Grammy Award for Best Music Film

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.

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". 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.

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.

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, 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) (when applicable), video director(s) and video producer(s). (Nominations from 1984 to 1986 listed performing artists only).

1980s Year Work Artist(s) Director(s) and Producer(s) 1984 Duran Duran Duran Duran Alice Cooper: The Nightmare Alice Cooper Rolling Stones: Let's Spend the Night Together The Rolling Stones Olivia in Concert Olivia Newton-John Grace Jones: A One Man Show Grace Jones Word of Mouth Toni Basil 1985 Making Michael Jackson's Thriller Michael Jackson Billy Joel Live from Long Island Billy Joel Heartbeat City The Cars Serious Moonlight David Bowie Eurythmics: Sweet Dreams (The Video Album) Eurythmics We're All Devo Devo 1986 Huey Lewis and the News: The Heart of Rock 'n' Roll Huey Lewis and the News Bruce Gowers, director The Police Synchronicity Concert The Police Lol Creme and Kevin Godley, directors Prince and the Revolution: Live Prince and the Revolution Paul Becher, director Tina Live — Private Dancer Tour Tina Turner David Mallet, director Wham! The Video Wham! 1987 Bring On the Night Sting Michael Apted, director; Sting, producer 9012Live Yes Steven Soderbergh, director Frank Sinatra: Portrait of an Album Frank Sinatra Emil G. Davidson and Gary Weis, directors Pete Townsend: White City – The Music Movie Pete Townsend Richard Lowenstein, director Sun City Artists United Against Apartheid Lol Creme, Jonathan Demme, Kevin Godley and Hart Perry, directors; Arthur Baker and Little Steven, producers 1988 1989

1990s Year Work Artist(s) Director(s) and Producer(s) 1990 Rhythm Nation 1814 Janet Jackson Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris and Dominic Sena, directors; Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris and Aris McGarry, producers In Concert: Delicate Sound of Thunder Pink Floyd Wayne Isham, director; Curt Marvis, producer Hangin' Tough New Kids on the Block Doug Nichol, director; Bryan Johnson, producer Moonwalker Michael Jackson Colin Chilvers and Jerry Kramer, director; Frank DiLeo, Michael Jackson, Dennis Jones and Jerry Kramer, producers Savage Eurythmics Sophie Muller, director; Billy Poveda and John Stewart, producers 1991 Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em: The Movie MC Hammer Rupert Wainwright, director; John Oetjen, producer Bernstein in Berlin — Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 Leonard Bernstein Humphrey Burton, director Live — Featuring the Rock Opera Tommy The Who Larry Jordan, director; Michael Pillot, producer The Singles Collection Phil Collins Jim Yukich, director; Paul Flattery, producer We Too Are One Eurythmics Sophie Muller, director; Billy Poveda and John Stewart, producers 1992 Madonna: Blonde Ambition World Tour Live Madonna David Mallet and Mark "Aldo" Miceli, directors; Anthony Eaton, producer Lifers Group World Tour Rahway Prison, That's It Lifers Group Penelope Spheeris, director; Jessica Cooper, producer Live at Yankee Stadium Billy Joel Jon Small, director; Jon Small, producer P.O.V. Peter Gabriel Michael Chapman and Hart Perry, directors; Dana Heinz and Sandy Lieberson, producers Year of the Horse Sinéad O'Connor Sophie Muller, director; Steve Fargnoli and James Todd, producers 1993 Diva Annie Lennox Sophie Muller, director; Rob Small, producer Classic Visions 5: Gershwin, D'Albert, Strauss and Honegger Swiss Radio Symphony; Matthias Bamert, conductor Adrian Marthaler, director; Armin Brunner, producer The Enemy Strikes Live Public Enemy Larry Holland, director; J. Kevin Swain, producer Hammerin' Home MC Hammer Rupert Wainwright, director; Oliver Fuselier, Guy J. Louthan and Terance Power, producers Phallus in Wonderland Gwar Judas Bullhorn and Distortion Wells, directors; Dean English, producer 1994 Ten Summoner's Tales Sting Doug Nichol, director; Julie Fong, producer Canadian Brass: Home Movies Canadian Brass Niv Fichman, director and producer A Celebration: A Musical Tribute to the Spirit of the Disabled American Veteran Travis Tritt Jack Cole, director; Len Epand and Ken Kragen, producers Miles and Quincy Live at Montreux Miles Davis and Quincy Jones Rudi Dolezal, Hannes Rossacher and Gavin Taylor, directors; Jim Beach and Louise Velazquez, producers Rocky World Daniel Lanois Phil King, director; Phil King, producer Three Phase Tangerine Dream Michael Boydstun, director 1995 Zoo TV: Live from Sydney U2 David Mallet, director; Ned O'Hanlon and Rocky Oldham, producer Devotional Depeche Mode Anton Corbijn, director; Richard Bell, producer A Prokofiev Fantasy with Peter and the Wolf Claudio Abbado and Sting Steve Bendelack, Roger Law and Christopher Swann, directors; Joanna Beresford and Frances Peters, producers Ravel: Bolero; Mussogsky: Pictures at an Exhibition Charles Dutoit conducting Montreal Symphony Orchestra Bernar Hebert, Adrian Marthaler and Barbara Willis Sweete, directors; Niv Fichman, producer The Girlie Show – Live Down Under Madonna Marty Callner and Mark "Aldo" Miceli, directors 1996 Secret World Live Peter Gabriel François Girard, director; Robert Warr, producer 333 Green Jellÿ Green Jellÿ (Mike Bloomquist, David Cannizzaro, Joe Cannizzaro, Mike Davis, Anthony Gotta, Gary Hellsinger, Eugene Kelly, Bill Manspeaker, Rose Mattrey and Kim O'Donnell), directors The Line, the Cross & the Curve Kate Bush Kate Bush, director; Margarita Doyle, producer The Planets Charles Dutoit conducting Montreal Symphony Orchestra Barbara Willis Sweete, director; Niv Fichman, producer Saltimbanco Cirque Du Soleil Jacques Payette, director; Helene Dufresne, producer Where'd You Hide the Body James McMurtry K.C. Amos, Bill Brown, Ingrid Calame, Sande Chen, Gregory E. Connor, Linda Feferman, Johannes Gamble, Nathan Hope, Pip Johnson, Brenda McIntyre, Luis Ruiz and Deborah Stratman, directors 1997 The Beatles Anthology The Beatles Bob Smeaton and Geoff Wonfor, directors; Chips Chipperfield and Neil Aspinall, producers Blood Brothers Bruce Springsteen Ernie Fritz, director; Ernie Fritz, Jack Gulick and Lee Rolontz, producers Farewell: Live from the Universal Amphitheatre Oingo Boingo Scott Palazzo, director; Laura Engel, producer Live from London Bon Jovi David Mallet, director; Andy Picheta, producer Satie and Suzanne Reinbert de Leeuw Tim Southam, director; Daniel Iron and Jennifer Jonas, producers 1998 Jagged Little Pill — Live Alanis Morissette Alanis Morissette and Steve Purcell, directors; Alanis Morissette, David May, Glen Ballard and Steve Purcell, producers Blue Note: A Story of Modern Jazz Various Artists Julian Benedikt, director; Ulli Pfau, producer Forever's a Long, Long Time Orquestra Was Don Was, director; Larry Shapiro, producer Letters from a Porcupine Blind Melon Steve MacCorkle, director and producer Live in Amsterdam: Wildest Dreams Tour Tina Turner David Mallet, director; Monique Ten Berge, Harry De Winter and Patrick Roubroeks, producers 1999 American Masters — Lou Reed: Rock & Roll Heart Lou Reed Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, director; Karen Bernstein, Susan Lacy, Tamar Hacker and Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, producers Inspired by Bach: Six Gestures – No. 6 Yo-Yo Ma Patricia Rozema, director; Niv Fichman, producer Robert Altman's Jazz '34: Remembrances of Kansas City Swing Various Artists (Harry Belafonte, narrator) Robert Altman, director; Robert Altman, Brent Carpenter, James McLindon and Matthew Seig, producers TeleVoid Scott Rockenfield and Paul Speer featuring Sir Mix-a-Lot Michael Boydstun, director and producer They Wanted the Highway Fastball Ondi Timoner, director; Mark Didia, David Timoner and Ondi Timoner, producers

Grammy Award for Best Music Film

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