Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music

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Awarded forOutstanding Music
LocationNew York City
CountryUnited States
Presented byDrama Desk
Drama Desk Award
for Outstanding Music
Awarded forOutstanding Music
LocationNew York City
CountryUnited States
Presented byDrama Desk
First award1968
Currently held byWill Aronson and Hue Park for Maybe Happy Ending (2025)
Websitedramadesk.org (defunct)

The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in musical theatre (distinct from incidental music in plays) across collective Broadway, off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway productions in New York City. The award was originally entitled Best Composer, before being renamed to its current title in 1969. The award is often referred to as Outstanding Score of a Musical.

1960s

Key
  and bold indicates the winner.
Year Composer Production Ref.
1968
Al Carmines In Circles [1]
Galt MacDermot Hair
1969
Al Carmines Peace [2]
Burt Bacharach Promises, Promises

1970s

Year Composer Production Ref.
1970
Stephen Sondheim Company [3]
Kurt Weill Mahagonny
1971
Stephen Sondheim Follies [4]
1972
Galt MacDermot Two Gentlemen of Verona [5]
1973
Stephen Sondheim A Little Night Music [6]
1974
Al Carmines The Faggot [7]
1975
Charlie Smalls The Wiz [8]
Gene Curty, Nitra Scharfman & Chuck Strand The Lieutenant
Jerry Herman Mack and Mabel
Fred Silver In Gay Company
1976
Marvin Hamlisch A Chorus Line [9]
Leonard Bernstein 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Bill Heyer & Hank Beebe Tuscaloosa's Calling Me
Stephen Sondheim Pacific Overtures
1977
Cy Coleman I Love My Wife [10]
Charles Strouse Annie
Elizabeth Swados Nightclub Cantata
Robert Waldman The Robber Bridegroom
1978
Cy Coleman On the Twentieth Century [11]
Carol Hall The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Elizabeth Swados Runaways
1979
Stephen Sondheim Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street [12][13]
Nancy Ford I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road
Marvin Hamlisch & Neil Simon They're Playing Our Song
Jerome Kass Ballroom
Michel Legrand The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

1980s

Year Composer Production Ref.
1980
Andrew Lloyd Webber Evita [14]
Cy Coleman Barnum
Elizabeth Swados Runaways
1981 N/a
1982
Maury Yeston Nine [15]
Stephen Sondheim Merrily We Roll Along
Jim Wann Pump Boys and Dinettes
1983
Andrew Lloyd Webber Cats [16]
Larry Grossman A Doll's Life
Gerald Jay Markee Charlotte Sweet
Des McAnuff Death of Von Richthofen
Alan Menken Little Shop of Horrors
1984
Jerry Herman La Cage aux Folles [17]
Galt MacDermot The Human Comedy
David Shire Baby
Stephen Sondheim Sunday in the Park with George
1985
Larry Grossman Grind [18]
Roger Miller Big River
Michael Rupert 3 Guys Naked from the Waist Down
1986
Rupert Holmes The Mystery of Edwin Drood [19]
Polly Pen Goblin Market
Charles Strouse Mayor
Andrew Lloyd Webber Song and Dance
1987
Noel Gay Me and My Girl [20]
Claude-Michel Schönberg Les Misérables
Nick Bicat The Knife
Charles Strouse Rags
Andrew Lloyd Webber Starlight Express
1988
Andrew Lloyd Webber Phantom of the Opera [21][22]
Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus Chess
David Evans Birds of Paradise
Hugh Masekela & Mbongeni Ngema Sarafina!
Stephen Sondheim Into the Woods
1989 N/a

1990s

Year Composer Production Ref.
1990
Cy Coleman City of Angels [23][24]
Chet Forrest, Bob Wright & Maury Yeston Grand Hotel
Ástor Piazzolla Dangerous Games
David Shire Closer Than Ever
Andrew Lloyd Webber Aspects of Love
1991
Cy Coleman The Will Rogers Follies [25][26]
David Bucknam The Waves
William Finn Falsettoland
Lucy Simon The Secret Garden
Stephen Sondheim Assassins
1992
Erik Frandsen, Michael Garin, Robert Hipkins & Paul Lockheart Song of Singapore [27]
1993
Marvin Hamlisch The Goodbye Girl [28][29]
John Kander Kiss of the Spider Woman
Jeffrey Lunden Wings
1994
Stephen Sondheim Passion [30]
Michael John LaChiusa Hello Again
Alan Menken Beauty and the Beast
Polly Pen Christina Alberta's Father
Tom Waits The Black Rider
1995 N/a
1996
Jonathan Larson Rent [31][32]
Adam Guettel Floyd Collins
Stephen Hoffman Splendora
Polly Pen Bed and Sofa
David Shire Big
Bob Telson & Michael John LaChiusa Chronicle of a Death Foretold
1997
Cy Coleman The Life [33][34]
[35]
John Kander Steel Pier
Jeanine Tesori Violet
1998
Stephen Flaherty Ragtime [36][37]
Paul Simon The Capeman
Stephen Trask Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Frank Wildhorn The Scarlet Pimpernel
1999
Jason Robert Brown Parade [38][39]
[40]
Cy Coleman Exactly Like You
William Finn A New Brain
Frank Wildhorn The Civil War

2000s

Year Composer Production Ref.
2000
Andrew Lippa The Wild Party [41][42]
Shaun Davey James Joyce's The Dead
Stephen Sondheim Saturday Night
2001
David Yazbek The Full Monty [43][44]
Kirsten Childs The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin
Stephen Flaherty Seussical
Mark Hollmann Urinetown
Ed Kleban A Class Act
Laurence O'Keefe Bat Boy: The Musical
2002
Jason Robert Brown The Last Five Years [45][46]
Marvin Hamlisch Sweet Smell of Success
Jonathan Larson Tick, Tick... BOOM!
Jeanine Tesori Thoroughly Modern Millie
2003
Marc Shaiman Hairspray [47][48]
[49]
Tim Acito Zanna, Don't!
Stephen Flaherty A Man of No Importance
Michel Legrand Amour
Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx Avenue Q
Anderson Edwards, Keith Glover & Keb' Mo' Thunder Knocking on the Door
2004
Jeanine Tesori Caroline, or Change [50][51]
[52]
RaRa Avis & Andrew Yeater Ramayana 2K3
Boy George Taboo
Eric Rockwell The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)
Stephen Schwartz Wicked
Martin Silvestri & Joel Higgins Johnny Guitar
2005
Adam Guettel The Light in the Piazza [53][54]
Gary Adler & Michael Patrick Walker Altar Boyz
Terry Davies Play Without Words
William Finn The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Stephen Flaherty Dessa Rose
David Yazbek Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
2006
Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison The Drowsy Chaperone [55][56]
Stephen Dolginoff Thrill Me
Scott Frankel Grey Gardens
Michael John LaChiusa See What I Wanna See
Peter Mills The Pursuit of Persephone
Matthew Sklar The Wedding Singer
2007
Duncan Sheik Spring Awakening [57][58]
[59]
John Kander Curtains
Paul Leschen & Gila Sand Twist: Please, Sir, May I Have Some More?
Peter Rodgers Melnick Adrift in Macao
Lin-Manuel Miranda In the Heights
Laurence O'Keefe & Nell Benjamin Legally Blonde
2008
Heidi Rodewald & Stew Passing Strange [60][61]
[62]
John Bucchino A Catered Affair
Stephen Flaherty The Glorious Ones
Tom Kitt Next to Normal
Mark Mulcahy The Slug Bearers of Kayrol Island
Joshua Schmidt Adding Machine
2009
Elton John Billy Elliot the Musical [63][64]
[65]
Neil Bartram The Story of My Life
Zina Goldrich Dear Edwina
Dolly Parton 9 to 5
Stephen Sondheim Road Show
Jeanine Tesori Shrek the Musical

2010s

Year Composer Production Ref.
2010
David Bryan Memphis [66]
Michael Friedman Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
Joe Iconis Bloodsong of Love
John Kander & Fred Ebb The Scottsboro Boys
Andrew Lippa The Addams Family
Joseph Zellnik Yank!
2011
Trey Parker, Robert Lopez & Matt Stone The Book of Mormon [67][68]
[69]
Brad Alexander See Rock City & Other Destinations
Alan Menken Sister Act
Marc Shaiman Catch Me If You Can
Mike Stoller & Artie Butler The People in the Picture
David Yazbek Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
2012
Alan Menken Newsies [70][71]
[72]


Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová Once
Michael John LaChiusa Queen of the Mist
Alan Menken Leap of Faith
Frank Wildhorn Bonnie & Clyde
Maury Yeston Death Takes a Holiday
2013
David Byrne & Fatboy Slim Here Lies Love [73][74]
Trey Anastasio & Amanda Green Hands on a Hardbody
Michael John LaChiusa Giant
Dave Malloy Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812
Benj Pasek & Justin Paul A Christmas Story: The Musical
David Rossmer & Steve Rosen The Other Josh Cohen
2014
Jason Robert Brown The Bridges of Madison County [75][76]
[77]
Andrew Lippa Big Fish
Steven Lutvak A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder
Alan Menken Aladdin
Kevin Murphy & Laurence O'Keefe Heathers: The Musical
Jeanine Tesori Fun Home
2015
Lin-Manuel Miranda Hamilton [78][79]
Jason Robert Brown Honeymoon in Vegas
Michael Friedman The Fortress of Solitude
John Kander The Visit
Dave Malloy Ghost Quartet
Sting The Last Ship
2016
Steve Martin & Edie Brickell Bright Star [80][81]
Sara Bareilles Waitress
Michael John LaChiusa First Daughter Suite
Andrew Lloyd Webber School of Rock
The Lobbyists SeaWife
2017
David Yazbek The Band's Visit [82][83]
Stephen Flaherty Anastasia
Dave Malloy Beardo
Richard Oberacker Bandstand
Irene Sankoff & David Hein Come from Away
2018
David Friedman Desperate Measures [84][85]
The Bengsons The Lucky Ones
Ben Caplan & Christian Barry Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story
Erin McKeown Miss You Like Hell
Helen Park & Max Vernon KPOP
2019
David Yazbek Tootsie [86][87]
Andrew R. Butler Rags Parkland Sings the Songs of the Future
Joe Iconis Be More Chill
Peter Mills The Hello Girls
Mark Sonnenblick Midnight at the Never Get
Shaina Taub Twelfth Night

2020s

Year Composer Production Ref.
2020
Dave Malloy Octet [88][89]
Ross Golan The Wrong Man
Michael R. Jackson A Strange Loop
Joshua Rosenblum Einstein's Dreams
Duncan Sheik The Secret Life of Bees
Jeanine Tesori Soft Power
2021 No awards: New York theatres shuttered, March 2020 to September 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City [90]
2022
Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss Six [91][92][93]
Jason Howland Paradise Square
Matt Ray The Hang
Carrie Rodriguez ¡Americano!
Jeanine Tesori Kimberly Akimbo
2023
Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally Shucked [94][95]
Michael R. Jackson White Girl in Danger
Tom Kitt and AnnMarie Milazzo Almost Famous
Elyssa Samsel and Kate Anderson Between the Lines
The Kilbanes Weightless
2024 Shaina Taub Suffs [96][97]
Jason Robert Brown The Connector
Justin Huertas Lizard Boy: The Musical
Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine The Outsiders
David Yazbek and Erik Della Penna Dead Outlaw
2025
Will Aronson Maybe Happy Ending [98][99]
David Foster Boop! The Musical
Joy Huerta and Benjamin Velez Real Women Have Curves
Zoe Sarnak The Lonely Few
The Lazours We Live in Cairo
2026 Ethan Lipton The Seat of Our Pants [100]
The Lazours Night Side Songs
Ethan D. Pakchar and Douglas Lyons Beau the Musical
Michael Thurber Goddess
Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson Mexodus

Multiple wins

Multiple nominations

See also

References

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