The Best Rock Musicals of All Time
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A list of the best rock musicals of all time, including Rent, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Spring Awakening, and more.
“Rock of Ages”
“Rock of Ages” is a rock musical with a book by Chris D’Arienzo, built around classic rock hits from the 1980s. The musical features songs from Journey, Bon Jovi, Poison, and more, and tells the story of a small-town girl who falls for a big-city rocker.
The show debuted on Broadway in 2009, and was turned into a film in 2012 starring Tom Cruise and Julianne Hough. “Rock of Ages” has been praised by critics for its energetic performances and catchy tunes.
“Rent”
“Rent” is a 1996 rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson. The story is based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Bohème and revolves around a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side in the late 1980s.
“Hair”
“Hair” is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counterculture and sexual revolution of the late 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement. The musical’s profanity, its depiction of the use of illegal drugs, its treatment of sexuality, its irreverence for the American flag,and its nude scene caused much comment and controversy.
“The Who’s Tommy”
“The Who’s Tommy” is a rock musical with music and lyrics by The Who and book by Pete Townshend. The story is a retelling of the Greek legend of Odysseus, as well as the story of Tommy Walker, a “deaf, dumb and blind” boy who becomes a “Pinball Wizard”.
The Who’s Tommy premiered on Broadway in 1993 and won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The original cast album was also nominated for a Grammy Award.
“Spring Awakening”
“Spring Awakening” is a 2006 Tony Award-winning rock musical adaptation of the 1891 German play Spring Awakening by Frank Wedekind. It has music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven Sater.
The original Wedekind play was banned in Germany for its frank portrayal of sexuality and adolescent suicide. The musical is set in late-19th century Germany, and explores the struggles of teenagers with issues such as sexual awakening, puberty, rape, suicide, and abortion.
While it has been criticized for its depiction of child abuse and rape, “Spring Awakening” has received critical acclaim for its inventive staging, powerful music, and honest portrayal of adolescent angst.
“Passing Strange”
“Passing Strange” is a 2007 rock musical with music and lyrics by Stew. The story follows the awakening of a black artist in Los Angeles in the 1970s. It received critical acclaim and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2008.
“American Idiot”
The rock musical “American Idiot” is based on the album of the same name by the punk rock band Green Day. The story follows the lives of three young men as they attempt to navigate their way through the trials and tribulations of life in a post-9/11 world. The musical has been incredibly successful, garnering critical acclaim and winning multiple awards.
“Rock of Ages”
“Rock of Ages” is a rock musical with a book by Chris D’Arienzo, built around classic rock hits from the 1980s. The musical premiered on Broadway in 2009 and played in various US productions and a UK tour. A feature film adaptation was released in 2012.
“Rent”
“Rent” is a musical with music, lyrics, and book by Jonathan Larson. The show is based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Bohème, with Rent focusing more on the lives of young bohemians and their struggles with addiction, AIDS, and poverty in New York City’s Lower East Side rather than the original Puccini story set in Paris.
The rock musical debuted off-Broadway in 1996 and then transferred to Broadway in 1998. The production was a huge success, winning several Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It has since been performed all over the world and has become one of the most popular musicals of all time.
“Hair”
“Hair” is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counterculture and sexual revolution of the late 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement. The musical’s profanity, its depiction of the use of illegal drugs, its treatment of sexuality, its irreverence for the American flag, and its nude scene caused much comment and controversy.
