# Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition

The Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition (including its previous names) has been awarded since 1960. The award is presented to the composer of an original piece of music (not an adaptation), first released during the eligibility year. In theory, any style of music is eligible for this category, but winning compositions are usually in the jazz or film score genres.
The Grammy is awarded to the composer(s) of the music, not to the performing artist, except if the artist is also the composer. There have been several minor changes to the name of the award:
* In 1959 it was awarded as Best Musical Composition First Recorded and Released in 1958 (over 5 minutes duration)
* In 1960 it was awarded as Best Musical Composition First Recorded and Released in 1959 (more than 5 minutes duration)
* In 1962 it was awarded as Best Instrumental Theme or Instrumental Version of Song
* From 1963 to 1964 and from 1967 to 1970 it was awarded as Best Instrumental Theme
* In 1965 it was awarded as Best Instrumental Composition (other than jazz)
* From 1971 to the present it has been awarded as Best Instrumental Composition
Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year.

## Recipients

| Year | Composer(s) | Work | Performing artist(s) | Nominees Performers are in parentheses |
| 1958 | Nelson Riddle | "Cross Country Suite" | Nelson Riddle | Richard Rodgers – Victory at Sea Vol II (Robert Russell Bennett) Samuel Barber – "Vanessa" (Dimitri Mitropoulos) Kurt Weill – "Mahagonny" (Lotte Lenya) Johnny Mandel – "I Want to Live" |
| 1959 | Duke Ellington | Anatomy of a Murder | Duke Ellington | Morton Gould – "St. Lawrence Suite" Dmitri Shostakovich – Shostakovich: Concerto #2 for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 101 (Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic) Sergei Prokofiev – Prokoviev: The Overture Russe Op.72 (Jean Martinon conducting the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra) Henry Mancini – More Music from Peter Gunn |
| 1962 | Galt MacDermot | "African Waltz" | Cannonball Adderley | Bob Merrill – Theme from Carnival! (Original Broadway Cast) Dimitri Tiomkin – The Guns of Navarone Duke Ellington – Paris Blues Nino Rota – La Dolce Vita |
| 1963 | Bobby Scott & Ric Marlow | "A Taste of Honey" | Eddie Cano | Elmer Bernstein & Mack David – "Walk on the Wild Side" (Elmer Bernstein) Dave Rose – "The Stripper" Acker Bilk – "Stranger on the Shore" Nelson Riddle – Theme of Route 66 Henry Mancini – "Baby Elephant Walk" |
| 1964 | Norman Newell, Nino Oliviero & Riz Ortolani | "More" - Theme from Mondo Cane | Vic Dana | Bob Goldstein & David Shire – "Washington Square" (The Village Stompers) Maurice Jarre – Lawrence of Arabia Steve Allen & Ray Brown – "Gravy Waltz" (Steve Allen) Jean "Toots" Theilemans – "Bluesette" |
| 1965 | Henry Mancini | "The Pink Panther Theme" | Henry Mancini | Lee Adams & Charles Strouse – Theme from Golden Boy (Various Artists (Quincy Jones, Sammy Kaye)) Jack Marshall – Theme from The Munsters (Various Artists) Buddy Killen & Billy Sherrill – "Sugar Lips" (Al Hirt) Russ Daymon – "Cotton Candy" (Al Hirt) |
| 1966 | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| 1967 | Neal Hefti | "Batman Theme" | Neal Hefti | Alex North – "Who's Afraid?" D.J. Edwards – "Trumpet Pickin'" (Al Hirt) Priscilla Hubbard – "Prissy" (Chet Atkins) Henry Mancini – "Arabesque" |
| 1968 | Lalo Schifrin | Theme from Mission: Impossible | Lalo Schifrin | Josef Zawinul – "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" (Cannonball Adderley Quintet) Hugo Montenegro – "Hurry Sundown" Burt Bacharach & Hal David – "Casino Royale" (Herb Alpert and Tijuana Brass) Chico Buarque de Hollanda – "A Banda" (Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass) |
| 1969 | Mason Williams | "Classical Gas" | Mason Williams | Lalo Schifrin – Theme from The Fox Neal Hefti – The Odd Couple Hugo Montenegro & Ennio Morricone – "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (Hugo Montenegro) Krzysztof Komeda – "Rosemary's Baby" (Rick Powell) |
| 1970 | John Barry | Theme from Midnight Cowboy | John Barry | Robert Cobert – "Quentin's Theme" (The Charles Randolph Grean Sounde) Herbie Mann – Memphis Underground Quincy Jones – Main Title of Mackenna's Gold Bobby Warren & Harlow Wilcox – "Groovy Grubworm" (Harlow Wilcox & Oakies) |
| 1971 | Alfred Newman | "Love Theme" from Airport | Alfred Newman | Lalo Schifrin – Theme from Medical Center Henry Mancini – "Love Theme" from Sunflower Quincy Jones – "Gula Matari" Miles Davis – "Bitches Brew" |
| 1972 | Michel Legrand | Theme from Summer of '42 | Michel Legrand | Isaac Hayes – Theme from Shaft Francis Lai – Theme from Love Story (Francis Lai & His Orchestra and also Henry Mancini & His Orchestra) Duke Ellington – "New Orleans Suite" Chuck Mangione – "Hill Where the Lord Hides" |
| 1973 | Michel Legrand | Theme from Brian's Song | Michel Legrand | Nino Rota – Theme from The Godfather Don Ellis – Theme from The French Connection (Don Ellis Big Band) Joe Greene & Billy Preston – "Outa-Space" (Billy Preston) Henry Mancini – "Brass On Ivory" |
| 1974 | Gato Barbieri | Theme from Last Tango in Paris | Chuck Mangione and also Herb Alpert | Billy Preston – "Space Race" Manu Dibango – "Soul Makossa" Jan Akkerman & Thijs van Leer – "Hocus Pocus" (Focus) Edgar Winter – "Frankenstein" |
| 1975 | Mike Oldfield | "Tubular Bells" – Theme from The Exorcist | Mike Oldfield | Barry White – "Rhapsody in White" Herbie Hancock, Paul Jackson, Harvey Mason & Bennie Maupin – "Chamaleon" (Herbie Hancock) Barry White – "Barry's Theme" Benny Golson – "Along Came Betty" (Quincy Jones) |
| 1976 | Michel Legrand | "Images" | Michel Legrand & Phil Woods | Pete Clarence Carpenter & Mike Post – "The Rockford Files" (Mike Post) Van McCoy – "The Hustle" Sylvester Levay & Stephen Prager – "Fly, Robin, Fly" (Silver Convention) Chuck Mangione – "Chase the Clouds Away" |
| 1977 | Chuck Mangione | "Bellavia" | Chuck Mangione | Henry Mancini – "The White Dawn" Louis Johnson, Quincy Jones & Johnny Mandel – "Midnight Soul Patrol" (Quincy Jones) Chick Corea – "Leprechaun's Dream" Skip Scarborough & Maurice White – "Earth, Wind & Fire" (Earth, Wind & Fire) Stevie Wonder – "Contusion" |
| 1978 | John Williams | "Main Title" from Star Wars | John Williams | Gerald Fried & Quincy Jones – "Roots Medley" ("Motherland" and "Roots Mural Theme") from Roots (Quincy Jones) Carol Connors, Bill Conti & Ayn Robbins – "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky (Maynard Ferguson) Marvin Hamlisch – "Bond '77/James Bond Theme" Josef Zawinul – "Birdland" (Weather Report) |
| 1979 | John Williams | "Theme" from Close Encounters of the Third Kind | John Williams | Lee Ritenour – "The Captain's Journey" Chick Corea – "Friends" Nick Ashford, Quincy Jones & Valerie Simpson – "End of the Yellow Brick Road" (Ashford & Simpson) Chuck Mangione – "Consuelo's Love Theme" (Chuck Mangione Group) |
| 1980 | John Williams | Main Title Theme from Superman | John Williams | Andy Armer & Randy Badazz – "Rise" (Herb Alpert) Chick Corea – "Central Park" Bob James – "Angela" - Theme from Taxi Marian McPartland – "Ambiance" |
| 1981 | John Williams | "The Empire Strikes Back" | John Williams | John Williams – "Yoda's Theme" John Williams – "Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)" Chuck Mangione – "Give It All You Got" Patrick Williams – "An American Concerto" |
| 1982 | Mike Post | Theme from Hill Street Blues | Mike Post | Jerry Goldsmith – "The Slaves" Gerry Mulligan – "For an Unfinished Woman" Lyle Mays & Pat Metheny – As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls (Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays) John Corigliano – "Altered States" |
| 1983 | John Williams | "Flying Theme from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" | John Williams | Claus Ogerman – "In the Presence and Absence of Each Other (Parts 1, 2, and 3)" (Claus Ogerman featuring Michael Brecker) Tom Scott – Desire Lyle Mays & Pat Metheny – "Are You Going With Me?" (Pat Metheny Group) John Williams – "Adventures on Earth" |
| 1984 | Giorgio Moroder | "Love Theme" from Flashdance | Various artists (Helen St. John) | Henry Mancini – Theme from The Thorn Birds Michael Beinhorn, Herbie Hancock & Bill Laswell – "Rockit" (Herbie Hancock) Dan Sembello & Michael Sembello – "Dream Hunter" (Sergio Mendes) Dave Grusin – "An Actor's Life" |
| 1985 | Tie | Tie | Tie | Pete Carpenter & Mike Post – "The A-Team" (Mike Post) Wynton Marsalis – "Hot House Flowers" Elmer Bernstein – Main Title Theme from Ghostbusters |
| | Randy Newman | "The Natural" | Randy Newman | |
| | John Williams | "Olympic Fanfare & Theme" the official music of the XXIII Olympiad | John Williams | |
| 1986 | Jan Hammer | "Theme" from Miami Vice | Jan Hammer | Thad Jones – "With Bells On" (Louis Bellson) David Foster – "Love Theme" from St. Elmo's Fire Alan Silvestri – "Back to the Future" Harold Faltermeyer – "Axel F" |
| 1987 | John Barry | "Out of Africa" | John Barry | Bruce Broughton – Young Sherlock Holmes (Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Bruce Broughton conducting The Sinfonia of London) Harold Faltermeyer – "Top Gun Anthem" (Harold Faltermeyer and Steve Stevens) Wynton Marsalis – "J Mood" Chick Corea – "Elektric City" Dave Grusin & Lee Ritenour – "Earth Run" (Lee Ritenour) James Horner – Aliens (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) |
| 1988 | Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Billy Higgins & Wayne Shorter | "Call Sheet Blues" | Various artists | Henry Mancini – "The Blues in Three" Lyle Mays & Pat Metheny – "Minuano (Six Eight)" (Pat Metheny Group) Frank Zappa – "Jazz from Hell" Claude Bolling – Bolling: Suite No. 2 for Flute and Jazz Piano Trio (Claude Bolling, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Pierre-Yves Sorin, Vincent Cordelette) |
| 1989 | Mike Post | Theme from L.A. Law | Mike Post | David Foster – "Winter Games" John Williams – "Olympic Spirit" Chick Corea – "Eternal Child" (Chick Corea Elektric Band) Benny Carter – "Central City Sketches (Side 2)" |
| 1990 | Danny Elfman | Theme from Batman | Sinfonia of London Orchestra | Alan Silvestri – Who Framed Roger Rabbit "Suite" (John Scott) Dave Grusin – "Suite" from The Milagro Beanfield War Chick Corea – "Morning Sprite" (Chick Corea Akoustic Band) Pat Metheny – "Letter from Home" (Pat Metheny Group) James Horner – "Field of Dreams" |
| 1991 | Pat Metheny | "Change of Heart" | Roy Haynes, Dave Holland & Pat Metheny | Pat Metheny – "The Chief" (Gary Burton) Harry Connick Jr. & Joe Livingston – "One Last Pitch (Take Two)" (Harry Connick Jr. Trio) Walter Afanasieff & Kenny G – "Going Home" (Kenny G) |
| 1992 | Elton John | "Basque" | James Galway | Herb Alpert & Greg Smith – "North On South St." (Herb Alpert) Claus Ogerman – "Corfu" (Claus Ogerman and Michael Brecker) Eric Johnson – "Cliffs of Dover" Béla Fleck, Howard Levy, Roy Wooten & Victor Wooten – "Blu-Bop" (Béla Fleck and the Flecktones) |
| 1993 | Benny Carter | "Harlem Renaissance Suite" | Benny Carter | Pat Metheny – "The Truth Will Always Be" Astor Piazzolla – "Oblivion" (Ettore Stratta) Béla Fleck – "Magic Fingers" (Béla Fleck and the Flecktones) Wynton Marsalis – "Blue Interlude" (Wynton Marsalis Septet) |
| 1994 | Kenny G | "Forever in Love" | Kenny G | Lyle Mays & Pat Metheny – "Half Life of Absolution" (Pat Metheny Group) Chick Corea – "Blue Miles" (Chick Corea Elektric Band II) Lyle Mays – "Bill Evans" Dave Brubeck – "Autumn" (Dave Brubeck, Chris Brubeck and Dan Brubeck) |
| 1995 | Michael Brecker | "African Skies" | Michael Brecker | Maria Schneider – "Evanescence" (Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra) Louie Bellson – "Ellington-Strayhorn Suite" Benny Carter – "Elegy in Blue" Arturo Sandoval – "A Mis Abuelos" |
| 1996 | Bill Holman | "A View From the Side" | The Bill Holman Band | Billy Childs – "The Starry Night" Marcus Miller & Allen Toussaint – "Tales" (Marcus Miller) Chick Corea – "New Life" Billy Taylor – "Homage Part I" |
| 1997 | Herbie Hancock & Jean Hancock | "Manhattan (Island of Lights and Love)" | Herbie Hancock | Jorge Calandrelli – "The Fifth Season" (Eddie Daniels) Arturo Sandoval – "Real McBop" Wayne Shorter – "Midnight in Carlotta's Hair" Billy Childs – "Aaron's Song" |
| 1998 | Wayne Shorter | "Aung San Suu Kyi" | Herbie Hancock & Wayne Shorter | Bob Mintzer – "New Rochelle" (Yellowjackets) Alan Broadbent – "Everytime I Think of You" Bob Florence – "Earth" (The Bob Florence Limited Edition) J.J. Johnson – "Cannon for Bela" |
| 1999 | Bela Fleck, Future Man & Victor Lemonte Wooten | "Almost 12" | Bela Fleck and the Flecktones | Wynton Marsalis – "The Midnight Blues" Jorge Calandrelli & Astor Piazzolla – "Tango Remembrances" (Yo-Yo Ma) Gerald Wilson – "Romance" (The Gerald Wilson Orchestra) Bob Mintzer – "Ellis Island" (Bob Mintzer Big Band) |
| 2000 | Don Sebesky | "Joyful Noise Suite" | Don Sebersky | Paquito D'Rivera – "Tropicana Nights" Chick Corea – "Little Flamenco" KC Porter & Carlos Santana – "El Farol" (Santana) David Benoit – "Dad's Room" |
| 2001 | John Williams | Theme from Angela's Ashes | John Williams | Ralph Towner – "The Templars" (Oregon With The Moscow Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra) James Newton Howard – "The Egg Travels" Gordon Goodwin – "Sing, Sang, Sung" (Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band) Paul McCandless – "Round Robin" (Oregon With The Moscow Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra) |
| 2002 | Alan Silvestri | Cast Away – "End Credits" | Alan Silvestri | Tan Dun – "The Eternal Vow" Patrick Williams – Theme from Blonde Gonzalo Rubalcaba – "Oren (Pray)" John Patitucci – "Communion" |
| 2003 | Thomas Newman | Six Feet Under "Title Theme" | Thomas Newman | James Newton Howard – Signs - Main Titles Randy Newman – "The Ride of the Doors" Kenny Werner – "Inspiration" (Toots Thielemans & Kenny Werner) John Williams – "Hedwig's Theme" |
| 2004 | Wayne Shorter | "Sacajawea" | Wayne Shorter | Kim Richmond – "Precious Promises" (The Kim Richmond Concert Jazz Orchestra) Gordon Goodwin – "Hunting Wabbits" (Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band) Michael Brecker – "Broadband" (Michael Brecker Quindectet) Vince Mendoza – "Amoroso" (Stefano di Battista) |
| 2005 | Paquito D'Rivera | "Merengue" | Yo-Yo Ma | Maria Schneider – "Three Romances" (University of Miami Concert Jazz Band) Slide Hampton – "Past Present & Future" (The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra) Maria Schneider – "Bulería, Soleá y Rumba" (Maria Schneider Orchestra) Gabriel Yared – "Ada Plays" from Cold Mountain |
| 2006 | Billy Childs | "Into The Light" | Billy Childs Ensemble | Michael Giacchino – "The Incredits" (Various Artists) John Williams – "The Ferry Scene" John Williams – "Anakin's Betrayal" (John Williams & The London Symphony Orchestra and London Voices) |
| 2007 | John Williams | "A Prayer for Peace" | John Williams | Fred Hersch – "Valentine" John Williams – "Sayuri's Theme and End Credits" (John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma & Itzhak Perlman) Patrick Williams – "A Concerto in Swing" (The Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra & Big Band) Taylor Eigsti – "Argument" |
| 2008 | Maria Schneider | "Cerulean Skies" | Maria Schneider Orchestra | Béla Fleck – "Spectacle" (Chick Corea & Béla Fleck) Philip Glass – "I Knew Her" from Notes on a Scandal Mark Walker – "Deep Six" (Oregon) Harry Connick Jr. – "Ash Wednesday" |
| 2009 | John Williams | "The Adventures of Mutt" | John Williams | Gordon Goodwin – "Hit the Ground Running" (Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band) Dave Grusin – "Danzón de Etiqueta" (Lee Ritenour & Dave Grusin) Russell Ferrante – "Claire's Closet" (Yellowjackets & Mike Stern) Chick Corea – "Alegria" (Chick Corea & Gary Burton) |
| 2010 | Michael Giacchino | "Married Life" | Michael Giacchino | Steve Wiest – "Ice-Nine" (University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band) Bob Florence – "Fluffy" (Bob Florence Limited Edition) Tim Davies – "Counting to Infinity" (Tim Davies Big Band) Paquito D'Rivera – "Borat in Syracuse" (Paquito D'Rivera Quintet) |
| 2011 | Billy Childs | "The Path Among The Trees" | Billy Childs Ensemble | Bill Cunliffe – "Fourt Stream... La Banda" (Temple University Symphony Orchestra) Tim Hagans – "Box of Cannoli" (The Norrbotten Big Band) Gerald Clayton – "Battle Circles" (Clayton Brothers) Patrick Williams – "Aurora" (Patrick Williams Big Band) |
| 2012 | Béla Fleck & Howard Levy | "Life in Eleven" | Béla Fleck and the Flecktones | John Hollenbeck – "Falling Men" (John Hollenbeck, Daniel Yvinec & Orchestre National de Jazz) Gordon Goodwin – "Hunting Wabbits 3 (Get Off My Lawn)" (Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band) Randy Brecker – "I Talk To The Trees" (Randy Brecker & the DR Big Band) Russell Ferrante – "Timeline" (Yellowjackets) |
| 2013 | Chick Corea | "Mozart Goes Dancing" | Chick Corea & Gary Burton | Chuck Loeb – "December Dream" (Fourplay) Chris Brubeck & Dave Brubeck – "Music of Ansel Adams: America" (Temple University Symphony Orchestra) Bill Cunliffe – "Overture, Waltz and Rondo" (Temple University Symphony Orchestra) Bill Holman – "Without a Paddle" (Tall & Small) |
| 2014 | Clare Fischer | "Pensamientos for Solo Alto Saxophone and Chamber Orchestra" | Clare Fischer Orchestra | Chuck Owen – "Bound Away" (Chuck Owen & The Jazz Surge) Gordon Goodwin – "California Pictures for String Quartet" (Quartet San Francisco) Scott Healy – "Koko on the Boulevard" (Scott Healy Ensemble) Vince Mendoza – "String Quartet No. 1: Funky Diversion in Three Parts" (Quartet San Francisco) |
| 2015 | John Williams | "The Book Thief" | John Williams | Stanley Clarke – "Last Train to Sanity" (Stanley Clarke Band) Gordon Goodwin – "Life in the Bubble" (Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band) Rufus Reid – "Recognition" Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile – "Tarnation" (Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile) |
| 2016 | Arturo O'Farrill | "The Afro Latin Jazz Suite" | Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra featuring Rudresh Mahanthappa | Bob Mintzer – "Civil War" (Bob Mintzer Big Band) David Balakrishnan – "Confetti Man" (Turtle Island Quartet) Marshall Gilkes – "Vesper" (Marshall Gilkes & the WDR Big Band) Rich DeRosa – "Neil" (University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band) |
| 2017 | Ted Nash | "Spoken at Midnight" | Ted Nash Big Band | Thomas Newman – "Bridge of Spies (End Title)" Tim Davies – "The Expensive Train Set (An Epic Sarahnade for Double Big Band)" (Tim Davies Big Band) Alan Ferber – "Flow" (Alan Ferber Nonet) Ennio Morricone – "L'Ultima Diligenza di Red Rock - Versione Integrale" |
| 2018 | Arturo O'Farrill | "Three Revolutions" | Arturo O'Farrill & Chucho Valdés | Pascal Le Boeuf – "Alkaline" (Le Boeuf Brothers & the JACK Quartet) Vince Mendoza – "Chorus #3" (Vince Mendoza & the WDR Big Band Cologne) Nate Smith – "Home Free (For Peter Joe)" Chuck Owen – "Warped Cowboy" (Chuck Owen & the Jazz Surge) |
| 2019 | Terence Blanchard | "Blut und Boden (Blood and Soil)" | Terence Blanchard | Jeremy Kittel – "Chrysalis" (Kittel & Co.) Alan Silvestri – "Infinity War" John Powell & John Williams – "Mine Mission" Alexandre Desplat – "The Shape of Water" |
| 2020 | John Williams | "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Symphonic Suite" | John Williams | Fred Hersch – "Begin Again" (Fred Hersch & the WDR Big Band conducted by Vince Mendoza) Brian Lynch – "Crucible for Crisis" (Brian Lynch Big Band) Vince Mendoza – "Love, A Beautiful Force" (Vince Mendoza, Terell Stafford, Dick Oatts & the Temple University Studio Orchestra) Christian McBride – "Walkin' Funny" (Christian McBride) |
| 2021 | Maria Schneider | "Sputnik" | Maria Schneider Orchestra | Arturo O'Farrill – "Baby Jack" (Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra) Christian Sands – "Be Water II" Alexandre Desplat – "Plumfield" Remy Le Boeuf – "Strata" (Remy Le Boeuf's Assembly of Shadows featuring Anna Webber & Eric Miller |
| 2022 | Lyle Mays | "Eberhard" | Lyle Mays | Brandee Younger – "Beautiful Is Black" Tom Nazziola – "Cat and Mouse" Vince Mendoza – "Concerto for Orchestra: Finale" (Vince Mendoza, the Czech National Symphony Orchestra featuring Antonio Sánchez & Derrick Hodge) Arturo O'Farrill – "Dreaming in Lions: Dreaming in Lions" (Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble) |
| 2023 | Geoffrey Keezer | "Refuge" | Geoffrey Keezer | Paquito d'Rivera – "African Tales" (Tasha Warren & Dave Eggar) Miguel Zenón – "El Pais Invisible" (Miguel Zenón, José Antonio Zayas Cabán, Ryan Smith & Casey Rafn) Danilo Pérez – "Fronteras (Borders) Suite: Al-Musafir Blues" (Danilo Pérez ft. The Global Messengers) Pascal Le Boeuf – "Snapshots" (Tasha Warren & Dave Eggar) |
| 2024 | John Williams | "Helena's Theme" | John Williams | Lakecia Benjamin - "Amerikkan Skin" (Lakecia Benjamin ft. Angela Davis) Ludwig Göransson - "Can You Hear the Music" (Ludwig Göransson) Gordon Goodwin & Raymond Scott - "Cutey and the Dragon" (Quartet San Francisco ft. Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band) Edgar Meyer - "Motion" (Egar Meyer, Béla Fleck & Zakir Hussain ft. Rakesh Chaurasia) |
| 2025 | Pascal Le Boeuf | "Strands" | Akropolis Reed Quintet, Pascal Le Boeuf & Christian Euman | Shelton G. Berg - "At Last" (Shelly Berg) Christopher Zuar - "Communion" (Christopher Zuar Orchestra) André 3000, Surya Botofasina, Nate Mercereau & Carlos Niño - "I Swear, I Really Wanted To Make A "Rap" Album But This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time" (André 3000) Chick Corea - "Remembrance" (Chick Corea & Béla Fleck) |

### Multiple wins

| Wins | Composers |
| 12 |
| 12 | John Williams |
| 3 |
| 3 | Michel Legrand |
| 3 | Wayne Shorter |
| 2 |
| 2 | John Barry |
| 2 | Billy Childs |
| 2 | Bela Fleck |
| 2 | Herbie Hancock |
| 2 | Arturo O'Farrill |
| 2 | Mike Post |
| 2 | Maria Schneider |