Pasek and Paul are an American songwriting duo and composing team consisting of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. They have composed songs and music for musical theater, films and television series.
After graduating from the University of Michigan, and receiving an award from the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation, they began composing music for stage musicals such as Edges (2005) James and the Giant Peach (2010), and A Christmas Story: The Musical (2012). For the latter, they received their first Tony Award nomination for Best Original Score.
In 2016, they composed songs for Damien Chazelle's 2016 romantic musical film La La Land alongside Justin Hurwitz. The songs "City of Stars" and "Audition (The Fools Who Dream)" were nominated for Best Original Song at the 89th Academy Awards, with the former later winning the award. Also in 2016, their work on the musical Dear Evan Hansen earned them the Tony Award for Best Original Score. Two years later, the soundtrack album for the musical won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
In 2017, they were nominated again for the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "This Is Me" from the film The Greatest Showman. In 2024, they won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for the song "Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?", featured in the episode "Sitzprobe" from the comedy series Only Murders in the Building. With their Emmy win in September 2024, they became the 20th and 21st EGOT winners.
Major associations Academy Awards The Academy Awards are a set of awards given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences annually for excellence of cinematic achievements. Year Category Nominated work Result 2016 Best Original Song "City of Stars" from La La Land "Audition" from La La Land 2017 "This Is Me" from The Greatest Showman
Critics' Choice Movie Awards The Critics' Choice Movie Awards are presented annually since 1995 by the Broadcast Film Critics Association for outstanding achievements in the cinema industry. Year Category Nominated work Result 2016 Best Song "City of Stars" from La La Land "Audition" from La La Land 2017 "This Is Me" from The Greatest Showman 2019 "Speechless" from Aladdin
Emmy Awards The Primetime Emmy Awards are presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, also known as the Television Academy, to recognize and honor achievements in the television industry. Year Category Nominated work ResultChildren's and Family Emmy Awards 2025 Outstanding Original Song for a Preschool Program "That's Why We Love Nature" from Sesame Street: Tamir's Water Works Primetime Emmy Awards 2018 Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics "In the Market for a Miracle" from A Christmas Story Live! 2024 "Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?" from Only Murders in the Building: Sitzprobe
Golden Globe Awards The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign. Year Category Nominated work Result 2016 Best Original Song "City of Stars" from La La Land 74th Golden Globe Winners|Complex 2017 "This Is Me" from The Greatest Showman Here are the winners from the 75th annual Golden Globes|AV Club
Grammy Awards The Grammy Award is an annual award show presented by The Recording Academy. Year Category Nominated work Result 2018 Best Musical Theater Album Dear Evan Hansen (Original Broadway Cast) Best Song Written for Visual Media "City of Stars" from La La Land 2019 "This Is Me" from The Greatest Showman Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media The Greatest Showman 2022 Dear Evan Hansen Best Song Written for Visual Media "All I Know So Far" from Pink: All I Know So Far
Tony Awards The Tony Award is an annual award show presented by American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League to recognize the best in theater productions. Year Category Nominated work Result 2013 Best Original Score A Christmas Story: The Musical 2017 Dear Evan Hansen 2022 Best Musical A Strange Loop
Miscellaneous awards Drama Desk Awards The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. Year Category Nominated work Result 2013 Outstanding Music A Christmas Story: The Musical 2016 Outstanding Lyrics Dear Evan Hansen
Hollywood Music in Media Awards The Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA) in an organization that honours the best in original music for media. Year Category Nominated work Result 2016 Best Original Song in a Feature Film "City of Stars" from La La Land "Audition" from La La Land 2019 "Speechless" from Aladdin 2022 "Do a Little Good" from Spirited 2023 Best Original Song in a TV Show/Limited Series "Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?" from Only Murders in the Building Best Main Title Theme – TV Show/Limited Series Dear Edward
Satellite Awards The Satellite Awards are a set of annual awards given by the International Press Academy. Year Category Nominated work Result 2016 Best Original Song "City of Stars" from La La Land "Audition" from La La Land
Society of Composers & Lyricists The Society of Composers & Lyricists are an organization founded in 1983 to represent composers and lyricists working in visual media, which presents an annual awards ceremony to recognize the best in music for films, television, and other media. Year Category Nominated work Result 2020 Outstanding Original Song for Visual Media "Speechless" from Aladdin 2023 Outstanding Original Song for a Comedy or Musical Visual Media Production "Good Afternoon" from Spirited
Critics associations and other award bodies Year Association Category Nominated work Result Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding New Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway) Dogfight Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Music La La Land Capri Hollywood International Film Festival Best Original Song "City of Stars" from La La Land Houston Film Critics Society Best Original Song Georgia Film Critics Association Best Original Song Santa Barbara International Film Festival Original Song St. Louis Film Critics Association Best Song Houston Film Critics Society Best Original Song "Audition" from La La Land Georgia Film Critics Association Best Original Song St. Louis Film Critics Association Best Song Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding New Score (Broadway or Off-Broadway) Dear Evan Hansen Obie Awards Obie Award for Musical Theatre Georgia Film Critics Association Best Original Song "This Is Me" from The Greatest Showman Guild of Music Supervisors Awards Best Song/Recording Created for a Film Best Music Supervision for Film: Budgeted Over 25 Million Dollars The Greatest Showman Laurence Olivier Award Best Original Score or New Orchestrations Dear Evan Hansen
Received by Paul YearAwardCategoryWorkResult2011American Academy of Arts and Letters, Richard Rodgers Awards for Musical TheaterASCAP Foundation AwardRichard Rodgers New Horizons AwardSongwriter's Fellowship Award2013Tony AwardBest Original ScoreA Christmas Story: The MusicalDrama Desk AwardOutstanding MusicLucille Lortel AwardOutstanding MusicalDogfightOuter Critics Circle AwardOutstanding New Score2016The Charles MacArthur Award for Outstanding Original New Play or MusicalDear Evan HansenDrama Desk AwardOutstanding LyricsOuter Critics Circle AwardOutstanding New ScoreObie Award Musical Theater, Music and LyricsHollywood Music in Media AwardBest Song in a Feature Film ("City of Stars")La La LandLos Angeles Film Critics Association AwardBest MusicCritics' Choice Movie AwardBest Song ("City of Stars")Best Song ("Audition (The Fools Who Dream)")Phoenix Film Critics Society AwardBest Song ("City of Stars")Best Song ("Audition (The Fools Who Dream)")Satellite AwardBest Original Song ("City of Stars")Best Original Song ("Audition (The Fools Who Dream)")Houston Film Critics Society AwardBest Original Song ("City of Stars")Best Original Song ("Audition (The Fools Who Dream)")Golden Globe AwardBest Original Song ("City of Stars")2017Academy AwardBest Original Song ("City of Stars")Best Original Song ("Audition (The Fools Who Dream)")Tony AwardBest Original Score Dear Evan Hansen2018Grammy AwardBest Musical Theater AlbumBest Song Written for Visual Media ("City of Stars")La La LandHollywood Music in Media AwardBest Song in a Feature Film ("This Is Me")The Greatest ShowmanCritics' Choice Movie AwardBest Song ("This Is Me") Golden Globe AwardBest Original Song ("This Is Me")Academy AwardsBest Original Song ("This Is Me")Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Original Music and Lyrics ("In The Market For A Miracle")A Christmas Story Live!2020 Laurence Olivier AwardBest Original Score or New OrchestrationsDear Evan Hansen2022 Tony AwardBest MusicalA Strange Loop2024Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Original Music and Lyrics"Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?" 2025Children's and Family Emmy Awards Outstanding Original Song for a Preschool Program"That's Why We Love Nature" References