In the late 20th century, musical theater began a substantial evolution, with shows such as <I>The Lion King</I>’s high-concept stage adaptation and the grunge-ified <I>La Bohème</I> rework <I>Rent</I> marrying present-day ideas with tried-and-true tropes. The Great White Way has since featured a wide variety of songs performed by an expansive cast: profane puppets in <I>Avenue Q</I>, existentially troubled missionaries in <I>The Book of Mormon</I>, rapping forefathers in <I>Hamilton</I>, singers living out the songs of jukebox-musical heroes Alanis Morissette and Tina Turner, and even classic characters from modern-minded updates of shows like <I>Oklahoma!</I>
Musicals!
There’s nothing quite like the pomp and spectacle of a good musical. And given how popular they’ve remained, it’s amazing how little their essence has changed: character, voice, a feeling too strong to convey merely through speech. This playlist highlights the best of the tradition, whether modern or classic, from stage to screen, big and small. Our editors change things up here now and then, so if you hear something you like, remember to add it to your library.