Bad seasons? How about 1985...the best the nominees wer GRIND, QUILTERS, LEADER OF THE PACK and BIG RIVER. (Side note: if SUNDAY IN THE PARK had opened a few days later it would have been eligable in the 84/85 season and cleaned up! Though it STILL should have won in 84, but that's another argument.)
And though RENT was the big winner in 1996, its only real competition was BRING IN DA NOISE. (The nominators decided that VICTOR/VICTORIA, BIG and STATE FAIR were all unworthy of a nomination for Best Musical and opted to nominate two long closed flops: SWINGIN' ON A STAR and CHRONICLE OF A DEATH FORETOLD.)
I don't think this is as bad a season as either of the above.
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com