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HansZimmer2

Hans Zimmer, winners 2021

The Academy Award for Best Original Score is presented to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer. From 1934-1937, the head of the music department (rather than the actual composer or composers, in most cases) received the nominations or award. A variety of people have been nominated for this award including composers, band leaders, rock musicians, pop stars and record producers.

This category has had numerous name changes throughout the years which will be reflected through the nominees and winners list below with links to those categories.

The official name of the award has changed several times over the years:

  • 1934 — 1937: Best Scoring
  • 1938 — 1940: Divided into two Categories, Best Original Score and Best Scoring
  • 1941: Divided into two Categories, Best Score of a Dramatic Picture and Best Scoring of a Musical Picture
  • 1942 — 1956: Dividing into two Categories, Best Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture and Best Scoring of a Musical Picture
  • 1957: Best Scoring
  • 1958 — 1961: Divided into two Categories, Best Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture and Best Scoring of a Musical Picture]
  • 1962 — 1967: Divided into two Categories, Best Original Score and Best Adapted Score
  • 1968 — 1969: Divided into two Categories, Best Original Score and Best Score of a Musical Picture
  • 1970: Divided into two Categories, Best Original Score and Best Song Score
  • 1971 — 1974: Divided into two Categories, Best Original Dramatic Score and Best Adapted Score
  • 1975 — 1979: Divided into two Categories, Best Original Score and Best Adapted Score
  • 1980 — 1981: Best Original Score
  • 1982 — 1984: Divided into two Categories, Best Original Score and Best Adapted Score
  • 1985 — 1994: Best Original Score
  • 1995 — 1998: Divided into two Categories, Best Original Dramatic Score and Best Original Musical or Comedy Score
  • 1999 — Present: Best Original Score

Nominees and winners[]

Best Original Score By Decade

1930s1940s1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s

1930s

11th Academy Awards (1938)

Winner
The Adventures of Robin HoodErich Wolfgang Korngold
Nominees
Army GirlVictor Young
Block-HeadsMarvin Hatley
BlockadeWerner Janssen
Breaking the IceVictor Young
The Cowboy and the LadyAlfred Newman
If I Were KingRichard Hageman
Marie Antoinette (1938)Herbert Stothart
Pacific LinerRussell Bennett
SuezLouis Silvers
The Young in HeartFranz Waxman

12th Academy Awards (1939)

Winner
The Wizard of OzHerbert Stothart
Nominees
Dark VictoryMax Steiner
Eternally YoursWerner Janssen
Golden BoyVictor Young
Gone with the WindMax Steiner
Gulliver's TravelsVictor Young
The Man in the Iron MaskLud Gluskin, Lucien Moraweck
Man of ConquestVictor Young
Nurse Edith CavellAnthony Collins
Of Mice and MenAaron Copland
The Rains CameAlfred Newman
Wuthering HeightsAlfred Newman

1940s

13th Academy Awards (1940)

Winner
PinocchioLeigh Harline, Paul J. Smith, Ned Washington
Nominees
ArizoneVictor Young
The Dark CommandVictor Young
The Fight for LifeLouis Gruenberg
The Great DictatorMeredith Willson
The House of the Seven GablesFrank Skinner
The Howards of VirginiaRichard Hageman
The LetterMax Steiner
The Long Voyage HomeRichard Hageman
The Mark of ZorroAlfred Newman
My Favorite WifeRoy Webb
North West Mounted PoliceVictor Young
One Million B.C.Werner Heymann
Our TownAaron Copeland

1960s

35th Academy Awards (1962)

Winner
Lawrence of ArabiaMaurice Jarre
Nominees
FreudJerry Goldsmith
Mutiny on the BountyBronislau Kaper
Taras BulbaFranz Waxman
To Kill a MockingbirdElmer Bernstein

36th Academy Awards (1963)

Winner
Tom JonesJohn Addison
Nominees
CleopatraAlex North
55 Days at PekingDimitri Tiomkin
How the West Was WonAlfred Newman, Ken Darby
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad WorldErnest Gold

37th Academy Awards (1964)

Winner
Mary PoppinsRichard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman
Nominees
BecketLaurence Rosenthal
The Fall of the Roman EmpireDimitri Tiomkin
Hush...Hush, Sweet CharlotteFrank DeVol
The Pink PantherHenry Mancini

38th Academy Awards (1965)

Winner
Doctor ZhivagoMaurice Jarre
Nominees
The Agony and the EcstasyAlex North
The Greatest Story Ever ToldAlfred Newman
A Patch of BlueJerry Goldsmith
The Umbrella of CherbourgMichel Legand, Jacques Demy

39th Academy Awards (1966)

Winner
Born FreeJohn Barry
Nominees
The BibleToshiro Mayuzumi
HawaiiElmer Bernstein
The Sand PebblesJerry Goldsmith
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?Alex North

40th Academy Awards (1967)

Winner
Thoroughly Modern MillieElmer Bernstein
Nominees
Cool Hand LukeLalo Schifrin
Doctor DolittleLeslie Bricusse
Far from the Madding CrowdRichard Rodney Bennett
In Cold BloodQuincy Jones

1970s

43rd Academy Awards (1970)

Winner
Love StoryFrancis Lai
Nominees
AirportAlfred Newman
CromwellFrank Cordell
PattonJerry Goldsmith
SunflowerHenry Mancini

48th Academy Awards (1975)

Winner
JawsJohn Williams
Nominees
Birds Do It, Bees Do ItGerald Fried
Bite the BulletAlex North
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestJack Nitzsche
The Wind and the LionJerry Goldsmith

49th Academy Awards (1976)

Winner
The OmenJerry Goldsmith
Nominees
ObessionBernard Herrmann
The Outlaw Josey WalesJerry Fielding
Taxi DriverBernard Herrmann
Voyage of the DamnedLalo Schifrin

50th Academy Awards (1977)

Winner
Star WarsJohn Williams
Nominees
Close Encounters of the Third KindJohn Williams
JuliaGeorges Delerue
Mohammad - Messenger of GodMaurice Jarre
The Spy Who Loved MeMarvin Hamlisch

51st Academy Awards (1978)

Winner
Midnight ExpressGiorgio Moroder
Nominees
The Boys from BrazilJerry Goldsmith
Days of HeavenEnnio Morricone
Heaven Can WaitDave Grusin
SupermanJohn Williams

52nd Academy Awards (1979)

Winner
A Little RomanceGeorges Delerue
Nominees
The Amityville HorrorLalo Schifrin
The ChampDave Grusin
Star Trek - The Motion PictureJerry Goldsmith
10Henry Mancini

1980s

53rd Academy Awards (1980)

Winner
FameMichael Gore
Nominees
Altered StatesJohn Corigliano
The Elephant ManJohn Morris
The Empire Strikes BackJohn Williams
TessPhilippe Sarde

54th Academy Awards (1981)

Winner
Chariots of FireVangelis
Nominees
DragonslayerAlex North
On Golden PondDave Grusin
RagtimeRandy Newman
Raiders of the Lost ArkJohn Williams

55th Academy Awards (1982)

Winner
E.T. The Extra-TerrestrialJohn Williams
Nominees
GandhiRavi Shankar, George Fenton
An Officer and a GentlemanJack Nitzsche
PoltergeistJerry Goldsmith
Sophie's ChoiceJack Nitzsche

56th Academy Awards (1983)

Winner
The Right StuffBill Conti
Nominees
Cross CreekLeonard Rosenman
Return of the JediJohn Williams
Terms of EndearmentMichael Gore
Under FireJerry Goldsmith

57th Academy Awards (1984)

Winner
A Passage to IndiaMaurice Jarre
Nominees
Indiana Jones and the Temple of DoomJohn Williams
The NaturalRandy Newman
The RiverJohn Williams
Under the VolcanoAlex North

58th Academy Awards (1985)

Winner
Out of AfricaJohn Barry
Nominees
Agnes of GodGeorges Delerue
The Color PurpleQuincy Jones, Jeremy Lubbock, Rod Temperton, Caiphus Semenya, Andrae Crouch, Chris Boardman, Jorge Calandrelli, Joel Rosenbaum, Fred Steiner, Jack Hayes, Jerry Hey, Randy Kerber
SilveradoBruce Broughton
WitnessMaurice Jarre

59th Academy Awards (1986)

Winner
'Round MidnightHerbie Hancock
Nominees
AliensJames Horner
HoosiersJerry Goldsmith
The MissionEnnio Morricone
Star Trek IV: The Voyage HomeLeonard Rosenman

60th Academy Awards (1987)

Winner
The Last EmperorRyuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne, Cong Su
Nominees
Cry FreedomGeorge Fenton, Jonas Gwangwa
Empire of the SunJohn Williams
The UntouchablesEnnio Morricone
The Witches of EastwickJohn Williams

61st Academy Awards (1988)

Winner
The Milagro Beanfield WarDave Grusin
Nominees
The Accidental TouristJohn Williams
Dangerous LiaisonsGeorge Fenton
Gorillas in the MistMaurice Jarre
Rain ManHans Zimmer

62nd Academy Awards (1989)

Winner
The Little MermaidAlan Menken
Nominees
Born on the Fourth of JulyJohn Williams
The Fabulous Baker BoysDavid Grusin
Field of DreamsJames Horner
Indiana Jones and the Last CrusadeJohn Williams

1990s

63rd Academy Awards (1990)

Winner
Dances With WolvesJohn Barry
Nominees
AvalonRandy Newman
GhostMaurice Jarre
HavanaDavid Grusin
Home AloneJohn Williams

64th Academy Awards (1991)

Winner
Beauty and the BeastAlan Menken
Nominees
BugsyEnnio Morricone
The Fisher KingGeorge Fenton
JFKJohn Williams
The Prince of TidesJames Newton Howard

65th Academy Awards (1992)

Winner
AladdinAlan Menken
Nominees
Basic InstinctJerry Goldsmith
ChaplinJohn Barry
Howards EndRichard Robbins
A River Run Through ItMark Isham

66th Academy Awards (1993)

Winner
Schindler's ListJohn Williams
Nominees
The Age of InnocenceElmer Bernstein
The FirmDave Grusin
The FugitiveJames Newton Howard
The Remains of the DayRichard Robbins

67th Academy Awards (1994)

Winner
The Lion KingHans Zimmer
Nominees
Forrest GumpAlan Silvestri
Interview with the VampireElliot Goldenthal
Little WomenThomas Newman
The Shawshank RedemptionThomas Newman

72nd Academy Awards (1999)

Winner
The Red ViolinJohn Corigliano
Nominees
American BeautyThomas Newman
Angela's AshesJohn Williams
The Cider House RulesRachel Portman
The Talented Mr. RipleyGabriel Yared

2000s

73rd Academy Awards (2000)

Winner
Crouching Tiger, Hidden DragonTan Dun
Nominees
ChocolatRachel Portman
GladiatorHans Zimmer
MalènaEnnio Morricone
The PatriotJohn Williams

74th Academy Awards (2001)

Winner
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingHoward Shore
Nominees
A.I. Artificial IntelligenceJohn Williams
A Beautiful MindJames Horner
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneJohn Williams
Monsters, Inc.Randy Newman

75th Academy Awards (2002)

Winner
FridaElliot Goldenthal
Nominees
Catch Me If You CanJohn Williams
Far from HeavenElmer Bernstein
The HoursPhilip Glass
Road to PerditionThomas Newman

76th Academy Awards (2003)

Winner
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingHoward Shore
Nominees
Big FishDanny Elfman
Cold MountainGabriel Yared
Finding NemoThomas Newman
House of Sand and FogJames Horner

77th Academy Awards (2004)

Winner
Finding NeverlandJan A.P. Kaczmarek
Nominees
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanJohn Williams
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate EventsThomas Newman
The Passion of the ChristJohn Debney
The Village (2004)James Newton Howard

78th Academy Awards (2005)

Winner
Brokeback MountainGustavo Santaolalla
Nominees
The Constant GardenerAlberto Iglesias
Memoirs of a GeishaJohn Williams
MunichJohn Williams
Pride & Prejudice (2005)Dario Marianelli

79th Academy Awards (2006)

Winner
BabelGustavo Santaolalla
Nominees
The Good GermanThomas Newman
Notes on a ScandalPhilip Glass
Pan's LabyrinthJavier Navarrete
The QueenAlexandre Desplat

80th Academy Awards (2007)

Winner
AtonementDario Marianelli
Nominees
The Kite RunnerAlberto Iglesias
Michael ClaytonJames Newton Howard
RatatouilleMichael Giacchino
3:10 to YumaMarco Beltrami

81st Academy Awards (2008)

Winner
Slumdog MillionaireA.R. Rahman
Nominees
The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonAlexandre Desplat
DefianceJames Newton Howard
MilkDanny Elfman
WALL-EThomas Newman

82nd Academy Awards (2009)

Winner
UpMichael Giacchino
Nominees
AvatarJames Horner
Fantastic Mr. FoxAlexandre Desplat
The Hurt LockerMarco Beltrami, Buck Sanders
Sherlock HolmesHans Zimmer

2010s

83rd Academy Awards (2010)

Winner
The Social NetworkTrent Reznor, Atticus Ross
Nominees
How to Train Your DragonJohn Powell
InceptionHans Zimmer
The King's SpeechAlexandre Desplat
127 HoursA.R. Rahman

84th Academy Awards (2011)

Winner
The ArtistLudovic Bource
Nominees
The Adventures of TintinJohn Williams
HugoHoward Shore
Tinker Tailor Soldier SpyAlberto Iglesias
War HorseJohn Williams

85th Academy Awards (2012)

Winner
Life of PiMychael Danna
Nominees
Anna KareninaDario Marianelli
ArgoAlexandre Desplat
LincolnJohn Williams
SkyfallThomas Newman

86th Academy Awards (2013)

Winner
GravitySteven Price
Nominees
The Book ThiefJohn Williams
HerWilliam Butler, Owen Pallett
PhilomenaAlexandre Desplat
Saving Mr. BanksThomas Newman

87th Academy Awards (2014)

Winner
The Grand Budapest HotelAlexandre Desplat
Nominees
The Imitation GameAlexandre Desplat
InterstellarHans Zimmer
Mr. TurnerGary Yershon
The Theory of EverythingJóhann Jóhannsson

88th Academy Awards (2015)

Winner
The Hateful EightEnnio Morricone
Nominees
Bridge of SpiesThomas Newman
CarolCarter Burwell
SicarioJóhann Jóhannsson
Star Wars: The Force AwakensJohn Williams

89th Academy Awards (2016)

Winner
La La LandJustin Hurwitz
Nominees
JackieMica Levi
LionDustin O'Halloran, Hauschka
MoonlightNicholas Britell
PassengersThomas Newman

90th Academy Awards (2017)

Winner
The Shape of WaterAlexandre Desplat
Nominees
DunkirkHans Zimmer
Phantom ThreadJonny Greenwood
Star Wars: The Last JediJohn Williams
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, MissouriCarter Burwell

91st Academy Awards (2018)

Winner
Black PantherLudwig Goransson
Nominees
BlacKkKlansmanTerence Blanchard
If Beale Street Could TalkNicholas Britell
Isle of DogsAlexandre Desplat
Mary Poppins ReturnsMarc Shaiman

92nd Academy Awards (2019)

Winner
JokerHildur Guðnadóttir
Nominees
1917Thomas Newman
Little Women (2019)Alexandre Desplat
Marriage StoryRandy Newman
Star Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerJohn Williams

2020s

93rd Academy Awards (2020)

Winner
SoulTrent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste
Nominees
Da 5 BloodsTerence Blanchard
MankTrent Reznor, Atticus Ross
MinariEmile Mosseri
News of the WorldJames Newton Howard

94th Academy Awards (2021)

Winner
Dune: Part OneHans Zimmer
Nominees
Don't Look UpNicholas Britell
EncantoGermaine Franco
Parallel MothersAlberto Iglesias
The Power of the DogJohnny Greenwood

95th Academy Awards (2022)

Winner
All Quiet on the Western FrontVolker Bertelmann
Nominees
BabylonJustin Hurwitz
The Banshees of InisherinCarter Burwell
Everything Everywhere All at OnceSon Lux
The FabelmansJohn Williams

96th Academy Awards (2023)

Winner
TBD
Nominees
American FictionLaura Karpman
Indiana Jones and the Dial of DestinyJohn Williams
Killers of the Flower MoonRobbie Robertson
OppenheimerLudwig Göransson
Poor ThingsJerskin Fendrix

Related Categories[]

  • Best Adapted Score
  • Best Score of a Dramatic Picture
  • Best Scoring
  • Best Scoring of a Musical Picture
  • Best Song Score
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