Emmy 2026 Nominations: Full List of Music Categories

The 2026 Emmy Awards nominations have delivered a major moment for music. Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and several high-profile television productions are represented across this year’s music categories, with the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show setting a new record before the winners are even announced.

The biggest headline belongs to Bad Bunny, whose Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show received nine Emmy nominations, making it the most Emmy-nominated Super Bowl halftime show in history. The production surpasses the previous record set by Lady Gaga’s 2017 halftime performance.

Among its nominations are Outstanding Variety Special (Live), Outstanding Music Direction, Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special, Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming, Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special, Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Special, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special, Outstanding Technical Direction and Camerawork for a Special, and Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program.

Lady Gaga also earned another career milestone. Her original song “The Dead Dance,” featured in Wednesday, is nominated for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, marking the superstar’s fifth Emmy nomination.

Meanwhile, Taylor Swift added another prestigious recognition to her résumé. Eras Tour: The Final Show is nominated for Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded), and four more categories.

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Full list of 2026 Emmy music categories

Outstanding Music Direction

The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny (NBC) – Miguel Gandelman, music director
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS) – Louis Cato, music director
The Oscars (ABC) – Michael Bearden, music director
Saturday Night Live (Host: Jack Black) (NBC) – Lenny Pickett, Leon Pendarvis, Maddie Rice, music directors
Wicked: One Wonderful Night (NBC) – Stephen Oremus, music director

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Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO Max) – Dan Romer, composer
Palm Royale (Apple TV+) – Jeff Toyne, composer
Pluribus (Apple TV+) – Dave Porter, composer
Slow Horses (Apple TV+) – Daniel Pemberton & Toydrum, composer
Spider-Noir (Prime Video) – Kris Bowers & Michael Dean Parsons, composers
Widow’s Bay (Apple TV) – David Fleming, composer

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Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score)

All Her Fault (Peacock) – Jeff Beal, composer
The Beast in Me (Netflix) – Sean Callery, Sara Barone, composers
Black Rabbit (Netflix) – Danny Bensi & Saunder Jurriaans, composers
In the Blink of an Eye (Hulu) – Thomas Newman, composer
Washington Black (Hulu) – Cameron Moody, composer

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Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary/Nonfinction or Reality Program (Original Dramatic Score)

High Horse: The Black Cowboy (F*ck Westerns) (Peacock) – Raphael Saadiq, composer
John Candy: I Like Me (Prime Video) – Tyler Strickland, composer
Kingdom (BBC America) – Segun Akinola, composer
Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! (HBO Max) – Jeff Morrow, composer
Ocean With David Attenborough (National Geographic) – Steven Price, composer
Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age (The Big Freeze) (Apple TV+) – Kara Talve & Anze Rozman, composers

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Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music