The 2026 Emmy race has already produced some major music-industry moments, even before the main Primetime ceremony takes place on 14th September. Over 100 awards were given out during the Creative Arts Emmys, which took place on 5th and 6th September at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with Bad Bunny emerging as the biggest music winner.
While Sabrina Carpenter won her first Emmy for 'The Muppet Show,' Bunny's Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show won all seven of its nominations.
Bad Bunny's Seven-Award Sweep
The biggest story of the weekend was Bad Bunny's halftime performance at the Super Bowl. Outstanding Variety Special (Live), Music Direction, Choreography, Sound Mixing, Lighting Design, Technical Direction/Camerawork, and Directing were the seven Emmys the show took home.
Miguel Gandelman became just the third individual to win Music Direction for a Super Bowl halftime show, making it the most honored Super Bowl halftime show to history.
Sabrina Wins, Taylor Goes Home Empty-Handed
Sabrina Carpenter had a significant weekend as well. Carpenter received her first Emmy as an executive producer and performer when 'The Muppet Show' won Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) on 6th September. Three other honors were given to the show, which included her song 'Manchild': Outstanding Writing, Picture Editing, and Production Design for a Variety show.
The result meant Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour | The Final Show,' which competed in the same variety-special category, did not win an Emmy.
The Surprises Before the Main Night
There were also some surprising outcomes from the seven music-specific categories. For Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, the Pitt's 'Need Someone,' which was penned by Gavin Brivik and Andrew Bird, featured songs by Lady Gaga and Trey Parker, the creator of South Park.
Pluribus received Original Main Title Theme Music, while ‘Widow’s Bay' won both Original Dramatic Score and Music Supervision.
The documentary/nonfiction score category went to 'John Candy: I Like Me,' while 'The Beast in Me' won Original Dramatic Score for a Limited or Anthology Series.
However, this is just the first act. Mariska Hargitay will host the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on 14th September. The main acting, comedy, and drama categories have not yet been decided.
Following the early triumphs of Bad Bunny and Sabrina Carpenter, the question now is whether the main ceremony will result in yet another significant surprise for the music business.
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