Which musical holds the record for the most Tony Award nominations?

Hamilton holds the record for the most Tony Award nominations by a musical, with 16 nominations. The nominations recognized the original Broadway production at the 2016 Tony Awards, honoring work from the 2015–16 season.

Created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton became an awards phenomenon as well as a theatrical hit. Its nominations covered Best Musical, acting, direction, choreography, orchestrations, design, book, and original score. The show ultimately won 11 Tonys, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score.

The 16-nomination total was a record for a single production, not a count of every nomination connected to the title across different productions or award bodies. It narrowly surpassed the previous record holders: The Producers and Billy Elliot, which had each received 15 Tony nominations.

Another point of confusion is the difference between nominations and wins. Hamilton did not win all 16 categories because several performers competed within the same acting categories, and the production finished with 11 awards. Its nomination record, however, remains the benchmark for Broadway musicals.