2025 Emmy Awards: All music nominations explored

The nominations for the 2025 Emmy Awards were announced on Tuesday, July 15. The likes of Kendrick Lamar, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, and Rickey Minor have all been nominated among the music categories.

The 2025 Emmy Awards feature seven music categories, with each category featuring five to six nominations. Kendrick Lamar has been nominated in the Outstanding Music Direction category for his Super Bowl Halftime Show earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson has been nominated in the same category for SNL50: The Homecoming Concert.

Antonio Sanchez has been nominated in the Outstanding Music Composition for a Series category for The Studio. He will compete with the likes of Brandon Roberts for Andor and Theodore Shapiro for Severance.

On that note, let's take a look at all the nominations in the seven music categories at the 2025 Emmy Awards.

Also Read: ““ANTI INDUSTRY” but submits to every industry award”- Netizens react as Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl Halftime Show gets 4 Emmy nominations

#1 2025 Emmy Awards Outstanding Music Direction

Ahmir Thompson at 2025 Film Independent Spirit Awards - General Atmosphere And Backstage (Image Source: Getty)

The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Starring Kendrick Lamar • FOX • Roc Nation, DPS, Jesse Collins Entertainment and pgLang; Kendrick Lamar, Tony Russell, Music Directors
The Kennedy Center Honors • CBS • Done + Dusted in association with Rok Productions; Rickey Minor, Music Director
The Oscars • ABC • Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; Michael Bearden, Music Director
SNL50: The Anniversary Special • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video; Lenny Pickett, Leon Pendarvis, Eli Brueggemann, Music Directors
SNL50: The Homecoming Concert • Peacock • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video; James Poyser, Music Director, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Music Director

#2 2025 Emmy Awards Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)

Brandon Roberts - Andor • “Who Are You?” • Disney+ • Lucasfilm Ltd.
Sherri Chung - Based on a True Story • “Relapse” • Peacock • UCP, Aggregate Films, and Parasox
Leo Birenberg, Zach Robinson - Cobra Kai • “Blood In Blood Out” • Netflix • Sony Pictures Television for Netflix;
Theodore Shapiro - Severance • “Cold Harbor” • Apple TV+ • Fifth Season in association with Apple
Antonio Sánchez - The Studio • “The Missing Reel” • Apple TV+ • Lionsgate Television in association with Apple
Cristobal Tapia de Veer - The White Lotus • “Amor Fati” • HBO | Max • HBO in association with Rip Cord and MC Pictures

Also Read: Severance leads the Emmy 2025 nominations with a staggering 27 nods, dominating the awards race

#3 2025 Emmy Awards Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score)

Ariel Marx - Black Mirror • “Hotel Reverie” • Netflix • Broke & Bones for Netflix
Daniel Pemberton - Black Mirror • “USS Callister: Into Infinity” • Netflix • Broke & Bones for Netflix
Ariel Marx - Dying For Sex • “It’s Not That Serious” • FX on Hulu • 20th Television
Thomas Newman, Julia Newman - Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story • “Spree” • Netflix • Ryan Murphy Productions for Netflix
Mick Giacchino - The Penguin • “After Hours” • HBO | Max • HBO in association with Acid and Tender Productions, 6th & Idaho Motion Picture Company, Dylan Clark Productions, Chapel Place Productions, Zobot Projects, DC Studios, and Warner Bros. Television
Kathryn Bostic - The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat • Hulu • Searchlight Pictures presents A Temple Hill production

#4 2025 Emmy Awards Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score)

Hans Zimmer, Anže Rozman, Kara Talve - The Americas • “Andes” • NBC • BBC Studios Natural History Unit in association with Universal Television Alternative Studio
Duncan Thum, David Bertok - Chef’s Table • “José Andrés” • Netflix • Boardwalk Pictures and David Gelb Planetarium for Netflix
Caroline Shaw - Leonardo Da Vinci • PBS • Florentine Films & WETA
Jacob Shea, Laurentia Editha - Planet Earth: Asia • “Beneath the Waves” • BBC America • A BBC Studios Natural History Unit production co-produced with BBC America and ZDF for BBC
Ilan Eshkeri - Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story • HBO | Max • DC Studios presents in association with HBO Documentary Films and CNN Films in association with Words+Pictures, a Passion Pictures and Misfits Entertainment production in association with Jenco Films

#5 2025 Emmy Awards Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics

Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez at "The Connector" Company Celebration (Image Source: Getty)

Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez - Agatha All Along • “Circle Sewn With Fate” / “Unlock Thy Hidden Gate” / Song Title: “The Ballad of the Witches’ Road” • Disney+ • Marvel Television
Nicholas Britell, Tony Gilroy - Andor • “Who Are You?” / Song Title: “We are the Ghor (Planetary Anthem)” • Disney+ • Lucasfilm Ltd.
Christopher Lennertz - The Boys • “We’ll Keep the Red Flag Flying Here” / Song Title: “Let’s Put the Christ Back in Christmas” • Prime Video • Amazon MGM Studios, Sony Pictures Television with Kripke Enterprises, Original Film, and Point Grey Pictures
Adam Sandler, Dan Bulla - SNL50: The Anniversary Special • Song Title: “Adam Sandler’s Song: 50 Years” • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video
Sean Douglas, Kristen Wiig, Music & Lyrics; Josh Greenbaum, Lyrics - Will & Harper • Song Title: “Harper and Will Go West” • Netflix • A Netflix Documentary / A Wayfarer Studios Film / A Delirio Films Production / A Gloria Sanchez Production

Also Read: What categories did Andor get nominated for at the Emmy Awards 2025? Details explored

#6 2025 Emmy Awards Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music

Carlos Rafael Rivera, Scott Frank - Dept. Q • Netflix • A Netflix Series / A Left Bank Pictures Production
Volker Bertelmann - Dune: Prophecy • HBO | Max • HBO presents a Legendary Television production in association with Flying Life Productions, Herbert Properties LLC, and Wandering Jew Productions
Kamasi Washington - Lazarus • Adult Swim • Sola Entertainment and Studio MAPPA
Mark Mothersbaugh - The Residence • Netflix • A Netflix Original Series in association with Shondaland Media
Cristobal Tapia de Veer - The White Lotus • HBO | Max • HBO in association with Rip Cord and MC Pictures
Dominic Lewis, Hamilton Leithauser - Your Friends & Neighbors • Apple TV+ • Apple Studios / Tropper Ink

#7 2025 Emmy Awards Outstanding Music Supervision

Matt Biffa - Hacks • “I Love LA” • HBO | Max • Universal Television in association with Paulilu, First Thought Productions, Fremulon Productions, 3 Arts Entertainment
The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog; Evyen Klean, Ian Broucek - The Last of Us • “The Price” • HBO | Max • HBO in association with Sony Pictures Television, PlayStation Productions, Word Games
DeVoe Yates, Gabe Hilfer - The Righteous Gemstones • “You Hurled Me Into the Depths, Into the Very Heart of the Seas” • HBO | Max • HBO in association with Rough House Pictures
George Drakoulias - Severance • “Cold Harbor” • Apple TV+ • Fifth Season in association with Apple
Gabe Hilfer - The Studio • “The Promotion” • Apple TV+ • Lionsgate Television in association with Apple
Gabe Hilfer - The White Lotus • “Same Spirits, New Forms” • HBO | Max • HBO in association with Rip Cord and MC Pictures

The first round of voting for the 2025 Emmy Awards will run from August 18 to 27. The Creative Arts Emmys will be presented on September 6 and 7 at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles.

The Primetime 2025 Emmy Awards, hosted by Nate Bargatze, will be broadcast on CBS on September 14 from 8 to 11 pm ET. It will also be available to stream on Paramount+.

Also Read: Simone Biles reacts to her Netflix docuseries earning nomination for major award

About the author

Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 4 years. He boasts a total experience of over 7 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.

A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.

Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.

Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.

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Edited by Prem Deshpande