| Year | Music Composer | Film | Year | Music Composer | Film |
| 2007 | Ashok Patki | Antarnad (Konkani) | 1987 | Dr. M. Balamurali Krishna | Madhavacharya (Kannada) |
| 2006 | Lalgudi Jayaraman | Sringaram (Tamil) | 1986 | Ilayaraja | Sindhu Bhairavi (Tamil) |
| 2005 | Vidyasagar | Swarabhishekam (Telugu) | 1985 | Jaidev | Ankahee(Hindi) |
| 2004 | Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy | Kal Ho Naa Ho (Hindi) | 1984 | Ilayaraja | Saagara Sangamam (Telugu) |
| 2003 | A. R. Rahman | Kannathil Muthamittal | 1983 | Ramesh Naidu | Meghasandesam (Telugu) |
| 2002 | A. R. Rahman | Lagaan | 1982 | Khayyam | Umrao Jaan (Hindi) |
| 2001 | Anu Malik | Refugee | 1981 | Satyajit Ray | Hirak Rajar Deshe (Bengali) |
| 2000 | Ismail Darbar | Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (Hindi) | 1980 | K. V. Mahadevan | Shankarabharanam (Telugu) |
| 1999 | Vishal Bharadwaj | Godmother (Hindi) | 1979 | Jaidev | Gaman (Hindi) |
| 1998 | Keeravani M.M. | Annamayya (Telugu) | 1978 | B.V. Karanth | Ghatashraddha (Kannada) |
| 1997 | A. R. Rahman | Minsaara Kanavu (Tamil) | 1977 | B.V. Karanth | Rishya Shringa (Kannada) |
| 1996 | Hamsalekha | Sangeetha Sagara Gaanayogi Panchakshara Gavai (Kannada) | 1976 | Bhupen Hazarika | Chameli Memsaab Assamese |
| 1995 | Ravi | Sukrutham and Parinayam (Malayalam) | 1975 | Anand Shankar | Chorus (Hindi) |
| - | Johnson | Sukrutham (Malayalam) | 1974 | Sachin Dev Burman | Zindagi Zindagi (Hindi) |
| 1994 | Johnson | Ponthan Mada (Malayalam) | 1973 | Satyajit Ray | Ashani Sanket (Bengali) |
| 1993 | A. R. Rehman | Roja (Tamil) | 1972 | Jaidev | Reshma Aur Shera (Hindi) |
| 1992 | Rajat Dholakia | Dharavi (Hindi) | 1971 | Madan Mohan | Dastak (Hindi) |
| 1991 | Hridayanath Mangeshkar | Lekin (Hindi) | 1970 | S. Mohinder | Nanak Nam Jahaz Hai (Punjabi) |
| 1990 | Sher Chowdhary | Wosobipo (Karbi) | 1969 | Kalyanji-Anandji | Saraswati Chandra (Hindi) |
| 1989 | Illayaraja | Rudra Veena (Telugu) | 1968 | K. V. Mahadevan | Kandan Karunai (Tamil) |
| 1988 | Vanraj Bhatia | Tamas (Hindi) | 1955 | Ghulam Mohammed | Mirza Ghalib (Hindi) |
