My Top 10 Favourite Musical Theatre Songs

Musical theatre is a huge part of my life. I love going to the theatre. I love performing in shows. I just love it all! That’s why I’ve decided to share my top 10 favourite musical songs (at the moment). These songs are likely to change at any given moment, particularly as I watch and become obsessed with more and more musicals!

Before I begin, I want to say that this list isn’t exhaustive, and they aren’t in any particular order, I genuinely do just love them all; I haven’t seen some of the ‘greats’ I know – like The Book Of Mormon (next on my bucket list) or Miss Saigon or Hamilton or Matilda but when I do, I’ll be sure to do an updated version of this list.

But for now, here’s how it stands…

Pulled – The Addams Family

I won’t lie, I didn’t know The Addams Family was a musical before Carrie Hope Fletcher announced she was playing Wednesday Addams in the 2016/17 UK tour. She posted this song on her YouTube channel and I knew instantly that I loved this song. I think it’s because it’s so contemporary compared to the other songs on this list and in a way, the most relatable to me as Wednesday is a teenager and in love.

I went to see The Addams Family at the Bradford Alhambra and just fell in love with the musical. The way that Carrie Hope Fletcher sang this was A M A Z I N G, I just couldn’t stop listening to it for like a week after. Even now it frequently gets stuck in my head and I can never get it out again; it’s one of those songs where you have to give 110% otherwise it’ll flop – I mean I can’t help putting my all into it every time I sing it – even if it’s just in the shower!

Without Love – Hairspray

This is my favourite song from my all-time favourite musical. There are so many songs I could’ve picked from this musical, but I’ve limited myself to just one for this blog post. With this song especially, I can’t help but dance whenever it comes on.

Yet again, this is a song about love (hence the title) but I just love how carefree and happy the characters are in this song despite the problems they’re facing with the police, the TV station and the segregation between black and white people. For me, my favourite couple in the musical are Seaweed and Penny and it makes me SO happy when he rescues her from her house during this song because it shows how there are no limits when it comes to love and that’s something really special to me.

Suddenly, Seymour – Little Shop of Horrors

I’m sensing a theme with these songs…

This song is my favourite from Little Shop of Horrors. I just love how awkward both Seymour and Audrey are and I’m routing for them throughout the whole musical so when this song comes on I’m just like HELL YEAAAAAH!! I can’t go on about how much I love this song without talking about Alan Menken, my all time favourite composer, who I absolutely ADORE! His music just fills me with so much happiness and this song is no exception.

Despite all that, the main reason why this song is on the list is because it’s one of mine and Eddie’s go-to duets! We (or I make him) love belting this out in the car, or just anywhere it comes on really.

One Day More – Les Miserables

Les Mis was the first musical I was ever apart of in a school production, so this song brings back a lot of memories. In rehearsals (and I still do), I literally try sing all the different parts at once, but much to my annoyance, I somehow can’t manage it. Therefore, I usually opt to sing Marius and Cosette’s lines (no surprise there – about their relationship) and chip into the other character’s whenever I can.

Every single song in Les Mis is absolutely breath-taking but for me, this is the one that blows me away EVERY SINGLE TIME – it might have something to do with it being the final song before the interval but hey ho. Seeing it performed on stage in the West End was one of my musical theatre highlights and I just feel so privileged to have witnessed it. If anybody is wanting to see a musical about hope and heartbreak in the West End then I 100% recommend Les Mis!

Circle of Life – The Lion King

Yes… everyone knows I love Disney, so a Disney song is bound to make this list somewhere (don’t act like you’re surprised)! But everyone knows this song, even if you’re making up the words to the opening – it’s a brilliant song! Plus, The Lion King is an all-time classic, it’s no wonder they made it into a musical.

As the opening song of the musical, it’s absolutely mesmerising watching this timeless song performed on stage. It’s almost as though you’re being transformed into a different world, leaving reality behind you. The costumes and vocals of every single performer in this song, and the whole musical, is honestly spectacular; I don’t think I’ve ever been in awe of a performance so much as I did when I saw this musical for the first time.

Don’t Rain on My Parade – Funny Girl

This song was probably the first ‘proper’ musical song I ever heard and, since then, I’ve been in awe of musical theatre non-stop. I used to sing this song ALL THE TIME, trying to sing just like Barbra Streisand (still no luck) and pretending I’m a musical theatre queen blasting out those long notes.

The only annoying thing about this song now is, that it’s used EVERYWHERE. I mean I absolutely love the song, in the right context. I just don’t want to hear a wacky version of it sung by a meerkat when I’m waiting for The Chase to come back on.

Sweet Transvestite – The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Again, I could’ve picked so many songs from Rocky Horror as it’s one of my absolute favourites! This musical is just so unique and quirky and that’s why I LOVE it. Granted the ending still confuses the hell out of me, but the songs (and particularly this one) are all BANGERS.

First of all, I really love Tim Curry and, in my opinion, there’s nobody who could play Frank-N-Furter as well as he did. His attitude during this iconic song is so rich, it blocks out the fact he’s not the best of singers. Nevertheless, this song always puts a smile on my face whenever I listen to it; I also can’t help but copy his little wiggle when he’s dancing during this scene.

Honey, Honey ­– Mamma Mia!

I absolutely love ABBA so a whole musical dedicated to ABBA songs is my idea of heaven! This song is on my list because its so immature and just right up my street.

I really love the storyline in Mamma Mia and I think this song really sets the rest of the musical up nicely. By showing the childish and excitable side of the character Sophie, it really emphasises how much finding her real dad means to her. This song is a fun way to start the musical and through the characters’ relationships on stage, it’s so relatable to me how they’re gossiping AAAND DOT DOT DOT!

We Go Together – Grease

Singing this song in my musical theatre class has to be one of the fondest memories I have of being at school. Trying to learn all the words was such a funny experience and I’m proud to say I now know all the words which impresses most people, ha!

Grease is one of mine and my mum’s favourite musicals, and there’s probably not a day that goes by when we don’t quote it to each other randomly. This song in particular makes both of us laugh so much and I just love it because it’s such a nonsense song (which is very fitting with the bizarre ending, which I will never understand the meaning of) but shows how all the characters love and care about each other and don’t want to separate after graduating – something I have yet to experience, but all in due time!

Seasons of Love – Rent

Last but certainly not least is this emotional song from Rent. This musical pretty much had me in tears from beginning to end and this song just sums up the meaning behind the musical perfectly. It was also used during the Glee episode dedicated to Cory Monteith and, at the time, I was a huge Glee fan, so this really hit me hard because the lyrics are so meaningful given the context.

I know that it’s yet another song about love but it’s so difficult not to feel moved by this song and its catchy lyrics. That’s why I absolutely LOVE singing this song because it’s full of passion and I just can’t wait to blast out the high notes when it comes to them. Out of all the songs on this list, this is probably the song which I think is most heart wrenching and pure and I’m just in love with it.

So that’s a wrap on my top 10 favourite musical songs (at the moment).

If you haven’t listened to, or seen any of these musicals, I really recommend you do because they’re phenomenal!

Also, if you think I've missed out a classic show, please let me know and I'll be sure to check it out!

Thanks for reading,

Em x