Ever catch your self humming a little ditty from a musical? I know I have. In the spirit of my ever-increasing obsession with musicals, I went on the hunt for the most popular musicals and came across Channel 4’s Top 100 Greatest Musicals* ever. Below is the list, but the channel has short paragraphs discussing each piece’s importance. The one thing I did notice was that the list primarily featured film musicals and not stage performances. I will continue my search for a stage performance review list. Also this list will become a page on its own so I can update my quest to complete it. For now, enjoy!
1. Grease (1978)
2. The Sound Of Music (1965)
3. The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
4. West Side Story (1961)
5. Mary Poppins (1964)
6. Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
7. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
8. Chicago (2002)
9. Oliver! (1968)
10. Moulin Rouge (2001)
11. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
12. My Fair Lady (1964)
13. Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Once More With Feeling (TV episode)
14. The Lion King (1994)
15. Les Miserables
16. Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)
17. Cabaret (1972)
18. Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
19. Bugsy Malone (1976)
20. Phantom Of The Opera
21. Little Shop Of Horrors (1986)
22. Evita (1996)
23. The King And I (1956)
24. The Blues Brothers (1980)
25. Calamity Jane (1953)
26. Annie (1982)
27. Jungle Book (1967)
28. Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)
29. Fame (1980)
30. Cats (The Musical) (1981-2002)
31. Blood Brothers
32. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
33. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
34. High Society (1956)
35. Oklahoma (1955)
36. Guys and Dolls (1955)
37. White Christmas (1954)
38. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
39. South Pacific (1958)
40. 8 Mile (2002)
41. Carousel (1956)
42. Starlight Express
43. Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)
44. Tommy (1975)
45. A Star Is Born (Judy Garland) (1954)
46. A Chorus Line (1985)
47. Summer Holiday (1963)
48. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
49. Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
50. Hello Dolly (1969)
51. Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)
52. Carmen Jones
53. Cinderella (1950)
54. On The Town (1949)
55. Hair (1979)
56. Meet Me In St. Louis (1944)
57. Paint Your Wagon (1969)
58. An American In Paris (1951)
59. Funny Girl (1968)
60. Top Hat (1935)
61. Scrooge (1970)
62. Sweet Charity (1969)
63. Jailhouse Rock (1957)
64. Easter Parade (1948)
65. The Jazz Singer (1927)
66. Gypsy (1962)
67. Doctor Dolittle (1967)
68. Kiss Me Kate (1953)
69. The Producers (1968)
70. Gigi (1958)
71. Show Boat (1951)
72. Godspell (1973)
73. Half A Sixpence (1967)
74. Shall We Dance? (1937)
75. Dil Se (1998)
76. Dancer in the Dark (2000)
77. Porgy And Bess (1959)
78. Hedwig And The Angry Inch (2001)
79. All That Jazz (1979)
80. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
81. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
82. Anything Goes
83. A Star Is Born (Barbra Streisand) (1976)
84. Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
85. Funny Face (1957)
86. There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954)
87. Million Dollar Mermaid (1952)
88. For Me And My Gal (1942)
89. A Little Night Music (1977)
90. Cry Baby (1990)
91. Everyone Says I Love You (1996)
92. The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg (1964)
93. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967)
94. Sholay (1975)
95. Breaking Glass (1980)
96. Lullaby Of Broadway (1951)
97. The Cotton Club (1984)
98. Bright Eyes (1934)
99. Miss Saigon
100. Let’s Make Love (1960)
* Musical movies include a release date. Broadway performances do not.
Oh wow: I have seen 74 of the top 100!! I was in musical theatre before physics, can't you tell 🙂 Oh and I lurve my Domo arigato knitting roboto!! Thank you thank you.