Emmys Music Guide: A Complete Guide to the Nominees in All Seven Categories
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As Emmy voters mark their ballots in final-round voting this weekend, Variety breaks down the widely varied competitors in this complete guide to all seven categories including original scores, songs, music direction and music supervision.
Music Composition for a Series
“The Flight Attendant” (HBO Max)
Blake Neely
One win, three other nominations
Episode: “The Reykjavik Ice Sculpture Festival Is Lovely This Time of Year”
Fun, energetic all-percussion score for Cassie in Iceland
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“Loki” (Disney+)
Natalie Holt
One prior nomination (two this year)
Episode: “Glorious Purpose”
Theremin, sampled clocks, orchestra for Loki encountering TVA
“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
Siddhartha Khosla
Three previous nominations and three this year
Episode: “The Boy From 6B”
Music, not dialogue, tells story from deaf boy’s POV
“Schmigadoon!” (Apple TV+)
Christopher Willis
One previous nomination
Episode: “Schmigadoon!”
Underscores romance, magic in unreal musical-inspired town
“Severance” (Apple TV+)
Theodore Shapiro
One previous nomination (two this year)
Episode: “The We We Are”
Dramatic variations on piano-and-strings theme in season finale
“Succession” (HBO)
Nicholas Britell
One win, three previous nominations
Episode: “Chiantishire”
Classical piano, string sounds pervade Tuscany wedding locale
Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special
“1883” (Paramount+)
Brian Tyler, Breton Vivian
Two nominations for Tyler, first for Vivian
Episode: “1883”
Powerful, tragedy-laden symphonic score with folk elements
“Moon Knight” (Disney+)
Hesham Nazih
First nomination
Episode: “Asylum”
Orchestral and choral score rooted in Egyptian music
“Station Eleven” (HBO Max)
Dan Romer
First nomination
Episode: “Unbroken Circle”
Strings, organ, wordless voices for uplifting finale
“A Very British Scandal” (Prime Video)
Nathan Barr
One win, four other nominations
Episode 1
Portamento violin, piano, synths for feuding duke, duchess
“The White Lotus” (HBO)
Cristobal Tapia de Veer
First nomination (two this year)
Episode: “Mysterious Monkeys”
Primal drumbeats, wordless voices, wooden flutes
Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special
Courtesy of Apple
“14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible” (Netflix)
Nainita Desai
First nomination
Nepali climber scales world’s highest mountains
Symphonic backdrop for Himalayan expeditions
“Lucy and Desi” (Prime Video)
David Schwartz
Three previous nominations
Amy Poehler film of Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz
Rich orchestral palette for drama behind their love story
“Return to Space” (Netflix)
Mychael Danna, Harry Gregson-Williams
One win, five noms (Danna); one nom (Gregson-Williams)
Rise of Elon Musk’s SpaceX company
Synthesizers, strings for rocket program, astronauts
“They Call Me Magic” (Apple TV+)
Terence Blanchard
First nomination
“Earvin” episode of Magic Johnson bio
Keyboards, strings underline emotional story
“The Tinder Swindler” (Netflix)
Jessica Jones
First nomination
Israeli con man uses dating app to victimize women
Score evolves from romance to thriller as truth slowly revealed
Music Direction
“43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors” (CBS)
Rickey Minor
Two wins, 10 other nominations
Debbie Allen, Joan Baez, Garth Brooks, Dick Van Dyke, Midori honored
James Taylor, Trisha Yearwood, Emmylou Harris and more perform
“44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors” (CBS)
Rickey Minor
Two wins, 10 other nominations
Bette Midler, Joni Mitchell, Berry Gordy, Lorne Michaels, Justino Diaz honored
Steve Martin, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Billy Porter perform
“One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga” (CBS)
Michael Bearden, Lee Musiker
Second nom (Bearden); first nom (Musiker)
Bennett’s final public performances at Radio City Music Hall
Gaga, Bennett perform classics with big-band accompaniment
“Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show” (NBC)
Adam Blackstone
Two previous nominations
Acclaimed halftime show during Feb. 13 game
Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar perform
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Lenny Pickett, Leon Pendarvis, Eli Brueggemann
Three prior noms (Pickett, Pendarvis); one win, seven noms (Brueggemann)
April 9 episode with Jake Gyllenhaal
Camila Cabello musical guest; Gyllenhaal sings faux trucker songs
Music and Lyrics
“Euphoria” (HBO)
Labrinth, Muzhda Zemar-McKenzie, Zendaya
One win, one nom (Labrinth); one win (Zendaya); first nom (Zemar)
Song: “Elliot’s Song”
Elliot plays, sings plaintive tune to Rue in season finale
“Euphoria” (HBO)
Labrinth, Zendaya, Sam Levinson
One win, one nom (Labrinth); one win (Zendaya); first nom (Levinson)
Song: “I’m Tired”
Labrinth performs as Rue hallucinates in church
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Prime Video)
Thomas Mizer, Curtis Moore
Second nomination for each
Song” “Maybe Monica”
Harry Belafonte sings calypso tune at Shy Baldwin’s wedding
“Schmigadoon!” (Apple+)
Cinco Paul
First nomination
Song: “Corn Puddin’”
Comic hoedown explains Appalachian dish to Josh and Melissa
“This Is Us” (NBC)
Siddhartha Khosla, Taylor Goldsmith
Three previous nominations (Khosla); second nom (Goldsmith)
Song: “The Forever Now”
Rebecca (Mandy Moore) performs at Kate’s wedding reception
Main Title Theme Music
Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu
“Loki” (Disney+)
Natalie Holt
One prior nomination (two this year)
Time-displacement story for the god of mischief
Tick-tock rhythms, theremin collide with big orchestra
“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
Siddhartha Khosla
Three previous nominations (three this year)
Lighthearted Manhattan murder mystery
Piano, voices set mysterious tone in colorful title sequence
“Severance” (Apple TV+)
Theodore Shapiro
One previous nomination (two this year)
Sci-fi conspiracy thriller
Eerie, ominous minor-key piano with strings
“Squid Game” (Netflix)
Jung Jae-il
First nomination
South Korean survival drama series
Drums, recorder suggest sound of children playing
“The White Lotus” (HBO)
Cristobal Tapia de Veer
First nomination (two this year)
Social satire set at Hawaiian resort
Tropical vibe with exotic flutes, percussion, voices
Music Supervision
Courtesy of Netflix
“Better Call Saul” (AMC)
Thomas Golubic
Three previous nominations
Episode: “Black and Blue”
Eclectic mix includes Pink Martini, Kalal, Kristin Chambers
“Euphoria” (HBO)
Jen Malone, Adam Leber
Two prior nominations (Malone); one prior nom (Leber)
Episode: “Trying to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door”
Diverse soundtrack runs gamut from Curtis Mayfield to 2Pac
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Prime Video)
Robin Urdang
Three previous wins
Episode: “How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?”
Period Eileen Rodgers, Count Basie, Blossom Dearie tunes
“Ozark” (Netflix)
Gabe Hilfer
First nomination
Episode: “The Cousin of Death”
Ruth’s mixtape: four Nas songs from “Illmatic” album
“Stranger Things” (Netflix)
Nora Felder
Three previous nominations
Episode: “Chapter Four: Dear Billy”
Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” in episode climax
“The White Lotus” (HBO)
Janet Lopez
First nomination
Episode: “Departures”
Hawaiian hymns and art songs featured throughout
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