Why Game of Thrones composer Ramin Djawadi isn’t nominated for an Emmy 

Season 6 finale literally opened with a bang…a rather large bang, it was composer Ramin Djawadi’s awe-inspiring score “Light of the Seven” that really helped to bring it home. That exquisite piece of music alone, should have put the composer in the driver’s seat to win an Emmy for Best Series Music Composition. Sadly, or rather, tragically, Djawadi’s work wasn’t nominated.

explains, and it has to do with the odd process by which the the Television Academy’s music branch decides the nominations. It’s a rather long and drawn-out process, and

Unlike all other categories, in which producers, public relations or awards representatives may submit on others’ behalf, it is up to the eligible composers, lyricists and musical directors to submit themselves for consideration in the music categories.

Game of Thrones composer Ramin Djawadi in studio

The site goes on to explain that, unlike most other Emmy categories, no ballots are issued, because musical nominations are not decided by popular vote. As for Ramin Djawadi’s part,

isn’t his only gig. The composer currently scores

points out, each composer is only eligible for two submissions, per category. There’s also another piece to the puzzle of this convoluted process:

And while submission costs in other categories are normally absorbed by the campaigning studio, the music branch only allows musicians themselves to submit so Djawadi would have had to pay the entry fee of $225, beyond the first free submission, out of his own pocket.

That hardly seems fair, seeing as how a show like

is so universally well-known and popular, in part, because of its now iconic opening theme.

also notes here, that Djawadi is eligible this year, for his opening sequence theme for

, so that also narrows the chances that a piece of music from

would get nominated. The site also listed this year’s nominations for Best Series Music Composition, and as you can see,

“Bates Motel” (one other nomination): Chris Bacon, “Forever”

“Chef’s Table” (two other nominations): Duncan Thum, “Grant Achatz”

“Limitless” (no other nominations): Paul Leonard-Morgan, “Pilot”

“Minority Report” (no other nominations): Sean Callery, “Pilot”

“Mr. Robot” (five other nominations): Mac Quayle, “eps1.0_ hellofriend.mov”

“Penny Dreadful” (five other nominations): Abel Korzeniowski, “And They Were Enemies”

Moving on from the mess that is Emmy nominations for musical scores, Djawadi did sit down with

, to discuss what went into composing “Light of the Seven,” as well as his other

that he is stunned by the response his music is receiving, saying: “I never would have thought that would happen. It’s so exciting because it’s such a special finale.”

While hauntingly beautiful, and quite memorable, “Light of the Seven” isn’t the only famous

musical score that Djawadi has received praise for. The composer talked about his theme for the White Walkers: “Winter is Coming.”

showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss, and discussed how the White Walkers should sound. What they came up with was:

, Djawadi used a glass harmonica for  that “really high, eerie, icy sound,” at first, but when the Season 2 finale showed the White Walkers controlling an army of the dead, the composer turned to an orchestra.

Djawadi also talked about several other scores from the show, Jon Snow’s murder at the hands of his brothers in the Night’s Watch, in the Season 5 finale, being one.

It was a toned down, slower version of the main title. And then it went to silence. Silence can be a very powerful tool. Sometimes it’s more powerful to leave you with nothing.

goes on to discuss, in-depth, many other of Djawadi’s

musical scores, and you should definitely read that piece in its entirety, but the topic of “Light of the Seven” was talked about, toward the end. Here’s what

The Godfather and you’ll hear an arrangement of a passacaglia. As it turns out, when Djawadi was composing “Light of the Seven,” he originally thought about making it a passacaglia.

Apparently, Djawadi’s use of a piano for the piece, is the first time piano has been introduced as part of the music of Game of Thrones. Interesting note, that. I could listen to this particular score, all day. Which Ramin Djawadi

musical score is your favorite? Let’s discuss.

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Just a small note: theme tunes cannot be ‘iconic’ because icons are visual.

Thanks so much Razor for your great effort to find out this information! So it kinda came down to $225 and the fact that Ramin also composed other pieces for others TV shows? A bit lame, if that is the case. I haven’t heard the other pieces he composed, nor do I care to. GoT season 6 soundtrack was amazing and can’t believe anything could top it! Also thanks for clearing up that it wasn’t D&D, I as have others, been criticizing them because they dropped the ball! Sorry D&D! No matter excuse, it is a big oversight of Ramin and his wonderful score!

Yeah, the more digging I did into the musical side of Emmy noms, the more convoluted and confusing it became. It’s a weird and antiquated system that needs changing.

Ramin’s music for Person of Interest (alas, that show has been cancelled) is very good, but not on par with GoT. I, too, find it hard to believe that forking up the entry fee and choosing among his scores would have kept him from submitting his music for Emmy consideration if he’d truly wanted to do so. That may be the real explanation: he just didn’t have time/couldn’t be bothered.

First off, I’m a writer and I listen to the GoT scores as I work, religiously. They bring out something special in the brain, open new pathways and expose raw emotions and heighten excitement. I can’t praise Ramin Djawadi’s work enough, but I’ll try…

The Melisandre/Fire God/Stannis theme is one of my favorites. You can hear it in its pure form on the season 2 score, track “Warrior of Light,” or in a strange bend once Melisandre starts questioning her power in the season 6 track “The Red Woman.” I also absolutely loved Jon and Ygritte’s love theme, best exemplified by the season 3 track “You Know Nothing.” What makes this theme especially sad is that we no longer get to hear it!

What I love best is how much fun Djawadi makes following the growth or decline of a character based on his or her leitmotif. For example, one can sit and basically listen to Dany become the queen she is now by listening to her music, from season 1’s “Love in the Eyes, through season 2’s “Mother of Dragons,” and then the integration of a chorus in season 3’s “Dracarys,” all the way through to season 6’s “Winds of Winter,” in which Ramin blends her theme with the Greyjoy leitmotif (cool!!!). The same can be said for the Stark leitmotif, from “Goodbye Brother” in season 1 to badass Sansa saving the day at the end of season 6’s “Trust Each Other,” when an uplifting chorus is introduced. Arya has her own theme, starting out rather playfully with “The Pointy End and becoming heavier and heavier as she gets linked up with the Many Faced God.

That’s just a small snippet of my appreciation for this music. And I’m SO pumped that he’s doing an orchestral tour! Almost takes the sting out of him not being nominated.

Awwww!! Well said! And agree with you on the tour taking the sting out of not being nominated! I have tickets to his Chicago concert and am so looking forward to February 19th! Glad I don’t have to wait any longer!

Excuse me, Dany’s theme vocals were introduced in season 2, just very subtlely.

All his compositions are magnificent. Unable to choose the most beautiful.

Definitely hard to choose…but some of my faves are The King’s Arrival (season 1), House Stark’s theme, The Winds of Winter, and the Battle of the Bastards track. Jon seemed to have his own theme this year, which could be heard multiple times throughout the season, but can be beat heard as he’s staring down the cavalry in episode 9. Ramin has done an incredible job with each year’s soundtrack, and the music adds another layer of magnificence to an already incredible show.

Here’s a new system: If you scored a television show and your music is the best: you get the fucking award. No “submission” bullshit. No “eligibility requirements” beyond “Is it a tv show?” and “Did you compose the music?”

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