10 Movies That Have Won Grammys For Their Soundtracks & Scores

The Grammys are one of the most prestigious awards events in the music industry. While the ceremony is designed to celebrate singers, songwriters, producers, and bands from across multiple genres, it also has a section dedicated to the visual medium. Plenty of Grammys have therefore been awarded in the past to movies for their impressive score or great use of songs in their soundtrack.

Huge hits from recent years have won this accolade, with a few films actually picking up multiple prizes for the stellar work that has gone into the sound of the picture. Needless to say, this is a category dedicated to some of the unsung heroes of the industry.

10 No Time To Die (2021)

The James Bond franchise has a number of truly iconic themes, so when No Time To Die started development, fans were quick to wonder who would be lending their vocal talents this time. The gig went to Billie Eilish who joined legends like Adele and Sam Smith.

The most recent 2021 Grammys awarded Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell with the prize for Best Song Written for a Visual Medium. It’s a well-deserved honor and audiences can see the opening song in action when No Time To Die hits theaters this year.

9 Jojo Rabbit (2021)

Taika Waititi has been known for winning a number of accolades over the years, from Oscars for his short film and his screenwriting on Jojo Rabit, to a Grammy for the music featured within the novel adaptation. Indeed, Jojo Rabbit featured many memorable songs from the 1940s.

The atmosphere of the film was really captured in that soundtrack, which was credited to various artists. The movie, therefore, won in the Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media category, beating the likes of Frozen 2 and Eurovision. 

8 Joker (2021)

One of the things that truly set up Joker as a psychological thriller is the intense score put together by Hildur Guðnadóttir. It really played into the deep issues of Arthur Fleck and forced the audience to feel uneasy throughout the entire production.

While Joker itself has caused a lot of debate in terms of comic book storytelling, it is one of the few movies of the genre to have earned an Oscar and has now also earned itself a 2021 Grammy in the Best Score For A Visual Media category.

7  A Star Is Born (2020)

2018’s A Star Is Born was the remake that really took audiences by surprise thanks to the breathtaking performances of leads Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, who brought such authenticity to the picture in both their acting and through their music.

It’s not that surprising therefore that one of the most influential musicals of the year would get an accolade from the Grammys in the Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media category, which was credited to Paul “DJWS” Blair, Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Nick Monson, Lukas Nelson, Mark Nilan Jr., Benjamin Rice, Julianne Jordan, and Julia Michels.

6 The Greatest Showman (2019)

Upon its release, The Greatest Showman truly took the world by storm. It was a long-anticipated project, but its series of original songs, all-star cast, and brilliant production really captured the imagination of audiences, with viewers going back to see the sing-along version in cinemas as well.

With so many box office achievements it was only fitting that the musical was also recognized by the industry as well. It, therefore, won the Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, with the cast getting credit alongside producers Alex Lacamoire, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Greg Wells.

5 Black Panther (2019)

The very same year saw a truly historical cinematic release from Marvel Studios with Black Panther breaking its own box office records and completely changing expectations of what a Black hero can be on screen. The score was a huge part of the success of the project.

With the music laced with authenticity, Ludwig Göransson, who has since gone on to work on projects like The Mandalorian, cemented his own legacy with a beautiful score that was awarded the Grammy for the Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media.

4 La La Land (2018)

2016’s La La Land might have had a slightly less successful time at the Oscars, considering it came so close and so far to becoming the prestigious Best Picture winner, however it did actually pick up some Grammy nominations and a win.

The film boasts some truly great numbers, which pay tribute to some of the classic musicals of old. This love letter to Hollywood was ultimately given two accolades, the Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media for Justin Hurwitz and Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media for the cast and producers Marius de Vries and Justin Hurwitz.

3 Moana (2018)

Disney’s own musicals have picked up a lot of awards across their history. With the musical talents of Lin-Manuel Miranda on board and some fantastic singers, it’s not too shocking that the animated hit Moana got a nod from the Grammys.

Amongst some of its amazing songs was the truly remarkable “How Far I’ll Go,” which was written by Miranda and performed by Auliʻi Cravalho. The “I Want” song of the movie would go on to win the Best Song Written for Visual Media.

2 Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2017)

There are some truly legendary film composers in cinematic history, although very few can match the career and filmography of the iconic John Williams. The list of awards he has won over the years is almost endless.

Star Wars is of course one of his most memorable and it was a thrill for fans for the legend himself to return to the galaxy far far away for the first installment of the sequel trilogy. His work on the project garnered him the Grammy for the Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media.

1 Birdman (2016)

2014’s Birdman was a shock hit amongst audiences and critics alike and really catapulted Michael Keaton’s career back to the top of the industry again. There are a lot of really subtle details about the film, but the score is an incredibly important component.

Indeed, Antonio Sánchez put together a truly immersive score, significantly aiding the production and setting the stage for some of the lunacy and emotional depth of the script. His work resulted in the Grammy for the Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media.

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