The Tony Award for Best Musical is given annually to the best new Broadway musical, as determined by Tony Award voters. The award is one of the ceremony's longest-standing awards, having been presented each year since 1949. The award goes to the producers of the winning musical. A musical is eligible for consideration in a given year if it has not previously been produced on Broadway and is not "determined... to be a 'classic' or in the historical or popular repertoire", otherwise it may be considered for Best Revival of a Musical.Staff (undated). "Rules & Voting". tonyawards.com. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
Best Musical is the final award presented at the Tony Awards ceremony. Excerpts from the musicals that are nominated for this award are usually performed during the ceremony before this award is presented.
This is a list of winners and nominees for the Tony Award for Best Musical.
Winners and nominees 1940s Year Musical Producer(s) 1949 Kiss Me, Kate Saint Subber and Lemuel Ayers
1950s Year Musical Producer(s) 1950 South Pacific | Leland Hayward, Joshua Logan, Rodgers and Hammerstein|- | rowspan="2" align="center"| 1951|- style="background:#B0C4DE" | Guys and Dolls Cy Feuer & Ernest H. Martin 1952 The King and I Rodgers and Hammerstein 1953 Wonderful Town Robert Fryer 1954 Kismet Charles Lederer 1955 The Pajama Game Frederick Brisson, Robert E. Griffith, & Harold Prince 1956 Damn Yankees Frederick Brisson, Robert E. Griffith, & Harold Prince in association with Albert B. Taylor Pipe Dream Rodgers and Hammerstein 1957 My Fair Lady Herman Levin Bells Are Ringing The Theatre Guild Candide Ethel Linder Reiner in association with Lester Osterman Jr. The Most Happy Fella Kermit Bloomgarden and Lynn Loesser 1958 The Music Man Kermit Bloomgarden and Herbert Greene in association with Frank Productions Jamaica David Merrick New Girl in Town Robert E. Griffith and Harold Prince Oh, Captain! Howard Merrill and Theatre Corporation of America West Side Story Robert E. Griffiths and Harold Prince 1959 Redhead Robert Fryer and Lawrence Carr Flower Drum Song Joseph Fields, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Richard Rodgers La Plume de Ma Tante David Merrick and Joseph Kipness, present the Jack Hylton Production
1960s Year Musical Producer(s) 1960 Fiorello! (TIE)| Robert E. Griffith & Harold Prince|- style="background:#B0C4DE" | The Sound of Music (TIE) Leland Hayward, Richard Halliday, Richard Rodgers, & Oscar Hammerstein II (posthumous) GypsyDavid Merrick and Leland Hayward Once Upon a MattressT. Edward Hambleton, Norris Houghton, William and Jean Eckart Take Me Along David Merrick 1961 Bye Bye BirdieEdward Padula in association with L. Slade Brown Do Re Mi David Merrick Irma La DouceDavid Merrick in association with Donald Albery, H. M. Tennent Ltd. 1962 How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying | Cy Feuer & Ernest H. Martin|- | Carnival! |David Merrick |- | Milk and Honey |Gerard Oestreicher |- | No Strings |Richard Rodgers in association with Samuel Taylor |- | rowspan="5" align="center"| 1963|- style="background:#B0C4DE" | A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Harold Prince Little Me Cy Feuer & Ernest H. Martin Oliver! David Merrick and Donald Albery Stop the World – I Want to Get Off David Merrick in association with Bernard Delfont 1964 Hello, Dolly!David Merrick Funny GirlRay Stark High Spirits Lester Osterman, Robert Fletcher, and Richard Horner She Loves MeHarold Prince in association with Lawrence Kasha and Philip C. McKenna 1965 Fiddler on the Roof Harold Prince Golden Boy Hillard Elkins Half a Sixpence Allen Hodgdon, Stevens Productions, Harold Fielding Oh, What a Lovely War! David Merrick and Gerry Raffles 1966 Man of La Mancha Albert W. Seldon and Hal James MameSylvia and Joseph Harris, Robert Fryer and Lawrence Carr SkyscraperCy Feuer & Ernest H. Martin Sweet CharitySylvia and Joseph Harris, Robert Fryer and Lawrence Carr 1967 CabaretHarold Prince in association with Ruth Mitchell The Apple Tree Stuart Ostrow I Do! I Do!David Merrick Walking Happy Cy Feuer & Ernest H. Martin 1968 Hallelujah, Baby!Albert Selden, Hal James, Jane C. Nusbaum and Harry Rigby The Happy Time David Merrick How Now, Dow Jones Illya Darling Kermit Bloomgarden 1969 1776Stuart Ostrow HairMichael Butler Promises, PromisesDavid Merrick Zorba Harold Prince
1970s Year Musical Producer(s) 1970 ApplauseJoseph Kipness and Lawrence Kasha Coco Frederick Brisson PurliePhilip Rose 1971 Company Harold Prince The Me Nobody Knows Jeff Britton The Rothschilds Lester Osterman and Hillard Elkins 1972 Two Gentlemen of VeronaNew York Shakespeare Festival and Joseph Papp Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death Eugene V. Wolsk, Charles Blackwell, Emanuel Azenberg, and Robert Malina Follies Harold Prince Grease Kenneth Waissman and Maxine Fox 1973 A Little Night Music Harold Prince Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope Edward Padula and Arch Lustberg Pippin Stuart Ostrow Sugar David Merrick 1974 Raisin Robert B. Nemiroff Over Here! Kenneth Waissman and Maxine Fox SeesawJoseph Kipness, Lawrence Kasha, James M. Nederlander, George Steinbrenner and Lorin E. Price 1975 The Wiz Ken Harper The Lieutenant Joseph S. Kutrzeba and Spofford Beadle Mack and Mabel David Merrick Shenandoah Philip Rose, Gloria and Louis K. Sher 1976 A Chorus Line | Joseph Papp and New York Shakespeare Festival|- | Bubbling Brown Sugar | J. Lloyd Grant, Richard Bell, Robert M. Cooper, Ashton Springer in association with Moe Septee, Inc. |- | Chicago | Robert Fryer and James Cresson |- | Pacific Overtures | Harold Prince in association with Ruth Mitchell |- | rowspan="5" align="center"| 1977|- style="background:#B0C4DE" | Annie| Lewis Allen, Mike Nichols, Irwin Meyer, and Stephen R. Friedman|- | Happy End | Michael Harvey, The Chelsea Theatre Center |- | I Love My Wife |Terry Allen Kramer and Harry Rigby in association with Joseph Kipness |- | Side by Side by Sondheim | Harold Prince in association with Ruth Mitchell |- | rowspan="5" align="center"| 1978|- style="background:#B0C4DE" | Ain't Misbehavin'| Emanuel Azenberg, Dasha Epstein, The Shubert Organization, Jane Gaynor and Ron Dante|- | Dancin' | Jules Fisher, The Shubert Organization and Columbia Pictures |- | On the Twentieth Century | The Producers Circle 2 Inc. (Robert Fryer, Mary Lea Johnson, James Cresson and Martin Richards), Joseph Harris and Ira Bernstein |- | Runaways | Joseph Papp |- | rowspan="5" align="center"| 1979|- style="background:#B0C4DE" | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Richard Barr, Charles Woodward, Robert Fryer, Mary Lea Johnson and Martin Richards Ballroom Michael Bennett, Bob Avian, Bernard Gersten and Susan MacNair The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas Universal Pictures They're Playing Our Song Emanuel Azenberg
1980s Year Musical Producer(s) 1980 Evita Robert Stigwood A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine Alexander H. Cohen and Hildy Parks Barnum Judy Gordon, Cy Coleman, Lois Rosenfield and Maurice Rosenfield Sugar Babies Terry Allen Kramer and Harry Rigby 1981 42nd Street David Merrick Sophisticated Ladies Roger Berlind, Manheim Fox, Sondra Gilman, Burton L. Litwin, Louise Westergaard, Belwin Mills Publishing Corporation and Norzar Productions Inc. Tintypes Richmond Crinkley, Royal Pardon Productions, Ivan Block, Larry J. Silva, Eve Skina and Joan F. Tobin Woman of the Year Lawrence Kasha, David S. Landay, James M. Nederlander, Warner Theater Productions, Claire Nichtern, Carole J. Shorenstein and Stewart F. Lane 1982 Nine Michel Stuart, Harvey J. Klaris, Roger Berlind, James M. Nederlander, Francine LeFrak and Kenneth D. Greenblatt Dreamgirls Michael Bennett, Bob Avian, Geffen Records and The Shubert Organization Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Zev Buffman, Susan R. Rose, Melvin J. Estrin, Sidney Shlenker and Gail Berman Pump Boys and Dinettes Dodger Productions, Louis Busch Hager, Marilyn Strauss, Kate Studley, Warner Theater Productions Inc. and Max Weitzenhoffer 1983 Cats Cameron Mackintosh, The Really Useful Company Inc., David Geffen and The Shubert Organization Blues in the Night Mitchell Maxwell, Alan J. Schuster, Fred H. Krones and M2 Entertainment Inc. Merlin Ivan Reitman, Columbia Pictures Stage Productions Inc., Marvin A. Krauss and James M. Nederlander My One and Only Paramount Theatre Productions, Francine LeFrak and Kenneth-Mark Productions 1984 La Cage aux Folles Allan Carr, Kenneth D. Greenblatt, Marvin A. Krauss, Stewart F. Lane, James M. Nederlander, Martin Richards, Barry Brown and Fritz Holt Baby James B. Freydberg, Ivan Bloch, Kenneth-John Productions, Suzanne J. Schwartz and Manuscript Productions Sunday in the Park with George The Shubert Organization and Emanuel Azenberg The Tap Dance Kid Stanley White, Evelyn Barron, Harvey J. Klaris and Michel Stuart 1985 Big River Rocco Landesman & Heidi Ettinger, Rick Steiner, M. Anthony Fisher and Dodger Productions Grind Kenneth D. Greenblatt, John J. Pomerantz, Mary Lea Johnson, Martin Richards, James M. Nederlander, Harold Prince, Michael Frazier, Susan Madden Samson and Jonathan Farkas Leader of the Pack Elizabeth Ireland McCann, Nelle Nugent, Francine LeFrak, Clive Davis, John Hart Associates Inc., Rodger Hess and Richard Kagan QuiltersThe Denver Center for the Performing Arts, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The American National Theatre and Academy and Brockman Seawell 1986 The Mystery of Edwin Drood Joseph Papp Big Deal The Shubert Organization, Roger Berlind, Jerome Minskoff and Jonathan Farkas Song and Dance Cameron Mackintosh Inc., The Shubert Organization, F.W.M. Producing Group and The Really Useful Company Inc.Tango Argentino Mel Howard and Donald K. Donald 1987 Les Misérables Cameron Mackintosh Me and My Girl Richard Armitage, Terry Allen Kramer, James M. Nederlander and Stage Promotions Limited & Co. Rags Lee Guber, Martin Heinfling and Marvin A. Krauss Starlight Express Martin Starger and Lord Grade 1988 The Phantom of the Opera Cameron Mackintosh and The Really Useful Theatre Company Inc. Into the Woods Heidi Landesman, Rocco Landesman, Rick Steiner, M. Anthony Fisher, Frederic H. Mayerson and Jujamcyn Theaters Romance/Romance Dasha Epstein, Harve Brosten and Jay S. Bulmash Sarafina! Lincoln Center Theater, Gregory Mosher, Bernard Gersten, Lucille Lortel and The Shubert Organization 1989 Jerome Robbins' Broadway The Shubert Organization, Roger Berlind, Suntory International Corp., Byron Goldman and Emanuel Azenberg Black and Blue Mel Howard and Donald K. Donald Starmites Hinks Shimberg, Mary Keil and Steven Warnick
1990s