Country United States Official website grammy.com Instituted 1959 | First awarded 1959 Presented by The Recording Academy Category of Grammy Awards | |
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Awarded for quality musical theater cast recordings Currently held by The Color Purple (2017) People also search for Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media Winners & Nominees The Color Purple (2015 Broadway Cast Recording)Jennifer Hudson - Danielle Brooks - Cynthia Erivo -, The Color Purple (2015 Broadway Cast Recording), Winner, Fiddler on the Roof (2016 Broadway Cast Recording)Danny Burstein - Ted Sperling - Louise Gund -, Fiddler on the Roof (2016 Broadway Cast Recording), Nominee, Kinky Boots (Original West End Cast Recording)Cyndi Lauper - Killian Donnelly - Stephen Oremus -, Kinky Boots (Original West End Cast Recording), Nominee, Bright Star (Original Broadway Cast Recording)Steve Martin - Edie Brickell - Peter Asher -, Bright Star (Original Broadway Cast Recording), Nominee, Waitress (Original Broadway Cast Recording)Sara Bareilles - Jessie Mueller - Neal Avron -, Waitress (Original Broadway Cast Recording), Nominee, HamiltonLin-Manuel Miranda - Jonathan Groff - Leslie Odom Jr -, Hamilton, Winner, An American In ParisGeorge Gershwin - Ira Gershwin - Robert Fairchild -, An American In Paris, Nominee, Something Rotten! (Original Broadway Cast Recording)Christian Borle - Brian d'Arcy James - John Cariani -, Something Rotten! (Original Broadway Cast Recording), Nominee, Fun Home (A New Broadway Musical)Judy Kuhn - Michael Cerveris - Jeanine Tesori -, Fun Home (A New Broadway Musical), Nominee, The King and IKen Watanabe - Oscar Hammerstein II - Conrad Ricamora -, The King and I, Nominee, Beautiful: The Carole King MusicalCarole King - Jessie Mueller - Original Broadway Cast -, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Winner, AladdinAlan Menken - Tim Rice - Howard Ashman -, Aladdin, Nominee, A Gentleman's Guide To Love & MurderJefferson Mays - Bryce Pinkham - Original Broadway Cast -, A Gentleman's Guide To Love & Murder, Nominee, Bernstein: West Side StoryCheyenne Jackson - Leonard Bernstein - Stephen Sondheim -, Bernstein: West Side Story, Nominee, Hedwig and the Angry InchNeil Patrick Harris - Lena Hall - Stephen Trask -, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Nominee, Kinky BootsCyndi Lauper - Billy Porter - Stark Sands -, Kinky Boots, Winner, Motown The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)Brandon Victor Dixon - Frank Filipetti - Valisia Lekae -, Motown The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording), Nominee, Matilda the Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)Tim Minchin - Oona Laurence - Bertie Carvel -, Matilda the Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording), Nominee, Once: A New MusicalCristin Milioti - Steve Kazee - Martin Lowe -, Once: A New Musical, Winner, Follies (2011 Broadway revival cast)Bernadette Peters - Elaine Paige - Danny Burstein -, Follies (2011 Broadway revival cast), Nominee, Newsies: The Musical (original Broadway cast)Jeremy Jordan - Alan Menken - Kara Lindsay -, Newsies: The Musical (original Broadway cast), Nominee, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess: New Broadway Cast RecordingAudra McDonald - David Alan Grier - Norm Lewis -, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess: New Broadway Cast Recording, Nominee, Nice Work If You Can Get It (Original Broadway Cast)Matthew Broderick - David Chase - Kelli O'Hara -, Nice Work If You Can Get It (Original Broadway Cast), Nominee | ||
The Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album has been awarded since 1959. The award was given only to the album producer, and to the composer and lyricist who wrote at least 51% of the music which had not been recorded previously.
Over the years, the qualifications for the individual nominees has fluctuated with principal artists, composers, and producers at one point being the sole eligible nominee, to the more recent standard which includes those whose contributions accounted for the majority of the album. As of 2012, the award description is as follows: "Award to the principal vocalist(s) and the album producer(s) of 51% or more playing time of the album. The lyricist(s) and composer(s) of a new score are eligible for an Award if they have written and/or composed a new score which comprises 51% or more playing time of the album." Therefore, composers and lyricists are ineligible when recordings contain a majority of previously released material (revivals, collected works). Also, while they are not listed among the nominees, since 2001 the Recording Academy has awarded an official Grammy to the engineers/mixers of the winning Album.
Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for music released in the previous year. As of 2008, the current eligibility year is defined by the Recording Academy as beginning October 1, and ending the following September 30. Awards are given in February following the eligibility period.
Name changes
This award has had several minor name changes: