THEATERLE

Musical lists

Jukebox musicals

A jukebox musical builds its score from songs that were already popular before the show existed. Some, like Jersey Boys, Beautiful, and MJ the Musical, tell the stories of the artists behind the hits. Others, like Mamma Mia! with ABBA's songs or & Juliet with pop hits by Max Martin, invent a new story and fit the songs around it, while Moulin Rouge! mixes decades of pop into one score.

Each show below links to a guide with the plot, the song list, and the main characters. It is an easy way to find a musical built around music you already know and to see which hits made it into each show.

13 musicals on this list.

  • Singin' in the Rain1985 · Nacio Herb Brown · JukeboxBuilt from songs by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, most written for earlier MGM musicals, plus period songs by other writers such as George and Ira Gershwin and Cole Porter.
  • The Wizard of Oz1987 · Harold Arlen · JukeboxBuilt from Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg's songs for the 1939 MGM film.
  • Crazy for You1992 · George Gershwin · JukeboxBuilt from George and Ira Gershwin songs from Girl Crazy and several other shows and films, including Shall We Dance and A Damsel in Distress.
  • Swing!1999 · Various Artists · JukeboxBuilt from swing-era standards associated with Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman, and Johnny Mercer, plus a few new songs.
  • Mamma Mia!2001 · Andersson & Ulvaeus · JukeboxBuilt from the songs of ABBA, written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.
  • Jersey Boys2005 · Gaudio & Crewe · JukeboxBuilt from the hits of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, many written by Bob Gaudio and Bob Crewe.
  • Xanadu2007 · Lynne & Farrar · JukeboxBuilt from songs by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar, from the film's soundtrack plus other Electric Light Orchestra and Olivia Newton-John hits.
  • Beautiful: The Carole King Musical2014 · Carole King · JukeboxBuilt from songs Carole King wrote with Gerry Goffin and on her own, including her Tapestry songs, plus hits by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.
  • Ain't Too Proud2019 · Kenny Seymour · JukeboxBuilt from the Temptations' hits, plus Motown favorites by the Supremes and other songs of the era.
  • Moulin Rouge!2019 · Justin Levine · JukeboxBuilt from dozens of existing pop songs by many artists, from Elton John's Your Song to Lady Gaga's Bad Romance.
  • & Juliet2022 · Max Martin · JukeboxBuilt from pop hits written or co-written by Max Martin, recorded by artists such as Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, and Katy Perry.
  • MJ the Musical2022 · Michael Jackson · JukeboxBuilt from the songs of Michael Jackson, from his Jackson 5 hits through his solo career.
  • Hell's Kitchen2024 · Alicia Keys · JukeboxBuilt from the songs of Alicia Keys, plus new songs she wrote for the show.

More lists of musicals

All Broadway musicals A to ZMusicals by composer