The 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards celebrated a diverse range of musical talent across seven prestigious categories, with notable wins for the scores of Apple TV+ dramas, an acclaimed documentary, and a surprise victory in original song. The Creative Arts Emmys, typically held the weekend before the main Primetime ceremony, recognized outstanding achievements in music direction, composition, supervision, and original song during two nights of presentations at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles.
This year’s music categories saw established composers and emerging artists alike take home coveted trophies, highlighting the integral role of music in television programming. The awards underscore the growing sophistication and artistic ambition present in the television industry’s musical landscape, from epic orchestral scores to catchy original tunes that define popular shows.
Gavin Brivik and Andrew Bird Triumph in Original Music and Lyrics
A significant upset occurred in the Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics category, where Gavin Brivik and Andrew Bird were honored for their song "Need Someone" from the HBO Max drama The Pitt. This win marks a major career milestone for both songwriters, who triumphed over formidable competition.
Their nominated song, featured in an episode titled "12:00 P.M.," was lauded for its emotional resonance and narrative contribution to the critically acclaimed series. The victory represents a powerful moment for The Pitt, a show that has consistently garnered attention for its compelling storytelling and robust artistic elements.
Among the other nominees in this highly competitive field were established stars and fan favorites. Lady Gaga was nominated for "The Dead Dance," a track she co-wrote with Andrew Watt and Henry Walter Russell for the popular Netflix series Wednesday. Her nomination alone generated considerable buzz, given her global superstardom and previous Emmy recognition.
Trey Parker, co-creator of the long-running animated satire South Park, also received a nomination for "Christian Woman," a song penned for the show’s episode "The Crap Out." Parker’s work on South Park has often been recognized for its sharp wit and musical contributions, making his inclusion a testament to the show’s enduring creative output.
Other contenders included Christopher Lennertz and Daveed Diggs for "Raise Him Up" from The Boys, and Carlos Rafael Rivera and David Stal for "Mis Figuritas" from Hacks. Daniel Pemberton, Warren Oak Felder, Sebastian Kole, and Michael Dean Parsons were also recognized for their work on Spider-Noir with the song "The Devil You Know."
Apple TV+ Dominates Score and Composition Categories
Apple TV+ emerged as a dominant force in the music composition categories, securing multiple wins that highlight the platform’s investment in high-quality original programming and its scores. The streaming service’s commitment to cinematic sound design and original musical scores has clearly paid dividends.
David Fleming earned an Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score) for his work on the Apple TV+ hit Widow’s Bay. His composition for the episode "Our History" was recognized for its ability to enhance the dramatic narrative and emotional depth of the series. This marks Fleming’s second Primetime Emmy, adding to a previous win for Jim Henson Idea Man two years ago in a documentary scoring category.
Widow’s Bay also saw its music supervisor, Toko Nagata, win the award for Outstanding Music Supervision for her contributions to the show, specifically for the episode "Beach Reads." This is Nagata’s first Primetime Emmy, marking a significant achievement in her career and underscoring the critical role of music supervision in shaping a show’s sonic identity.
Another major win for Apple TV+ came from Dave Porter, who secured two Emmys for his work on the series Pluribus. Porter was honored for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music, a memorable and distinctive opening for the show, and also for Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (one hour) as a scoring mixer. These accolades represent Porter’s first Primetime Emmy Awards, signifying a major recognition of his scoring and mixing talents.
Documentary and Limited Series Music Recognized
The 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards also celebrated exceptional musical contributions to documentary and limited series programming. Tyler Strickland received the award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary/Nonfiction or Reality Program for his score for John Candy: I Like Me. This poignant documentary, available on Prime Video, explored the life and career of the beloved actor, and Strickland’s score was instrumental in capturing its emotional depth.
In the realm of limited series, Sean Callery and Sara Barone shared an Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special for their work on Netflix’s The Beast in Me. Their collaboration on the score for "The Beast and Me" was recognized for its atmospheric and compelling contribution to the narrative. This marks Callery’s fifth Primetime Emmy, adding to his impressive collection of awards, including multiple wins for his work on the iconic series 24 and Marvel’s Jessica Jones. For Barone, this win represents her inaugural Primetime Emmy.
Super Bowl Halftime Show and Live Performances Honored
The power of live musical performances was also acknowledged, with Miguel Gandelman winning Outstanding Music Direction for The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny. This win highlights the immense production and artistic effort that goes into crafting memorable halftime performances for one of the world’s largest sporting events.
Gandelman’s victory places him in esteemed company, as he becomes the third individual to win this award for a Super Bowl Halftime Show. This category has previously recognized Adam Blackstone for The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and Kendrick Lamar and Tony Russell for The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Starring Kendrick Lamar.
A Comprehensive Look at the Music Category Winners
The 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards presented a total of seven music categories across the two nights of the Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies. The full list of winners and nominees provides a comprehensive snapshot of the year’s most impactful television music.
Outstanding Music Direction
- WINNER: The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny — NBC — Roc Nation, Rimas, Jesse Collins Entertainment and DPS; Miguel Gandelman, music director
- The Late Show With Stephen Colbert — "Series Finale" — CBS — CBS Studios; Louis Cato, music director
- The Oscars — ABC — Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; Michael Bearden, music director
- Saturday Night Live — "Host: Jack Black" — NBC — SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video; Lenny Pickett, Leon Pendarvis, Eli Brueggemann and Maddie Rice, music directors
- Wicked: One Wonderful Night — NBC — Fulwell Entertainment; Stephen Oremus, music director
Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary/Nonfiction or Reality Program (Original Dramatic Score)
- High Horse: The Black Cowboy — "F*ck Westerns" — Peacock — Peacock Original, Universal Television Alternative Studio, Resurgent Pictures, Monkeypaw Productions; Raphael Saadiq, composer
- WINNER: John Candy: I Like Me — Prime Video — Amazon MGM Studios, El Bear Productions; Tyler Strickland, composer
- Kingdom — "Episode 2" — BBC America — A BBC Studios Natural History Unit production co-produced with BBC America; Segun Akinola, composer
- Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! — HBO Max — HBO Documentary Films presents an Apatow Production; Jeff Morrow, composer
- Ocean With David Attenborough — National Geographic — National Geographic Presents a Silverback Films & Open Planet Studios Production in association with Altitude, All3Media International and Minderoo Pictures, co-produced with Arksen & 10% For The Ocean, Don Quixote Foundation, National Geographic Society and Pristine Seas, Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, Revive Our Ocean; Steven Price, composer
- Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age — "The Big Freeze" — Apple TV — BBC Studios in association with Apple; Kara Talve, Anneke Rozman and Hans Zimmer, composers
Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
- The Boys — "The Frenchman, The Female, and the Man Called Mother’s Milk" / Song "Raise Him Up" — Prime Video — Amazon; MGM Studios, Sony Pictures Television with Kripke Enterprises, Original Film, and Point Grey Pictures; Christopher Lennertz, music & lyrics; Daveed Diggs, lyrics
- Hacks — "EGOT" / Song "Mis Figuritas" — HBO Max — Universal Television in association with Paulilu, First Thought Productions, Fremulon Productions, 3 Arts Entertainment; Carlos Rafael Rivera and David Stal, music & lyrics
- WINNER: The Pitt — "12:00 P.M." / Song "Need Someone" — HBO Max — HBO Max in association with John Wells Productions, R. Scott Gemmill Productions, and Warner Bros. Television; Gavin Brivik, Music; Andrew Bird, music & lyrics
- South Park — "The Crap Out" / Song "Christian Woman" — Comedy Central — Comedy Central; Trey Parker, music & lyrics
- Spider-Noir — "A Mistake I’ll Never Make Again" / Song "The Devil You Know" — MGM+/Prime Video — Sony Pictures Television, Amazon MGM Studios, Marvel Studios; Warren Oak Felder, Sebastian Kole, Daniel Pemberton, music & lyrics
- Wednesday — "Woe Me the Money" / Song "The Dead Dance" — Netflix — A Netflix Series / An MGM Television Production; Lady Gaga, Andrew Watt, Henry Walter Russell, music & lyrics
Outstanding Music Supervision
- The Boys — "Blood and Bone" — Prime Video — Amazon MGM Studios, Sony Pictures Television with Kripke Enterprises, Original Film, and Point Grey Pictures; Michelle Johnson and Yvette Metoyer, music supervisors
- Hacks — "Finale" — HBO Max — Universal Television in association with Paulilu, First Thought Productions, Fremulon Productions, 3 Arts Entertainment; Matt Biffa, music supervisor
- Nobody Wants This — "When Noah Met Joanne" — Netflix — 20th Television in association with Steven Levitan Productions for Netflix; Manish Raval, Tom Wolfe, Jonathan Leahy, music supervisors
- Pluribus — "We Is Us" — Apple TV — Sony Pictures Television in association with Apple; Thomas Golubic, music supervisor
- Stranger Things — "Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up" — Netflix — Upside Down Pictures & 21 Laps Entertainment for Netflix; Nora Felder, music supervisor
- WINNER: Widow’s Bay — "Beach Reads" — Apple TV — Apple Studios / Chum Films; Toko Nagata, music supervisor
Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms — "In the Name of the Mother" — HBO Max — HBO in association with GRRM and Friendly Wolf Pictures; Dan Romer, composer
- Palm Royale — "Maxine Drinks Martinis Now" — Apple TV — Apple Studios; Jeff Toyne, composer
- Pluribus — "We Is Us" — Apple TV — Sony Pictures Television in association with Apple; Dave Porter, composer
- Slow Horses — "Missiles" — Apple TV — See-Saw Films in association with Apple; Daniel Pemberton and Toydrum, composers
- Spider-Noir — "Step Into My Office" — MGM+/Prime Video — Sony Pictures Television, Amazon MGM Studios, Marvel Studios; Kris Bowers and Michael Dean Parsons, composers
- WINNER: Widow’s Bay — "Our History" — Apple TV — Apple Studios / Chum Films; David Fleming, composer
Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score)
- All Her Fault — "Episode 7" — Peacock — Peacock Original, Universal International Studios, Carnival Films; Jeff Beal, composer
- WINNER: The Beast in Me — "The Beast and Me" — Netflix — 20th Television for Netflix; Sean Callery and Sara Barone, composers
- Black Rabbit — "Isle of Joy" — Netflix — Netflix / Aggregate Films / Riff Raff Entertainment / Youngblood Pictures / Automatik; Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans, composers
- In the Blink of an Eye — Hulu — Mighty Engine, Searchlight Pictures; Thomas Newman, composer
- Washington Black — "If You See My Mama, Whisper Her This…" — Hulu — 20th Television; Cameron Moody, composer
Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
- All Her Fault — Peacock — Peacock Original, Universal International Studios, Carnival Films; Jeff Beal, composer
- The Beast in Me — Netflix — 20th Television for Netflix; Sean Callery, composer
- The ‘Burbs — Peacock — Peacock Original, UCP, Imagine Entertainment, Out of the Blue Productions, Fuzzy Door; Michael Abels, composer
- Murderbot — Apple TV — Paramount Television Studios in association with Apple; Amanda Jones, composer
- WINNER: Pluribus — Apple TV — Sony Pictures Television in association with Apple; Dave Porter, composer
The breadth of these wins reflects the dynamic and evolving nature of television music. From the grand soundtracks of prestige dramas to the infectious energy of live performances and the emotional depth of documentary scores, the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards have underscored the vital role of music in crafting compelling and memorable television experiences. The industry continues to recognize and reward the artistry that brings these sonic landscapes to life.
