Town Miklós Rózsa Scoring of a Musical Picture Cover Girl Morris Stoloff and Carmen Dragon Brazil Walter Scharf Higher and Higher Constantin Bakaleinikoff Hollywood Canteen Ray Heindorf Irish Eyes Are Smiling Alfred Newman Knickerbocker Holiday Werner Heymann and Kurt Weill Lady in the Dark Robert Emmett Dolan Lady, Let's Dance Edward Kay Meet Me in St. Louis Georgie Stoll The Merry Monahans Hans J. Salter Minstrel Man Ferde Grofé and Leo Erdody Sensations of 1945 Mahlon Merrick Song of the Open Road Charles Previn Up in Arms Louis Forbes and Ray Heindorf 1945 (18th) Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture Spellbound Miklós Rózsa The Bells of St. Mary's Robert E. Dolan Brewster's Millions Louis Forbes Captain Kidd Werner Janssen The Enchanted Cottage Roy Webb Flame of Barbary Coast Morton Scott and Dale Butts G. I. Honeymoon Edward J. Kay G. I. Joe Louis Applebaum and Ann Ronell Guest in the House Werner Janssen Guest Wife Daniele Amfitheatrof The Keys of the Kingdom Alfred Newman The Lost Weekend Miklós Rózsa Love Letters Victor Young The Man Who Walked Alone Karl Hajos Objective, Burma! Franz Waxman Paris Underground Alexandre Tansman A Song to Remember Miklós Rózsa and Morris Stoloff The Southerner Werner Janssen This Love of Ours Hans J. Salter The Valley of Decision Herbert Stothart The Woman in the Window Arthur Lange and Hugo Friedhofer Scoring of a Musical Picture Anchors Aweigh Georgie Stoll Belle of the Yukon Arthur Lange Can't Help Singing Jerome Kern (p.n. ) and Hans J. Salter Hitchhike to Happiness Morton Scott Incendiary Blonde Robert E. Dolan Rhapsody in Blue Ray Heindorf and Max Steiner State Fair Alfred Newman and Charles Henderson Sunbonnet Sue Edward J. Kay The Three Caballeros Edward Plumb , Paul Smith and Charles Wolcott Tonight and Every Night Marlin Skiles and Morris Stoloff Why Girls Leave Home Walter Greene Wonder Man Louis Forbes and Ray Heindorf 1946 (19th) Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture The Best Years of Our Lives Hugo Friedhofer Anna and the King of Siam Bernard Herrmann Henry V William Walton Humoresque Franz Waxman The Killers Miklós Rózsa Scoring of a Musical Picture The Jolson Story Morris Stoloff Blue Skies Robert Emmett Dolan Centennial Summer Alfred Newman The Harvey Girls Lennie Hayton Night and Day Ray Heindorf and Max Steiner 1947 (20th) Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture A Double Life Miklós Rózsa The Bishop's Wife Hugo Friedhofer Captain from Castile Alfred Newman Forever Amber David Raksin Life with Father Max Steiner Scoring of a Musical Picture Mother Wore Tights Alfred Newman Fiesta Johnny Green My Wild Irish Rose Ray Heindorf and Max Steiner Road to Rio Robert Emmett Dolan Song of the South Daniele Amfitheatrof , Paul Smith and Charles Wolcott 1948 (21st) Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture The Red Shoes Brian Easdale Hamlet William Walton Joan of Arc Hugo Friedhofer Johnny Belinda Max Steiner The Snake Pit Alfred Newman Scoring of a Musical Picture Easter Parade Johnny Green and Roger Edens The Emperor Waltz Victor Young The Pirate Lennie Hayton Romance on the High Seas Ray Heindorf When My Baby Smiles at Me Alfred Newman 1949 (22nd) Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture The Heiress Aaron Copland Beyond the Forest Max Steiner Champion Dimitri Tiomkin Scoring of a Musical Picture On the Town Roger Edens and Lennie Hayton Jolson Sings Again Morris Stoloff and George Duning Look for the Silver Lining Ray Heindorf
Year Film Nominees 1960 (33rd) Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture Exodus Ernest Gold The Alamo Dimitri Tiomkin Elmer Gantry André Previn The Magnificent Seven Elmer Bernstein Spartacus Alex North Scoring of a Musical Picture Song Without End Morris Stoloff and Harry Sukman Bells Are Ringing André Previn Can-Can Nelson Riddle Let's Make Love Earle Hagen and Lionel Newman Pepe Johnny Green 1961 (34th) Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture Breakfast at Tiffany's Henry Mancini El Cid Miklós Rózsa Fanny Morris Stoloff and Harry Sukman The Guns of Navarone Dimitri Tiomkin Summer and Smoke Elmer Bernstein Scoring of a Musical Picture West Side Story Saul Chaplin , Johnny Green , Irwin Kostal and Sid Ramin Babes in Toyland George Bruns Flower Drum Song Alfred Newman and Ken Darby Khovanshchina Dmitri Shostakovich Paris Blues Duke Ellington 1962 (35th) Music Score — Substantially Original Lawrence of Arabia Maurice Jarre Freud Jerry Goldsmith Mutiny on the Bounty Bronisław Kaper Taras Bulba Franz Waxman To Kill a Mockingbird Elmer Bernstein Scoring of Music — Adaptation or Treatment The Music Man Ray Heindorf Billy Rose's Jumbo Georgie Stoll Gigot Michel Magne Gypsy Frank Perkins The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm Leigh Harline 1963 (36th) Music Score — Substantially Original Tom Jones John Addison 55 Days at Peking Dimitri Tiomkin Cleopatra Alex North How the West Was Won Alfred Newman and Ken Darby It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World Ernest Gold Scoring of Music — Adaptation or Treatment Irma la Douce André Previn Bye Bye Birdie Johnny Green A New Kind of Love Leith Stevens Sundays and Cybele Maurice Jarre The Sword in the Stone George Bruns 1964 (37th) Music Score — Substantially Original Mary Poppins Sherman Brothers Becket Laurence Rosenthal The Fall of the Roman Empire Dimitri Tiomkin Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte Frank De Vol The Pink Panther Henry Mancini Scoring of Music — Adaptation or Treatment My Fair Lady André Previn A Hard Day's Night George Martin Mary Poppins Irwin Kostal Robin and the 7 Hoods Nelson Riddle The Unsinkable Molly Brown Robert Armbruster , Leo Arnaud , Jack Elliott , Jack Hayes , Calvin Jackson and Leo Shuken 1965 (38th) Music Score — Substantially Original Doctor Zhivago Maurice Jarre The Agony and the Ecstasy Alex North The Greatest Story Ever Told Alfred Newman A Patch of Blue Jerry Goldsmith The Umbrellas of Cherbourg Jacques Demy and Michel Legrand Scoring of Music — Adaptation or Treatment The Sound of Music Irwin Kostal Cat Ballou Frank De Vol The Pleasure Seekers Sandy Courage and Lionel Newman A Thousand Clowns Don Walker The Umbrellas of Cherbourg Michel Legrand 1966 (39th) Original Music Score Born Free John Barry The Bible: In the Beginning... Toshiro Mayuzumi Hawaii Elmer Bernstein The Sand Pebbles Jerry Goldsmith Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Alex North Scoring of Music — Adaptation or Treatment A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Ken Thorne The Gospel According to St. Matthew Luis Bacalov Return of the Seven Elmer Bernstein The Singing Nun Harry Sukman Stop the World – I Want to Get Off Al Ham 1967 (40th) Original Music Score Thoroughly Modern Millie Elmer Bernstein Cool Hand Luke Lalo Schifrin Doctor Dolittle Leslie Bricusse Far from the Madding Crowd Richard Rodney Bennett In Cold Blood Quincy Jones Scoring of Music — Adaptation or Treatment Camelot Ken Darby and Alfred Newman Doctor Dolittle Sandy Courage and Lionel Newman Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Frank De Vol Thoroughly Modern Millie Joseph Gershenson and André Previn Valley of the Dolls John Williams 1968 (41st) Original Score — For a Motion Picture (Not a Musical) The Lion in Winter John Barry The Fox Lalo Schifrin Planet of the Apes Jerry Goldsmith The Shoes of the Fisherman Alex North The Thomas Crown Affair Michel Legrand Scoring of a Musical Picture — Original or Adaptation Oliver! Johnny Green (adaptation score) Finian's Rainbow Ray Heindorf (adaptation score) Funny Girl Walter Scharf (adaptation score) Star! Lennie Hayton (adaptation score) The Young Girls of Rochefort Michel Legrand (music and adaptation score) and Jacques Demy (lyrics) 1969 (42nd) Original Score — For a Motion Picture (Not a Musical) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Burt Bacharach Anne of the Thousand Days Georges Delerue The Reivers John Williams The Secret of Santa Vittoria Ernest Gold The Wild Bunch Jerry Fielding Scoring of a Musical Picture — Original or Adaptation Hello, Dolly! Lennie Hayton and Lionel Newman (adaptation score) Goodbye, Mr. Chips Leslie Bricusse (music and lyrics) and John Williams (adaptation score) Paint Your Wagon Nelson Riddle (adaptation score) Sweet Charity Cy Coleman (adaptation score) They Shoot Horses, Don't They? Johnny Green and Albert Woodbury (adaptation score)
Year Film Nominees 1970 (43rd) Original Score Love Story Francis Lai Airport Alfred Newman (p.n. ) Cromwell Frank Cordell Patton Jerry Goldsmith Sunflower Henry Mancini Original Song Score Let It Be The Beatles (music and lyrics) The Baby Maker Fred Karlin (music) and Tylwyth Kymry (lyrics) A Boy Named Charlie Brown Rod McKuen (music and lyrics) , John Scott Trotter (music) , Bill Melendez , Al Shean (lyrics) , Vince Guaraldi (adaptation score) Darling Lili Henry Mancini (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics) Scrooge Leslie Bricusse (music and lyrics) , Ian Fraser and Herbert W. Spencer (adaptation score) 1971 (44th) Original Dramatic Score Summer of '42 Michel Legrand Mary, Queen of Scots John Barry Nicholas and Alexandra Richard Rodney Bennett Shaft Isaac Hayes Straw Dogs Jerry Fielding Scoring: Adaptation and Original Song Score Fiddler on the Roof John Williams (adaptation score) Bedknobs and Broomsticks Sherman Brothers (song score) and Irwin Kostal (adaptation score) The Boy Friend Peter Maxwell Davies and Peter Greenwell (adaptation score) Tchaikovsky Dimitri Tiomkin (adaptation score) Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley (song score) and Walter Scharf (adaptation score) 1972 (45th) Original Dramatic Score Limelight [ note 6] Charlie Chaplin , Raymond Rasch (p.r. ) and Larry Russell (p.r. ) The Godfather [ note 7] [ 11] Nino Rota Images John Williams Napoleon and Samantha Buddy Baker The Poseidon Adventure John Williams Sleuth John Addison Scoring: Adaptation and Original Song Score Cabaret Ralph Burns (adaptation score) Lady Sings the Blues Gil Askey (adaptation score) Man of La Mancha Laurence Rosenthal (adaptation score) 1973 (46th) Original Dramatic Score The Way We Were Marvin Hamlisch Cinderella Liberty John Williams The Day of the Dolphin Georges Delerue Papillon Jerry Goldsmith A Touch of Class John Cameron Scoring: Original Song Score and Adaptation or Scoring: Adaptation The Sting Marvin Hamlisch (adaptation score) Jesus Christ Superstar André Previn , Herbert W. Spencer and Andrew Lloyd Webber (adaptation score) Tom Sawyer Sherman Brothers (song score) and John Williams (adaptation score) 1974 (47th) Original Dramatic Score The Godfather Part II Nino Rota and Carmine Coppola Chinatown Jerry Goldsmith Murder on the Orient Express Richard Rodney Bennett Shanks Alex North The Towering Inferno John Williams Scoring: Original Song Score and Adaptation or Scoring: Adaptation The Great Gatsby Nelson Riddle (adaptation score) The Little Prince Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe (song score) , Douglas Gamley and Angela Morley (adaptation score) Phantom of the Paradise Paul Williams (song and adaptation score) and George Tipton (adaptation score) 1975 (48th) Original Score Jaws John Williams Birds Do It, Bees Do It Gerald Fried Bite the Bullet Alex North One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Jack Nitzsche The Wind and the Lion Jerry Goldsmith Scoring: Original Song Score and Adaptation or Scoring: Adaptation Barry Lyndon Leonard Rosenman (adaptation score) Funny Lady Peter Matz (adaptation score) Tommy Pete Townshend (adaptation score) 1976 (49th) Original Score The Omen Jerry Goldsmith Obsession Bernard Herrmann (p.n. ) The Outlaw Josey Wales Jerry Fielding Taxi Driver Bernard Herrmann (p.n. ) Voyage of the Damned Lalo Schifrin Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score Bound for Glory Leonard Rosenman (adaptation score) Bugsy Malone Paul Williams (song and adaptation score) A Star Is Born Roger Kellaway (adaptation score) 1977 (50th) Original Score Star Wars John Williams Close Encounters of the Third Kind John Williams Julia Georges Delerue Mohammad, Messenger of God Maurice Jarre The Spy Who Loved Me Marvin Hamlisch Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score A Little Night Music Jonathan Tunick (adaptation score) Pete's Dragon Joel Hirschhorn and Al Kasha (song score) and Irwin Kostal (adaptation score) The Slipper and the Rose Sherman Brothers (song score) and Angela Morley (adaptation score) 1978 (51st) Original Score Midnight Express Giorgio Moroder The Boys from Brazil Jerry Goldsmith Days of Heaven Ennio Morricone Heaven Can Wait Dave Grusin Superman John Williams Adaptation Score The Buddy Holly Story Joe Renzetti Pretty Baby Jerry Wexler The Wiz Quincy Jones 1979 (52nd) Original Score A Little Romance Georges Delerue 10 Henry Mancini The Amityville Horror Lalo Schifrin The Champ Dave Grusin Star Trek: The Motion Picture Jerry Goldsmith Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score All That Jazz Ralph Burns (adaptation score) Breaking Away Patrick Williams (adaptation score) The Muppet Movie Paul Williams (song and adaptation score) and Kenny Ascher (song score)
Year Film Nominees 1980 (53rd) Fame Michael Gore Altered States John Corigliano The Elephant Man John Morris The Empire Strikes Back John Williams Tess Philippe Sarde 1981 (54th) Chariots of Fire Vangelis Dragonslayer Alex North On Golden Pond Dave Grusin Ragtime Randy Newman Raiders of the Lost Ark John Williams 1982 (55th) Original Score E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial John Williams Gandhi George Fenton and Ravi Shankar An Officer and a Gentleman Jack Nitzsche Poltergeist Jerry Goldsmith Sophie's Choice Marvin Hamlisch Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score Victor/Victoria Henry Mancini (song and adaptation score) and Leslie Bricusse (song score) Annie Ralph Burns (adaptation score) One from the Heart Tom Waits (song score) 1983 (56th) Original Score The Right Stuff Bill Conti Cross Creek Leonard Rosenman Return of the Jedi John Williams Terms of Endearment Michael Gore Under Fire Jerry Goldsmith Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score Yentl Michel Legrand (song and adaptation score) and Alan and Marilyn Bergman (song score) The Sting II Lalo Schifrin (adaptation score) Trading Places Elmer Bernstein (adaptation score) 1984 (57th) Original Score A Passage to India Maurice Jarre Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom John Williams The Natural Randy Newman The River John Williams Under the Volcano Alex North Original Song Score Purple Rain Prince The Muppets Take Manhattan Jeff Moss Songwriter Kris Kristofferson 1985 (58th) Out of Africa John Barry Agnes of God Georges Delerue The Color Purple Chris Boardman, Jorge Calandrelli , Andraé Crouch , Jack Hayes , Jerry Hey , Quincy Jones , Randy Kerber , Jeremy Lubbock , Joel Rosenbaum, Caiphus Semenya , Fred Steiner and Rod Temperton Silverado Bruce Broughton Witness Maurice Jarre 1986 (59th) Round Midnight Herbie Hancock Aliens James Horner Hoosiers Jerry Goldsmith The Mission Ennio Morricone Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Leonard Rosenman 1987 (60th) The Last Emperor Ryuichi Sakamoto , David Byrne and Cong Su Cry Freedom George Fenton and Jonas Gwangwa Empire of the Sun John Williams The Untouchables Ennio Morricone The Witches of Eastwick John Williams 1988 (61st) The Milagro Beanfield War Dave Grusin The Accidental Tourist John Williams Dangerous Liaisons George Fenton Gorillas in the Mist Maurice Jarre Rain Man Hans Zimmer 1989 (62nd) The Little Mermaid Alan Menken Born on the Fourth of July John Williams The Fabulous Baker Boys Dave Grusin Field of Dreams James Horner Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade John Williams
^ From 1934 until 1937, nominated films were represented by the head of the film studio's music department rather than the composer. Each film's actual composer(s) are listed in parentheses. ^ Captain Blood ^ From 1937 until 1945, film studios could submit one eligible film of their choosing, guaranteeing it a nomination. ^ Blacklisted composer Larry Adler 's name was removed from American prints of the British-made Genevieve Muir Mathieson was credited instead and received an Oscar nomination. In 1986, the Academy's Board of Governors removed Mathieson's name from the nomination and gave it to Adler. ^ In 1957, dramatic and comedy films competed with musicals in a combined category called Music – Scoring . Fifteen scores were shortlisted with ten from dramatic and comedy films and five from musicals. Voting resulted in no musical nominees. ^ Limelight was originally released in 1952, but had never screened theatrically in Los Angeles until 1972, at which point it became eligible for Oscar consideration.^ Nino Rota was nominated for The Godfather Fortunella The Godfather or select one of the five other shortlisted scores: Ben Walter Scharf , Fellini's Roma The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean Maurice Jarre , The Other Jerry Goldsmith , or Sleuth John Addison . Sleuth received the most votes and became the fifth nominee.^ From 1995 until 1998, Best Original Score was split into Original Dramatic Score and Original Musical or Comedy Score . For musicals and comedies, songwriters and lyricists along with orchestral underscore composers were eligible for nomination. ^ Lisa Gerrard and Klaus Badelt also received screen credit for the Gladiator ^ The eligibility period for the 93rd ceremony was exceptionally extended through to February 28, 2021, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic . These are only for nominations in the Scoring categories. Nominations in other categories, such as the Original Song category, are not included.
Category Name Superlative Notes Most Awards Alfred Newman 9 awards Awards resulted from 41 nominations Most Nominations John Williams 49 nominations Nominations resulted in 5 awards Most Nominations without an Award Thomas Newman / Alex North 14 nominations
Only one composer has won two Scoring Oscars the same year: in 1973, Marvin Hamlisch won Original Dramatic Score for The Way We Were The Sting The Way We Were
Only one composer has won Oscars three years in a row: Roger Edens won for Easter Parade On the Town Annie Get Your Gun
Eight composers have won Oscars two years in a row:
Ray Heindorf won for Yankee Doodle Dandy This Is the Army Franz Waxman won for Sunset Boulevard A Place in the Sun Alfred Newman won for With a Song in My Heart Call Me Madam Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing The King and I Adolph Deutsch won for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Oklahoma! André Previn won for Gigi Porgy and Bess Irma la Douce My Fair Lady Leonard Rosenman won for Barry Lyndon Bound for Glory Alan Menken won for Beauty and The Beast Aladdin Gustavo Santaolalla won for Brokeback Mountain Babel As of 2023, only 10 women have been nominated in music score categories: Ann Ronell , Tylwyth Kymry aka Meg Karlin , Angela Morley , Marilyn Bergman , Rachel Portman , Anne Dudley , Lynn Ahrens , Hildur Guðnadóttir , Germaine Franco , and Laura Karpman . Kymry, Bergman, and Ahrens were nominated for their contribution as lyricists .
Four women have won in the scoring categories. Three are composers: Rachel Portman , who won for Emma Anne Dudley , who won for The Full Monty Hildur Guðnadóttir , who won for Joker Marilyn Bergman , who won for Yentl Alan Bergman (her husband) and composer Michel Legrand . Guðnadóttir is the only woman to win the award under no qualifications; Bergman won for Best Song Score while Portman and Dudley won for Best Musical or Comedy Score.
The female composers nominated for multiple Scoring Oscars are Rachel Portman , who was nominated for Emma The Cider House Rules Chocolat Angela Morley , who was nominated twice in the Original Song Score or Adaptation Score category for The Little Prince The Slipper and the Rose
Dmitri Shostakovich and Duke Ellington were both nominated the same year but lost to the arrangers of West Side Story
The scores of Midnight Express Giorgio Moroder in 1979, Slumdog Millionaire A. R. Rahman in 2009, and The Social Network Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross in 2011 are the only scores with electronic-based music ever to win the award. In addition, the electronic-based scores of Witness Maurice Jarre in 1986, Rain Man Hans Zimmer in 1989, and Her William Butler , and Owen Pallett in 2014 have also been nominated.
Noted nominated composers known for their music mostly outside the film world include: Aaron Copland , Kurt Weill , Gian Carlo Menotti , Philip Glass , John Corigliano , Peter Maxwell Davies , Randy Newman , Richard Rodney Bennett , Stephen Schwartz , Andrew Lloyd Webber , Artie Shaw , Trent Reznor , Quincy Jones , Herbie Hancock , Jon Batiste , and Jonny Greenwood .
Rock musicians and pop stars are most often nominated in the songwriting category. These popular performers were nominated in the Scoring categories: The Beatles , Prince , Pete Townshend , Rod McKuen , Isaac Hayes , Kris Kristofferson , Quincy Jones , Randy Newman , Anthony Newley , Paul Williams , Tom Waits , David Byrne , Ryuichi Sakamoto , Trent Reznor , and Matthew Wilder .
Record producers George Martin (The Beatles ) and Jerry Wexler (Atlantic Records ) also received nominations in the Scoring categories.
Multiple nominations [ edit ] The following is a list of composers nominated more than once and winning at least one Academy Award (in this category). This list is sorted by number of awards, with the number of total nominations listed in parentheses. These do not include nominations (or awards) in the Best Original Song category.
The following composers have been nominated for a Best Original Score Oscar more than once but have yet to garner one. The number of nominations is listed in parentheses. These do not include nominations (or awards) in the Best Original Song category.
^ Also received 5 nominations for Best Original Song, which brings his total to 53 - the most nominated person in all of the music categories combined, and the most nominated living individual in any Oscars category ^ "Rule Sixteen: Special Rules for the Best Picture of the Year Award | Rules for the 85th Academy Awards | Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences" . Oscars.org. 2012-08-24. Archived from the original on 2013-12-11. Retrieved 2014-05-15 .^ "94th Oscars Rules. Complete Rules. Rule Fifteen, Special Rules for the Music Awards" (PDF) . Oscars.org . Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 2021-06-30. p. 22. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-06-30.^ Lochner, Jim (18 May 2010). "1934: The Year Oscar Scored" . filmscoreclicktrack.com. Archived from the original on 2017-11-24. ^ "1944" . Oscars.org. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 2020-01-28 .^ a b Elias, Justine (12 March 2000). "OSCAR FILMS/OSCAR FILMS/THE RULES; Squeezing Music Into Pigeonholes" . New York Times . ^ Hammond, Pete (April 28, 2020). "Oscars Keeping Show Date But Make Big News As Academy Lightens Eligibility Rules, Combines Sound Categories, Ends DVD Screeners and More" . Deadline Hollywood ^ "Award rules and campaign regulations approved for 94th Oscars" . oscars.org. 30 June 2021.^ a b "Rules & Eligibility" . Oscars.org - Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . 28 July 2014.^ "The Official Academy Awards Database" . Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . Archived from the original on February 27, 2009. Retrieved January 11, 2018 .^ "1957 Academy Award Voting Rules" . Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . 1957. Retrieved January 10, 2018 .^ "Vote Settles Oscar Tunes" . Billboard . Retrieved December 31, 2017 .^ "Academy Awards 2017: Complete list of Oscar winners and nominees" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved January 8, 2018 .
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