The category for Best Original Music and Lyrics is shaping up to be one of the most competitive races of the season. Featuring a mix of pop royalty, Broadway legends, and sharp satire, this year’s lineup spans everything from comic-book adaptations to meta-comedy subversions. Here is a breakdown of the six contenders vying for Emmy.
Lady Gaga chases first Primetime Emmy for Wednesday
The Song: “The Dead Dance”
The Show: Wednesday (Netflix)
The Team: Lady Gaga (music and lyrics), Andrew Watt (music and lyrics), Henry Walter Russell (music and lyrics)
Lady Gaga is one again in contention for an elusive Primetime Emmy. So far, she’s 0-for-4 (but she does have a Sports Emmy win to count towards her EGOT).
“The Dead Dance,” which became a Billboard Hot 100 hit following its debut in Season 2, puts Gaga in the running alongside co-writers Andrew Watt and Henry Walter Russell. According to music supervisor Jen Malone, securing the superstar was surprisingly easy — the real challenge was keeping the news on lockdown. They managed to keep it quiet until about four weeks before the episode premiered. Creator and executive producer Miles Millar recalled that the singer came to Ireland, and they had a big Netflix meeting where they said they had to keep it secret. “We said, ‘No one can say anything’ and literally the next day it was in the Daily Mail completely leaked,” Millar recounted.
Daveed Diggs eyes an Emmy with The Boys
The Song: “Raise Him Up”
The Show: The Boys (Prime Video)
The Team: Christopher Lennertz (music and lyrics), Daveed Diggs (lyrics)
Christopher Lennertz is the reigning champion in this category, having won in 2025 for The Boys‘ holiday satire “Let’s Put the Christ Back in Christmas.” This time, he is joined by Hamilton star Daveed Diggs, who helped write the lyrics to the track. Diggs is already a Tony and Grammy winner for Hamilton, and a victory here would give him his first Primetime Emmy.
Hacks manifests its EGOT narrative
The Song: “Mis Figuritas”
The Show: Hacks (HBO Max)
The Team: Carlos Rafael Rivera (music and lyrics), David Stal (music and lyrics)
Here’s an instance of art imitating life. In the episode titled “EGOT,” legendary comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) decides she wants to complete her own EGOT. Her Grammy bid results in track “Mis Figuritas,” performed by Smart in Spanish while wearing cowboy boots and shaking maracas, all under the skeptical but supportive eye of her writer, Ava (Hannah Einbinder). Composers Carlos Rafael Rivera and David Stal manage to balance legitimate musicality with a comedic flourish.
Trey Parker’s triple-threat year for South Park
The Song: “Christian Woman”
The Show: South Park (Comedy Central)
The Team: Trey Parker (music and lyrics)
Fresh off his recent induction into the Television Academy Hall of Fame alongside partner Matt Stone, Trey Parker is having a big Emmy year. “Christian Woman,” featured in the Season 28 episode “The Crap Out,” marks one of three individual nominations for Parker this cycle (he’s also up for Outstanding Animated Program and Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance for his portrayal of Satan). A five-time Primetime Emmy winner as well as a Tony winner for co-writing Book of Mormon, Parker’s musical theater pedigree makes him a threat in this category.
Spider-Noir jazzes up the race
The Song: “The Devil You Know”
The Show: Spider-Noir (MGM+/Prime Video)
The Team: Kris Bowers (music), Michael Dean Parsons (music)
Spidey swings in with the moody, jazz-infused track “The Devil You Know.” Composed by Kris Bowers and Michael Dean Parsons (and performed by series star Li Jun Li), the song captures the gritty atmosphere of 1930s New York, blending classic cinematic orchestration with a haunting contemporary edge, adding a distinct noir flavor to this year’s lineup.
Andrew Bird adds a acoustic touch to The Pitt
The Song: “Need Someone”
The Show: The Pitt (HBO Max)
The Team: Gavin Brivik (music), Andrew Bird (music and lyrics)
Composed by Gavin Brivik with music and lyrics by indie-folk musician Andrew Bird, this track injects a grounded, raw emotional resonance into the race. Bird’s distinct artistic voice brings prestige and critical backing to the lineup.
Music and Lyrics
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South Park
Christian Woman
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Spider-Noir
The Devil You Know
