The Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album has been awarded since 1959. The award is generally given to the album's producers, principal vocalist(s), and the composer and lyricist if they have written a new score which comprises 51% or more playing time of the album, though the number of recipients has varied over the category's tenure.
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 current (as of the 66th Grammy Awards) standard which is as follows: "For albums containing greater than 51% playing time of new recordings. Award to the principal vocalist(s), and the album producer(s) of 50% or more playing time of the album. The lyricist(s) and composer(s) of 50 % or more of a score of a new recording are eligible for an Award if any previous recording of said score has not been nominated in this category."
Vocalists were first awarded in this category at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards in 2012. When an album does not feature any individual soloists and predominantly features an ensemble cast, no individual award is given to the members of the ensemble, with each member instead receiving a winners certificate. As of the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, only a maximum of four principle vocalists can be awarded (previously unlimited), in addition to the producer/s and lyricists/composers.[1]
Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for music released in the previous year.
Name changes
This award has had several minor name changes:
In 1959 the award was known as Best Original Cast Album (Broadway or TV)
In 1960 it was awarded as Best Broadway Show Album
In 1961 it was awarded as Best Show Album (Original Cast)
From 1962 to 1963 it was awarded as Best Original Cast Show Album
From 1964 to 1973 it was awarded as Best Score From an Original Cast Show Album
From 1974 to 1975 it was awarded as Best Score From the Original Cast Show Album
From 1976 to 1986 it was awarded as Best Cast Show Album
From 1987 to 1991 it was awarded as Best Musical Cast Show Album
From 1992 to 2011 it was awarded as Best Musical Show Album
From 2012 it has been known as Best Musical Theater Album.[2]
^"63rd GRAMMY Awards Rules & Guidelines". GRAMMY.com. June 9, 2020. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
^"Grammy Awards restructuring". Archived from the original on 2011-12-03. Retrieved 2011-09-14.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be"Past Winners Search". Grammy.Com.
^"Grammy Awards 1959". Awards & Shows.
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^"Grammy Awards 1961". Awards & Shows.
^"Grammy Awards 1962". Awards & Shows. Archived from the original on 2016-06-02. Retrieved 2015-03-26.
^"Grammy Awards 1963". Awards & Shows. Archived from the original on 2016-12-07. Retrieved 2015-03-26.
^"Grammy Awards 1964". Awards & Shows.
^"Grammy Awards 1965". Awards & Shows.
^"Grammy Awards 1966". Awards & Shows.
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^"Grammy Awards 1968". Awards & Shows.
^"Grammy Awards 1969". Awards & Shows.
^"Grammy Awards 1970". Awards & Shows.
^"Grammy Awards 1971". Awards & Shows.
^"Grammy Awards 1972". Awards & Shows.
^"Grammy Awards 1973". Awards & Shows.
^"Grammy Awards 1974". Awards & Shows.
^"Grammy Awards 1975". Awards & Shows.
^"Grammy Awards 1976". Awards & Shows.
^"Grammy Awards 1977". Awards & Shows.
^"Grammy Awards 1978". Awards & Shows.
^"Grammy Awards 1979". Awards & Shows.
^"22nd Grammy Awards". RockOntheNet.Com.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p"Grammy Award® Winners: Best Musical Show Album". RateYourMusic.
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^Complete List Of Grammy Nominees — CBS News
^"45th Grammy Award Nominations Coverage". DigitalHit.
^"54th Grammy Award Nominations Coverage". DigitalHit.
^"Full Nomination List of the 55th Annual Grammy Awards". New York Daily News. 5 December 2012.
^"56th Grammy Award Nominations Coverage". DigitalHit.
^Gioia, Michael (December 7, 2015). "Hamilton and Fun Home Cast Albums Among Grammy Award Nominees". Playbill. Archived from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
^"Grammy Nominations: Full List of Nominees for 59th Annual Awards". Variety. 6 December 2016.
^"59th Grammy Award Winners". Grammy.org The Recording Academy.