The 100 Best Musicals of All Time

Musicals have been around for a long time. Following the success of operas, the first musical comedy, The Black Crook, hit the New York stage in 1866.

But a lot has changed since then. Over the past 160 years, the art form has evolved and continues to change. However, some shows are just as good today as they were on opening night.

To guide you through some of the best musicals in the world, we’ve created a detailed list of the top 10 musicals of all time, plus listed the 100 of the best musicals ever.

The top 10 musicals of all time

Rent
Daring and heartbreaking, Jonathan Larson’s tragic rock musical about impoverished artists struggling to survive in NYC was unlike anything else on stage at the time.

Rent was one of the first shows to portray people living with HIV in a positive light. The sung-through musical features the song Seasons of Love, which is often regarded as one of the top songs in musical history.

Rent’s history is laced with tragedy as the show’s creator suddenly passed the day before opening night. Sadly, he never knew his seminal work would be regarded as one of the best musicals of all time.

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Into The Woods
Stephen Sondheim was the grandfather of musical theatre. He wrote some of the most highly regarded and best musicals in the world. Among his masterpieces is the twisted fairytale, Into The Woods.

Interweaving several Brothers Grimm stories, Into The Woods features characters and tales we all know well. The dark interpretation is accompanied by a haunting and beautiful score.

Written in collaboration with James Lapine, the dark twist on a classic won multiple Tony and Olivier Awards when it was first staged in the 80s and 90s.

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Cabaret
In the 1960s, Kander & Ebb braved criticism and backlash when they invited theatregoers to the Kit Kat Club. Set in 1920s Berlin, Cabaret deals with themes of war, abortion, and discrimination — all set to a jazz-infused score.

It’s a show that keeps growing and showing. The most recent iteration (which is on in both London and New York) has had theatre lovers around the world debating the take. And it’s that constant discussion and discourse that keeps it fresh and earns its place as one of the best musicals of all time.

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Guys and Dolls
Thanks to some of the most well-known and beloved songs in musical theatre history, Guys and Dolls has firmly won its spot on the top 10 musicals list.

The timeless tale of a gambler betting on love makes it a fun, fast-paced and glamorous musical that’s been loved since 1950.

The recent production at the Bridge Theatre has artfully shown that you don’t have to change much about a musical to update it. The incredible promenade version of Guys and Dolls has reminded West End audiences of the potential of musical theatre.

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Disney’s The Lion King
When Disney’s The Lion King first hit the stage in 1997, audience members could not believe their eyes. Accompanying the award-winning score from Elton John and Tim Rice were life-size puppets that had never been seen before. Almost 30 years later, it’s still wowing both children and adults alike.

And if its longevity and wonder weren’t enough to earn The Lion King a place on the best musicals of all time list, its status as the highest-grossing Broadway production ever should.

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Hamilton
It was the most talked about show of the 2010s. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s multi-award-winning retelling of Alexander Hamilton completely revolutionised musical theatre.

With a minimal set, diverse casting and a score comprised of predominantly rap music, Hamilton brought a new face and audience to Broadway and the West End.

It received a record-setting 16 nominations in 13 categories at the 2016 Tony Awards, winning 11.

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Wicked
The enchanting reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz has cast its spell on theatregoers for over 20 years. It opened on Broadway in 2003 and flew over the pond to the West End in 2006.

With its glitzy costumes, grand set design, and some of the catchiest songs in musical theatre history, Wicked is a family favourite.

Telling the tale of the Wicked Witch of the West before she earned the moniker, Wicked explores the true meaning of good and evil.

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Oklahoma!
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s first Broadway show shifted the framework for musical theatre. Before Oklahoma!, most musicals featured songs purely for spectacle. But the legendary duo blended comedy, drama, dance and story-driven songs into one show.

The result was a cohesive story about a young farmer named Laurey who wants to pursue her feelings for Curly, a cowboy, but a new farmhand tries to win her over instead.

Full of fun numbers that have lasted the test of time, along with the fact that musicals wouldn’t be what they are today without it, Oklahoma! has made it into the top five of our best musicals of all time list.

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West Side Story
Jerome Robbins, Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein’s modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet set the world ablaze when it opened on Broadway in 1957. And it’s still hot today.

Set in Manhattan in the mid-1950s, West Side Story is the familiar story of forbidden love. Despite belonging to rival gangs, Tony and Maria fall in love. But tension is rising between the foes and tragedy is awaiting the young couple.

The show received six Tony Award nominations and won two in 1958. The 1961 film adaptation was nominated for 11 Oscars and won 10. The 2021 Steven Spielberg film was nominated for seven Oscars and won one.

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Les Misérables
The record-breaking musical has left audiences weeping and breathless since its first staging in 1985. Cameron Mackintosh’s epic Les Misérables has been seen by 130 million people in 53 countries and 22 languages around the world. It’s the longest-running musical in the West End and the second longest-running musical in history.

The stage adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel follows ex-prisoner Jean Valjean attempting to become a good man despite his jailer’s pursuit. Encountering tragedy and living through the French Revolution tests his morals, and the fate of others is left in his hands.