The Best Rock and Pop Musicals of All Time

A list of the best rock and pop musicals of all time. Featuring classics like ‘Rent’ and ‘Hair’, as well as newer shows like ‘Hamilton’ and ‘The Greatest Showman’.

“Rent”

“Rent” is a musical with music, lyrics, and book by Jonathan Larson. The show is about young people struggling with life and love in New York’s East Village in the late 1980s. “Rent” was a groundbreaking work for its time, and it took the Broadway world by storm. The show won several Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and it remains one of the most popular rock musicals of all time.

“The Phantom of the Opera”

“The Phantom of the Opera” is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles Hart with additions from Richard Stilgoe. Lloyd Webber and Stilgoe also wrote the book together. The musical opened in London’s West End in 1986, and on Broadway in 1988. It tellsthe story of a masked figure who falls in love with an opera singer and becomes obsessed with her.

“Mamma Mia!”

“Mamma Mia!” is one of the most popular musicals ever written. The show has been performed all over the world and has been made into a movie starring Meryl Streep. The story is about a mother and daughter who are trying to figure out who the father is. The music is by ABBA, and the lyrics are very catchy.

“The Lion King”

The Lion King is a musical based on the 1994 Disney animated film of the same name with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical debuted on Broadway in 1997, becoming a huge success and winning six Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The show then toured internationally, playing in over 90 countries on six continents.

“Wicked”

“Wicked” is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, an alternative telling of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum’s classic storybook. The story follows Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West, and Galinda, the Good Witch of the South, who meet at Shiz University. The two eventually become roommates and fast friends, but their differing personalities put them at odds as they struggle with reconciling their own ambitions, beliefs, and ultimately their destinies. “Wicked” has been praised for its exploration of the themes of friendship, loyalty, betrayal, love, ambition, acceptance, and individuality. It has won dozens of awards since opening on Broadway in 2003, including three Tony Awards and six Drama Desk Awards.

“Jesus Christ Superstar”

“Jesus Christ Superstar” is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. The musical is based on the Gospels’ accounts of the final weeks of Jesus’ life, beginning with the preparation for the arrival of Judas Iscariot.

The musical has been performed on stage, screen, and album. It has been adapted into several languages and become a global phenomenon. The original concept album, released in 1970, reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and has since sold over 20 million copies worldwide. The 1973 film adaptation was also a huge success, grossing over $50 million at the box office.

The musical has been praised for its music, lyrics, and staging. It has won multiple awards, including a Tony Award for Best Score (1971) and a Grammy Award for Best Original Cast Recording (1972).

“Hair”

“Hair” is a 1968 rock musical that tells the story of the “tribe”, a group of politically active, long-haired hippies of the “Age of Aquarius” living a bohemian life in New York City and fighting against conscription into the Vietnam War. The musical’s debut album reached number one on the Billboard charts and its Broadway production won the 1969 Tony Award for Best Musical. The show has been revived several times, most recently on Broadway in 2009.

“Rock of Ages”

“Rock of Ages” is a 2011 American musical comedy-drama film directed by Adam Shankman and based on the 2006 rock jukebox Broadway musical of the same name. The film stars Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin, Mary J. Blige, and Tom Cruise. The screenplay is written by Justin Theroux and Allan decay.

The film tells the story of small-town girl Sherrie Christian (Julianne Hough), who falls in love with city boy Drew Boley (Diego Boneta) at the Sunset Strip’s legendary rock club, The Bourbon Room. When Sherrie’s pre-arranged fiancé shows up to claim her back home to Pittsburgh, Drew fights for her heart amid a mogul’s scheme to shut down their beloved club.

Featuring songs from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, Foreigner, Twisted Sister, Poison and more – Rock of Ages captures the iconic era that defined a generation with an unforgettable story of falling in love to classics such as “We Built This City,” “The Final Countdown,” “Wanted Dead Or Alive,” “Here I Go Again,” “Don’t Stop Believin”‘, and “Can’t Fight This Feeling.”

“The Who’s Tommy”

“The Who’s Tommy” is a electronic rock and roll musical by the British rock band The Who. The story is based on the childhood of Tommy Walker, a “deaf, dumb, and blind” boy who becomes a master pinball player. The musical was first performed in 1972 and has since been adapted into a film and an album.

“Spring Awakening”

Debuting on Broadway in 2006, “Spring Awakening” is a rock musical adaptation of the 1891 German play of the same name. The story follows a group of young people as they navigate the trials and tribulations of adolescence.

With music by Duncan Sheik and a book by Steven Sater, “Spring Awakening” was praised for its innovative use of rock music to tell a coming-of-age story. The show won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and has since been performed all over the world.