Grammy Award for Best Music Film

Last updated
Grammy Award for Best Music Film
Awarded forQuality long form music videos
CountryUnited States
Presented by National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
First award1984
Currently held by American Symphony (2025)
Website grammy.com

The Grammy Award for Best Music Film is an annual accolade for performers, directors, and producers of quality videos or musical programs. It is presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony established in 1958 when it was called the Gramophone Awards. [1]

Contents

Criteria

Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position". [2] In order to qualify for this category, concert/performance films or music documentaries must be released theatrically or for sale to the public for the first time or first appearing on television or online during the current eligibility year. Dramatic feature films and biopics are not eligible. [3]

Prior to 2024, films were only considered eligible for this category if they featured a minimum of 51% performance-based material. As of the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, this requirement has been removed entirely. [4]

Background

The category was preceded by the Grammy Award for Video of the Year, which was presented in 1982 and 1983, awarding long form videos (or video albums as they were known back then) in the budding music video market. Along with the similar honor Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video, this award was first presented in 1984. From 1984 to 1985, the accolade was known as Best Video Album, but in 1986, it was renamed to Best Music Video, Long Form. From 1998 to 2012, it was named Best Long Form Music Video, [5] [6] [7] before changing to Best Music Film since 2013.

In 1988 and 1989, the award criteria were changed and the video accolades were presented under the categories Best Concept Music Video and Best Performance Music Video. The awards were returned to the original format in 1990. Except in 1988 and 1989, the Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video recipients included the artists, directors, and producers associated with the winning videos. The Best Music Film category is one of two categories in the Best Music Video/Film Field. The other one is Best Music Video, which recognizes stand-alone videos of one song or performance. In 2024, the Field was abolished and both categories were moved to a Children's, Comedy, Audio Book Narration & Storytelling, Visual Media & Music Video/Film Field.

Multiple wins and nominations

Singers Madonna and Sting hold the record for the most wins as a performer in this category, with two each, while there have been three films about the Beatles among the winners. However, in two instances, the Beatles were not recognized as individual winners. To date, three directors won the award twice: David Mallet, Jonas Akerlund and Bob Smeaton. Beyoncé holds the record for the most nominations with five. The British pop rock group Eurythmics and Coldplay hold the record for the most nominations as a performer without a win, with three each. Although Beyoncé also held four losing nominations, she won with her fourth nomination with Homecoming in 2020.

Recipients

In 1984 and 1985, only the artists were presented with an award. In 1986 the award went to the artist(s) and the video director(s). From 1987 onwards, the award has been presented to the artist(s), video director(s) and video producer(s). (Nominations from 1984 to 1986 listed performing artists only).

Members of the English new wave group Duran Duran, among recipients of the 1984 accolade for Duran Duran, performing in 2005. Duran Duran.jpg
Members of the English new wave group Duran Duran, among recipients of the 1984 accolade for Duran Duran , performing in 2005.
1985 winner for Making Michael Jackson's Thriller, Michael Jackson Michael Jackson 1984.jpg
1985 winner for Making Michael Jackson's Thriller , Michael Jackson
Sting has earned two accolades from this category for Bring On the Night and Ten Summoner's Tales. Sting 2009 portrait.jpg
Sting has earned two accolades from this category for Bring On the Night and Ten Summoner's Tales .
Janet Jackson won the award in 1990 for Rhythm Nation 1814. Janet Jackson.jpg
Janet Jackson won the award in 1990 for Rhythm Nation 1814 .
1991 recipient rapper MC Hammer won for Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em MC Hammer (cropped).jpg
1991 recipient rapper MC Hammer won for Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em
Two-time award winner Madonna. She won in 1992 for Madonna: Live! - Blond Ambition World Tour 90 and again in 2008 for The Confessions Tour: Live from London. Madonna at the premiere of I Am Because We Are.jpg
Two-time award winner Madonna. She won in 1992 for Madonna: Live! – Blond Ambition World Tour 90 and again in 2008 for The Confessions Tour: Live from London .
1993 winner, Annie Lennox. Annie Lennox SING campaign, Vienna 2010 b.jpg
1993 winner, Annie Lennox.
Alanis Morissette won the award in 1998 for Alanis Morissette: Jagged Little Pill, Live Alanis Morissette at Espacio Movistar 3.jpg
Alanis Morissette won the award in 1998 for Alanis Morissette: Jagged Little Pill, Live
Mel Brooks won the award for Recording The Producers: A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks. MelBrooksApr10.jpg
Mel Brooks won the award for Recording The Producers: A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks.
Director Don Letts received the award for the documentary Westway to the World about the band The Clash. Bad-don-letts-2-np.jpg
Director Don Letts received the award for the documentary Westway to the World about the band The Clash.
2006 award winner for directing the documentary No Direction Home, Martin Scorsese Martin Scorsese by David Shankbone.jpg
2006 award winner for directing the documentary No Direction Home , Martin Scorsese
Bruce Springsteen won the accolade in 2007 for Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run Bruce Springteen Front (cropped).jpg
Bruce Springsteen won the accolade in 2007 for Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run
In 2009, Peter Bogdanovich earned the Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video for directing Runnin' Down a Dream Peter Bogdanovich.jpg
In 2009, Peter Bogdanovich earned the Grammy Award for Best Long Form Music Video for directing Runnin' Down a Dream
2011 award winners included director Tom DiCillo for When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors. The Doors in Copenhagen 1968.jpg
2011 award winners included director Tom DiCillo for When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors .
Director James Moll won Foo Fighters's Back and Forth. James Moll MovieGuide Awards 3.jpg
Director James Moll won Foo Fighters's Back and Forth .
Amy Winehouse was the subject of 2016 winner Amy that depicted her life and death. The award went to the director Asif Kapadia who also won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for the same film as well. Amy Winehouse f4962007 crop.jpg
Amy Winehouse was the subject of 2016 winner Amy that depicted her life and death. The award went to the director Asif Kapadia who also won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for the same film as well.
Oscar-winning director Ron Howard won for the documentary The Beatles: Eight Days a Week. Ron Howard Cannes 2018.jpg
Oscar-winning director Ron Howard won for the documentary The Beatles: Eight Days a Week .
Rashida Jones won the award as co-director of Quincy, a film about her father, Quincy Jones. Rashida Jones 2017 (cropped).jpg
Rashida Jones won the award as co-director of Quincy , a film about her father, Quincy Jones.
Beyonce hold the record for the most nominations as of 2022 with five. She won the award in 2020 for directing and performing on Homecoming: A Film by Beyonce. Beyonce - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - 1st June 2023 (6 of 118) (52945304172) (high cropped).jpg
Beyoncé hold the record for the most nominations as of 2022 with five. She won the award in 2020 for directing and performing on Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé.
Year [I] Work(s)Performing artist(s)Director(s) and Producer(s) [II] NomineesRef.
1984 Duran Duran Duran Duran — [8]
1985 Making Michael Jackson's Thriller Michael Jackson — [9]
1986 Huey Lewis & The News: The Heart of Rock 'n Roll Huey Lewis and the News
[10]
1987 Bring On the Night Sting
[11]
1988 — [III] ——— [12]
1989 — [III] ——— [13]
1990 Rhythm Nation 1814 Janet Jackson
[14]
1991 Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em: The Movie MC Hammer
[15]
1992 Madonna: Live! – Blond Ambition World Tour 90 Madonna
  • David Mallet & Mark "Aldo" Miceli, directors
  • Anthony Eaton, producer
  • Peter Gabriel – P.O.V. (Michael Chapman & Hart Perry, video directors; Dana Heinz & Sandy Lieberson, video producers)
  • Billy Joel – Live at Yankee Stadium (Jon Small, video director; Jon Small, video producer)
  • Lifers Group – World Tour Rahway Prison, That's It (Penelope Spheeris, video director; Jessica Cooper, video producer)
  • Sinéad O'Connor – Year of the Horse (Sophie Muller, video director; Steve Fargnoli & James Todd, video producers)
 [16]
1993 Diva Annie Lennox
  • Gwar – Phallus in Wonderland (Judas Bullhorn & Distortion Wells, video directors; Dean English, video producer)
  • MC Hammer – Hammerin' Home (Rupert Wainwright, video director; Oliver Fuselier, Guy J. Louthan & Terance Power, video producers)
  • Public Enemy – The Enemy Strikes Live (Larry Holland, video director; J. Kevin Swain, video producer)
  • Swiss Radio Symphony; Matthias Bamert, conductor – Classic Visions 5: Gershwin, D'Albert, Strauss, Honegger (Adrian Marthaler, video director; Armin Brunner, video producer)
 [17]
1994 Ten Summoner's Tales Sting
[18]
1995 Zoo TV: Live from Sydney U2
  • David Mallet, director
  • Ned O'Hanlon and Rocky Oldham, producer
 [18]
1996 Secret World Live Peter Gabriel
  • Kate Bush – The Line, the Cross & the Curve (Kate Bush, video director; Margarita Doyle, video producer)
  • Cirque Du Soleil – Saltimbanco (Jacques Payette, video director; Helene Dufresne, video producer)
  • Charles Dutoit and The Montreal Symphony Orchestra – The Planets (Barbara Willis Sweete, video director; Niv Fichman, video producer)
  • Green Jellÿ – 333 (Green Jelly (Mike Bloomquist, David Cannizzaro, Joe Cannizzaro, Mike Davis, Anthony Gotta, Gary Hellsinger, Eugene Kelly, Bill Manspeaker, Rose Mattrey & Kim O'Donnell), video directors)
  • James McMurtry – Where'd You Hide the Body (K.C. Amos, Bill Brown, Ingrid Calame, Sande Chen, Gregory E. Connor, Linda Feferman, Johannes Gamble, Nathan Hope, Pip Johnson, Brenda McIntyre, Luis Ruiz & Deborah Stratman, video directors)
 [19]
1997 The Beatles Anthology The Beatles
  • Bob Smeaton and Geoff Wonfor, directors
  • Chips Chipperfield and Neil Aspinall, producers
 [20]
1998 Jagged Little Pill, Live Alanis Morissette
[21]
1999 American Masters: Lou Reed: Rock & Roll Heart Lou Reed
  • Fastball – They Wanted the Highway (Ondi Timoner, video director; Mark Didia, David Timoner & Ondi Timoner, video producers)
  • Yo-Yo Ma – Inspired by Bach: Six Gestures – No. 6 (Patricia Rozema, video director; Niv Fichman, video producer)
  • Scott Rockenfield and Paul Speer featuring Sir Mix-A-Lott – TeleVoid (Michael Boydstun, video director and producer)
  • Various artists – Robert Altman's Jazz '34: Remembrances of Kansas City Swing (Robert Altman, video director; Robert Altman, Brent Carpenter, James McLindon & Matthew Seig, video producers)
 [22]
2000 Band of Gypsys: Live at Fillmore East Jimi Hendrix IV
  • Bob Smeaton, director
  • Chips Chipperfield and Neil Aspinall, producer
 [23]
2001 Gimme Some Truth: The Making of John Lennon's Imagine Album John Lennon IV
[24]
2002 Recording The Producers: A Musical Romp with Mel Brooks Mel Brooks
[25]
2003 Westway to the World The Clash
[26]
2004 Legend Sam Cooke IV
[27]
2005 Concert for George Various artists IV
[28]
2006 No Direction Home Bob Dylan IV
[29]
2007 Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run Bruce Springsteen
[18]
2008 The Confessions Tour Madonna
[18]
2009 Runnin' Down a Dream Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
  • Peter Bogdanovich, director
  • Skot Bright, Tony Dimitriades & George Drakoulias, producers
 [18]
2010 The Beatles Love – All Together Now The Beatles and Cirque du Soleil IV
  • Adrian Wills, director
  • Jonathan Clyde and Martin Bolduc, producers
 [18]
2011 When You're Strange: A Film About The Doors The Doors IV
[30]
2012 Back and Forth Foo Fighters
2013 Big Easy Express Mumford & Sons, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, and Old Crow Medicine Show
  • Emmett Malloy, director
  • Bryan Ling, Mike Luba, and Tim Lynch, producers
2014 Live Kisses Paul McCartney
  • Jonas Åkerlund, director
  • Violaine Etienne, Aron Levine & Scott Rodger, producers
2015 20 Feet from Stardom ≈ Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer & Judith Hill
2016 Amy ≈ Amy Winehouse IV
2017 The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years The Beatles IV
  • Steve Aoki – I'll Sleep When I'm Dead (Justin Krook, video director; Brent Almond, Matt Colon, David Gelb, Ryan Kavanaugh, Michael Theanne, Happy Walters & Matthew Weaver, video producers)
  • Beyoncé – Lemonade (Beyoncé Knowles Carter & Kahlil Joseph, video directors; Ed Burke, Beyoncé Knowles Carter, Steve Pamon, Todd Tourso, Dora Melissa Vargas & Erinn Williams, video producers)
  • Yo-Yo Ma & The Silk Road Ensemble – The Music of Strangers (Morgan Neville, video director; Caitrin Rogers, video producer)
  • Various Artists – American Saturday Night: Live from the Grand Ole Opry (George J. Flanigen IV, video director; Steve Buchanan, John Burke, Lindsey Clark, Robert Deaton, Pete Fisher & George J. Flanigen IV, video producers)
2018 The Defiant Ones Various artists IV
  • Allen Hughes, director
  • Sarah Anthony, Fritzi Horstman, Broderick Johnson, Gene Kirkwood, Andrew Kosove, Laura Lancaster, Michael Lombardo, Jerry Longarzo, Doug Pray & Steven Williams, producers
 [31]
2019 Quincy Quincy Jones
  • Alan Hicks & Rashida Jones, directors
  • Paula DuPré Pesmen, producer
 [32]
2020 Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé Beyoncé
  • Beyoncé Knowles-Carter & Ed Burke, directors
  • Steve Pamon & Erinn Williams, producers
 [33]
2021 The Sound of My Voice Linda Ronstadt
[34]
2022 Summer of Soul ≈Various Artists IV
[35]
2023 Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story Various Artists IV
  • Frank Marshall & Ryan Suffern, video directors
  • Frank Marshal, Sean Stuart & Ryan Suffern, video producers
 [36]
2024 Moonage Daydream David Bowie IV Brett Morgen, video director and video producer
 [37]
2025 American Symphony Jon Batiste Matthew Heineman, video director; Matthew Heineman, Lauren Domino & Jordan Okun, video producers
 [38]

^[I] Each year is linked to the article about the Grammy Awards held that year.
^[II] Director(s) are only indicated if they were presented a Grammy Award.
^[III] Award was not presented. Music video categories presented that year included Best Concept Music Video and Best Performance Music Video.
^[IV] Award not presented to the performing artist (only to video director(s) and video producer(s))
^[V] Director unknown; award presented to video producers only

Artists, directors, and producers with multiple wins

2 wins

Artists, directors, and producers with multiple nominations

6 nominations
5 nominations
4 nominations
3 nominations
2 nominations

Notes

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Grammy Awards at a Glance". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Overview". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on October 27, 2009. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Grammy.com". Archived from the original on 2017-07-03. Retrieved 2015-12-08.
  4. ↑ Paul Grein (June 16, 2023). "Here Are the 10 Biggest Changes to the Grammy Awards Process for 2024". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  5. ↑ "55th Annual GRAMMY Awards (2012)". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on March 3, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  6. ↑ "56th Annual GRAMMY Awards (2013)". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Press release, 4 June 2013". Archived from the original on 12 June 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2013.
  8. ↑ "Complete List of the Nominees for 26th Annual Grammy Music Awards". Schenectady Gazette . Schenectady, New York. January 9, 1984. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  9. ↑ "27th Annual Grammy Awards Final Nominations". Billboard . Vol. 97, no. 4. January 26, 1985. p. 78. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
  10. ↑ Hunt, Dennis (January 10, 1986). "'We Are The World' Scores In Grammy Nominations". Los Angeles Times. p. 6. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2011. Note: This source lists the directors associated with the nominated videos, but the "Nominees" column of the table contains the performing artists associated with the nominated videos.
  11. ↑ Hunt, Dennis (January 9, 1987). "Grammy Nominations: Highs And Lows". Los Angeles Times. p. 5. Archived from the original on July 21, 2012. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
  12. ↑ "List of Grammy Award winners". Times-News . March 3, 1988. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2011. Note: This source verifies the existence of the categories Best Concept Music Video and Best Performance Music Video in 1988.
  13. ↑ "McFerrin and Chapman Top Grammys". The New York Times . February 24, 1989. p. 2. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2011. Note: This source verifies the existence of the categories Best Concept Music Video and Best Performance Music Video in 1989.
  14. ↑ "Here's a list of Grammy nominees". St. Petersburg Times . January 13, 1990.
  15. ↑ Bargreen, Melinda (January 11, 1991). "Symphony Nominated For 4 Grammys". The Seattle Times . Archived from the original on October 28, 2011. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  16. ↑ "The Grammy Nominations". Los Angeles Times. January 9, 1992. p. 5. Archived from the original on June 18, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  17. ↑ Macdonald, Patrick (January 8, 1993). "Grammys Show Influence Of Seattle Music". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on June 14, 2017. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Past Winners Search". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on July 28, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  19. ↑ "List of Grammy nominees". Time Warner Inc . CNN. January 4, 1996. Archived from the original on December 7, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  20. ↑ Kot, Greg (January 8, 1997). "Pumpkins A Smash With 7 Grammy Nominations". Chicago Tribune . p. 12. Archived from the original on July 7, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  21. ↑ "Complete List of Academy Voter Picks". Los Angeles Times. January 8, 1998. p. 15. Archived from the original on July 1, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  22. ↑ Kot, Greg (January 6, 1999). "10 Nominations Put Lauryn Hill Atop Grammy Heap". Chicago Tribune. p. 10. Archived from the original on July 1, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  23. ↑ "Santana Tops List With 10 Grammy Nominations". The Seattle Times. January 5, 2000. Archived from the original on October 28, 2011. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  24. ↑ "43rd Grammy Awards". CNN. February 21, 2001. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  25. ↑ "Complete List Of Grammy Nominees". CBS News . January 4, 2002. Archived from the original on October 10, 2003. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  26. ↑ "Complete list of Grammy nominees; ceremony set for Feb. 23". San Francisco Chronicle . January 8, 2003. p. 7. Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  27. ↑ "Nominee list for the 46th Annual Grammy Awards". LiveDaily. December 4, 2003. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
  28. ↑ "Nominee list for the 47th Annual Grammy Awards". LiveDaily. December 7, 2004. Archived from the original on January 7, 2010. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  29. ↑ "The Complete List of Grammy Nominations". The New York Times. December 8, 2005. p. 8. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  30. ↑ "53rd Annual Grammy Awards nominees list". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved May 13, 2011.
  31. ↑ "Grammy.com, 28 November 2017". Archived from the original on 28 November 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  32. ↑ "Grammy.com, 7 December 2018". Archived from the original on 7 December 2018. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  33. ↑ "62nd Grammy Awards nominations list". Archived from the original on 2020-01-26. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  34. ↑ "2021 Nominations List" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-11-29. Retrieved 2020-11-29.
  35. ↑ "Grammy Nominations List 2022". Grammy.com. Archived from the original on 25 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
  36. ↑ "Air Date For 2023 GRAMMYs Announced: Taking Place On Feb. 5 In Los Angeles; GRAMMY Nominations To Be Announced Nov. 15, 2022". www.grammy.com. Archived from the original on 2022-12-08. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
  37. ↑ Minsker, Evan (November 10, 2023). "Grammy Nominations 2024: See the Full List Here". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  38. ↑ "2025 GRAMMYs: See The OFFICIAL Full Nominations List | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved 2024-11-10.

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