Emmy Music Nominations Include Dual Score/Song Nods for Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Labrinth; Nathan Barr Earns Three (See Complete List)

Chris Willman
·8 min read

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This year’s Emmy nominees in the seven music categories include such familiar scoring names as Ludwig Göransson, Pinar Toprak, Nicholas Britell, Mark Isham and Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross as well as figures from the pop world like Pharrell Williams, Dawes’ Taylor Goldsmith, Ingrid Michaelson, Sheila E and the RZA.

Labrinth joined Reznor and Ross in being nominated in both song and score categories. The latter Nine Inch Nails members (and Oscar winners for “The Social Network”) are up for scoring “Watchmen” as well as contributing an original 1940s-themed song (“The Way It Used to Be”) to the HBO limited series. Labrinth’s two noms are for Showtime’s “Euphoria,” which earned him both a series dramatic score nomination and a song nod (“All for Us”).

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Nathan Barr has the most nominations in the music categories, with three. He’s up against himself in the main title theme category, with nods for both the “Carnival Row” and “Hollywood” themes. HIs third nomination comes in the series dramatic score division, again for “Hollywood.”

Rickey Minor also faces himself in the same category, being nominated in the outstanding music director category for his work on both the Oscars and “The Kennedy Center Honors.”

Also doubly nominated is Laura Karpman, who has twin nods for documentary score and main title theme, both recognizing her work on Discovery Channel’s “Why We Hate.”

Joining Labrinth and Reznor/Ross in the original song category are Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo for a song from “The Black Godfather” (“Letter to My Godfather”), Ingrid Michaelson for a tune from “Little Fires Everywhere” (“Build It Up”), the “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” team of Thomas Mizer and Curtis Moore (“One Less Angel”) and “This Is Us” series composer Siddhartha Khosla and songwriting collaborator Taylor Goldsmith (“Memorized”). Rounding out the category, in this category’s history of deliberately rude inclusions, is “Eat S—, Bob,” from “Last Night Tonight with John Oliver,” credited to the writing team of David Dabbon, Joanna Rothkopf, Jill Twiss and Seena Vali.

Labrinth is joined in the series dramatic score competition by Martin Phipps for “The Crown,” Göransson for “The Mandalorian,” Britell for “Succession” and the team of Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans for “Ozark.”

In the limited series score category, Reznor and Ross face competition from Nathan Barr for “Hollywood,” Kris Bowers for “Mrs. America,” Antonio Gambale for “Unorthodox” and the team of Isham and Isabella Summers for “Little Fires Everywhere.”

“Watchmen” and “Euphoria” both got three nominations apiece in the music categories, with nods for outstanding music supervision on top of the song and score bids (to Liza Richardson for the former show and Adam Leber for the latter). “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” also picked up a second music nomination in the music supervision category (going to Robin Urdang, Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino). Other music supervision nods went to “Better Call Saul Thomas Golubić), “Insecure” (Kier Lehman), “Killing Eve” (Catherine Grieves and David Holmes) and “Stranger Things” (Nora Felder).

Music-related programming also showed up in the broader categories.

The Grammy Awards telecast was once again shut out of the variety special category. But the show did pick up four nods, for direction, production design, lighting design/direction and sound mixing.

The outstanding documentary/nonfiction special category included both “Laurel Canyon: A Place in Time” and “Beastie Boys Story.” “Laurel Canyon” was also nominated for sound editing and sound mixing, for a total of three. “Beastie Boys” had five nods in total, being also put up for picture editing, sound editing, sound mixing and writing.

The American Music Awards got one nomination, for technical direction/camerawork. “Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings: These Old Bones” got a nomination for outstanding television movie.

As evidence for the belief that music-related shows often have a tougher time with the Academy, there is the category of outstanding variety special (pre-recorded), in which not a single music-based show made it in, and all six nominations are for comedy specials.

Below, a full list of nominees for the seven music categories:

Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score)

The Crown • Aberfan • Netflix • Left Bank Pictures in association with Sony Pictures Television
Martin Phipps, Composer

Euphoria • Bonnie And Clyde • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Reasonable Bunch, A24, Little Lamb, Dreamcrew, ADD Content Agency | HOT | TCDY Productions
Labrinth, Composer

The Mandalorian • Chapter 8: Redemption • Disney+ • Lucasfilm Ltd.
Ludwig Göransson, Composer

Ozark • All In • Netflix • Media Rights Capital
Danny Bensi, Composer
Saunder Jurriaans, Composer

Succession • This Is Not For Tears • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Project Zeus, Hyperobject Industries and Gary Sanchez Productions
Nicholas Britell, Music by

Outstanding Music Composition For A Limited Series, Movie Or Special (Original Dramatic Score)

Hollywood • Hooray For Hollywood: Part 2 • Netflix • Netflix
Nathan Barr, Composer

Little Fires Everywhere • The Spider Web • Hulu • ABC Signature Studios / Hello Sunshine
Mark Isham, Composer
Isabella Summers, Composer

Mrs. America • Reagan • FX Networks • FX Productions
Kris Bowers, Score by

Unorthodox • Part 1 • Netflix • Studio Airlift and RealFilm
Antonio Gambale, Composer

Watchmen • It’s Summer And We’re Running Out Of Ice • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with White Rabbit, Paramount Television, Warner Bros. Television & DC Comics
Trent Reznor, Music by
Atticus Ross, Music by

Outstanding Music Composition For A Documentary Series Or Special (Original Dramatic Score)

Becoming • Netflix • Higher Ground Productions
Kamasi Washington, Composer

Home • Maine • Apple TV+ • MediaWeaver / Four M Studios / Altimeter Films
Amanda Jones, Composer

McMillion$ • Episode 1 • HBO • HBO Documentary Films and Unrealistic Ideas in association with Fun Meter
Pinar Toprak, Composer
Alex Kovacs, Composer

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem And Madness • Not Your Average Joe • Netflix • A Goode Films Production in association with Library Films and Article 19 Films
Mark Mothersbaugh, Composer
John Enroth, Composer
Albert Fox, Composer

Why We Hate • Tools & Tactics • Discovery Channel • South Cove Productions
Laura Karpman, Composer

Outstanding Music Direction

The Kennedy Center Honors • CBS • White Cherry Entertainment
Rickey Minor, Music Director

Let’s Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute To Prince • CBS • AEG Ehrlich Ventures, LLC
Sheila E., Music Director
Jimmy Jam, Music Director
Terry Lewis, Music Director

The Oscars • ABC • The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Rickey Minor, Music Director

Saturday Night Live • SNL At Home #1 • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video
Lenny Pickett, Music Director
Eli Brueggemann, Music Director
Leon Pendarvis, Music Director

Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics

The Black Godfather • Song Title: Letter To My Godfather • Netflix • Boardwalk Pictures and Hudlin Entertainment
Pharrell Williams, Music & Lyrics
Chad Hugo, Music & Lyrics

Euphoria • And Salt The Earth Behind You / Song Title: All For Us • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Reasonable Bunch, A24, Little Lamb, Dreamcrew, ADD Content Agency | HOT | TCDY Productions
Labrinth, Music & Lyrics

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver • Episode 629 / Song Title: Eat Sh!t, Bob • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Sixteen String Jack Productions and Avalon Television
David Dabbon, Music by
Joanna Rothkopf, Lyrics by
Jill Twiss, Lyrics by
Seena Vali, Lyrics by

Little Fires Everywhere • Find A Way / Song Title: Build It Up • Hulu • ABC Signature Studios / Hello Sunshine
Ingrid Michaelson, Music & Lyrics
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel • Strike Up The Band / Song Title: One Less Angel • Prime Video • Amazon Studios
Thomas Mizer, Music & Lyrics
Curtis Moore, Music & Lyrics

This Is Us • Strangers / Song Title: Memorized • NBC • 20th Century Fox Television
Siddhartha Khosla, Music & Lyrics
Taylor Goldsmith, Music & Lyrics

Watchmen • This Extraordinary Being / Song Title: The Way It Used To Be • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with White Rabbit, Paramount Television, Warner Bros. Television & DC Comics
Trent Reznor, Music & Lyrics
Atticus Ross, Music & Lyrics

Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music

Carnival Row • Prime Video • Legendary Pictures TV and Amazon Studios
Nathan Barr, Theme Music by

Defending Jacob • Apple TV+ • Anonymous Content / Paramount Television Studios
Ólafur Arnalds, Theme Music by

Hollywood • Netflix • Netflix
Nathan Barr, Theme Music by

Unorthodox • Netflix • Studio Airlift and RealFilm
Antonio Gambale, Theme Music by

Why We Hate • Discovery Channel • South Cove Productions
Laura Karpman, Theme Music by

Wu-Tang: An American Saga • Hulu • Imagine Television Studios
The Rza, Theme Music by

Outstanding Music Supervision

Better Call Saul • The Guy For This • AMC • High Bridge, Crystal Diner, Gran Via Productions and Sony Pictures Television
Thomas Golubić, Music Supervisor

Euphoria • And Salt The Earth Behind You • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Reasonable Bunch, A24, Little Lamb, Dreamcrew, ADD Content Agency | HOT | TCDY Productions
Jen Malone, Music Supervisor
Adam Leber, Music Supervisor

Insecure • Lowkey Movin’ On • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with Issa Rae Productions, Penny for Your Thoughts Entertainment and 3 Arts Entertainment
Kier Lehman, Music Supervisor

Killing Eve • Meetings Have Biscuits • BBC America • Sid Gentle Films Ltd.
Catherine Grieves, Music Supervisor
David Holmes, Music Supervisor

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel • It’s Comedy Or Cabbage • Prime Video • Amazon Studios
Robin Urdang, Music Supervisor
Amy Sherman-Palladino, Music Supervisor
Daniel Palladino, Music Supervisor

Stranger Things • Chapter Three: The Case Of The Missing Lifeguard • Netflix • Netflix
Nora Felder, Music Supervisor

Watchmen • This Extraordinary Being • HBO • HBO Entertainment in association with White Rabbit, Paramount Television, Warner Bros. Television & DC Comics
Liza Richardson, Music Supervisor

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