Musical theater used to be a niche interest. You either grew up with the cast recordings of Annie and The Sound of Music blasting in the minivan, or you thought of Broadway as that loud, expensive thing people do in Midtown Manhattan once every five years. But things shifted. Now, you’ll find popular songs from musicals sitting comfortably on the Billboard Hot 100 next to Taylor Swift and Drake. It’s weird, right? Not really.
The barrier between the "theater kid" and the "casual listener" has basically vanished.
Maybe it’s TikTok. Maybe it’s the fact that modern composers are ditching the operatic vibrato for synth-pop beats and rap verses. Whatever the cause, Broadway is currently the most influential genre in pop culture that nobody wants to admit they're obsessed with.
How "Defying Gravity" Changed Everything
Before 2003, most theatrical hits were ballads. Think Memory from Cats or the sweeping romance of The Phantom of the Opera. Then Stephen Schwartz dropped Wicked on the Gershwin Theatre.
"Defying Gravity" wasn't just a plot point. It was an anthem. Idina Menzel’s belt wasn't traditional; it was rock-infused, gritty, and incredibly difficult to replicate at karaoke without popping a blood vessel. It became a cultural touchstone because it spoke to a universal feeling of rebellion.
If you look at the structure of that song, it follows a cinematic arc that mirrors modern pop production. There’s a slow build, a massive "drop" (the broomstick flight), and a soaring hook. It proved that a song from a show could live a double life as a stadium-filling power ballad. This paved the way for the "Disneyfication" of Broadway, where songs are written with the explicit intent of being radio-ready.
The Hamilton Effect and the Death of the Show Tune
Lin-Manuel Miranda didn't just write a hit show; he broke the algorithm.
Before Hamilton, the idea of a Broadway cast recording reaching Number 1 on the Rap Albums chart was laughable. Honestly, it sounded like a bad joke. But "My Shot" and "Satisfied" used legitimate hip-hop vernacular and complex internal rhyme schemes that earned the respect of actual rappers. When "We Don't Talk About Bruno" from Encanto (also Miranda) spent weeks at Number 1, it wasn't an accident. It was the culmination of a decade where theatrical storytelling became indistinguishable from chart-topping pop production.
Broadway stopped trying to sound like "the theater" and started sounding like the world.
Why Do These Songs Stick in Our Brains?
The science of a "theatrical earworm" is a bit different than a standard pop song. A pop song usually relies on a repetitive four-chord progression and a simple hook. Musical theater songs have to do more work. They have to move a story forward, establish a character’s "I Want" motivation, and provide a satisfying emotional climax.
- The "I Want" Song: This is the most common trope. From "Part of Your World" to "The Wizard and I," these songs are designed to make you root for the underdog. We relate to them because, fundamentally, everyone wants something they can't have.
- The Narrative Hook: Unlike a pop song that might repeat "I love you" sixteen times, a song like "The Room Where It Happens" tells a specific, high-stakes story. Your brain engages with the lyrics on a narrative level, making the melody more memorable.
- The Emotional Release: Songs like "She Used to Be Mine" from Waitress (written by Sara Bareilles) tap into a raw, vulnerable frequency. It’s not just a melody; it’s a gut-punch.
The Viral Loop: From the Stage to TikTok
Let's talk about Six. This musical about the wives of Henry VIII didn't follow the traditional path to fame. It became a juggernaut because of "Don't Lose Your Urge" and "Get Down" going viral on social media.
Teenagers weren't seeing the show in London or New York; they were using the audio for transitions and cosplay. This created a feedback loop. The more people used the songs, the more the show sold out. We’re seeing this again with Hadestown. "Wait For Me" has a rhythmic, haunting quality that works perfectly for short-form video. The isolation of the melody makes it "vibe-heavy," which is exactly what the current internet landscape craves.
It’s a far cry from the days when you had to buy a physical CD to hear what was happening on the Great White Way. Now, you’ve probably heard half the score of a new musical before it even finishes its out-of-town tryouts in Chicago or San Diego.
What Most People Get Wrong About "Popular" Broadway
There’s a common misconception that for a musical song to be popular, it has to be "cheesy." People think of jazz hands and forced smiles.
But look at Dear Evan Hansen. "Waving Through a Window" is an incredibly dark song about social anxiety and isolation. It’s not happy. It’s not "showy" in the traditional sense. It’s a mid-tempo synth-pop track that sounds like something Owl City would have released in 2010. The popularity of these songs comes from their honesty, not their artifice.
We are also seeing a massive resurgence in the "Jukebox Musical." Shows like & Juliet take existing pop hits—Max Martin’s entire catalog—and recontextualize them. Is "Since U Been Gone" a popular song from a musical? Technically, yes, in 2024 it is. This blurring of lines makes it harder to define what a "Broadway song" even sounds like anymore.
The Evolution of the Ballad
The "big ballad" has changed. We moved from the operatic sweep of Les Misérables ("I Dreamed a Dream") to the singer-songwriter intimacy of Once ("Falling Slowly").
Modern audiences are more cynical. We don't necessarily want a character to stand at the edge of the stage and belt to the rafters about their soul. We want to hear the cracks in their voice. We want "Burn" from Hamilton, where the anger is quiet and simmering before it explodes.
How to Find Your Next Favorite Show Tune
If you're looking to dive deeper into popular songs from musicals without feeling like you're stuck in a 1950s time capsule, you have to look at the composers who are bridging the gap.
👉 See also: One of Us Freaks: The Complicated Legacy of Tod Browning’s 1932 Masterpiece
- Anaïs Mitchell: Her work on Hadestown is folk-rock perfection. It’s gritty, bluesy, and feels like a concept album you’d listen to on a rainy road trip.
- Pasek and Paul: The duo behind The Greatest Showman and Dear Evan Hansen. They are the masters of the "Earworm." If you like contemporary pop-rock, start here.
- Dave Malloy: For the weird stuff. Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 mixes EDM with Russian folk and indie rock. It’s a trip.
- Stephen Sondheim: Look, he’s the GOAT. Even if you think you don't like "old" musicals, listen to "Finishing the Hat" from Sunday in the Park with George. It’s a masterclass in how to write about the creative process.
The Future of the Genre
We are heading toward a period of extreme "genre-bending."
The upcoming slate of musicals features everything from country-inspired scores to heavy metal. The success of The Outsiders on Broadway, with its Americana/folk roots, shows that audiences are tired of the "standard" musical theater sound. They want authenticity. They want songs that feel like they were written in a garage, not a corporate boardroom.
The most popular songs from musicals in the next five years likely won't even sound like they belong in a theater. They'll be glitchy, they'll be lo-fi, and they'll be incredibly personal.
Actionable Ways to Curate Your Musical Playlist
Stop looking at "Best of Broadway" playlists. They are usually filled with the same twenty tracks from Phantom and Chicago. If you want to find the music that is actually shaping the culture right now, try these steps:
- Follow "New York City Center" or "Encores!" recordings: They often do stripped-back versions of shows that highlight the songwriting over the spectacle.
- Check the "Original Cast Recording" on Spotify's Viral 50: Every time a new show opens, at least one track usually spikes. That’s your indicator of what’s crossing over into the mainstream.
- Listen to the "Demos": Composers like Lin-Manuel Miranda or Jonathan Larson (Tick, Tick... Boom!) often released their original demos. These versions usually have a more raw, "pop" energy than the polished cast recordings.
- Watch the "Miscast" performances: The MCC Theater puts on an annual gala where stars sing songs from roles they'd never be cast in. It’s the best way to hear a "classic" song reimagined in a completely different style.
The world of musical theater isn't a closed circle anymore. It’s a wide-open field. Whether it's a rap battle about the U.S. financial system or a pop anthem about a teenage girl with green skin, these songs have stayed relevant because they do something that 15 seconds of a viral dance trend can't: they tell a complete human story in four minutes.
Explore the cast albums of the last three years—specifically Some Like It Hot for big band lovers or Lempicka for those who want art-pop—and you'll find that your favorite new "pop" song might actually be from a Broadway stage.