Top 30 Hardest Broadway Songs to Sing

[@MsMojo]

What showtune do you think is the most complicated to perform? Let us know below, and be sure to also check out our video of the Top 10 Broadway Songs to Listen to When You Feel Like the Main Character: kzbin.info/www/bejne/boDXaKOJjrJnfqssi=LjWSfi4SeFBEnrtG

[@nancyfalcon2796]

So when Kristen Chenowith performed as a high school freshman at our school, I turned to my friend and said "that girl is going to be on Broadway someday." I had no clue just how "on Broadway" that would be. Wow, girl.

[@trinaq]

For a school concert, one girl sang "She Used to be Mine", and since she's a trained Mezzo Soprano, she pulled it off beautifully. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. 😍🎶

[@rubygracemoseley8144]

I sang She Used To Be Mine multiple times in my music lessons. I absolutely loved doing it. It was the first song I sang with my music teacher that wasn’t a high soprano song. Until then I had only sang Wishing You Were Somehow Again, Think Of Me and other high sopranos songs. But I had never gotten to belt out before so I was nervous. But my music teacher and I were gladly surprised that I had a strong chest voice as well as head voice. It was one of my favorite songs I sang with her and we both agreed that it was definitely one of my best songs I ever sang with her.

[@MetalMama-Mimi523]

I don't know how anyone sings that without just bawling. I cannot sing at all, God how I wish I could, but that song rips at my heart.

[@roasty_toastyy7859]

I sang The Ballad of Jane Doe for my final in my voice class and so many people said that I NAILED it and that I should play her in a production of Ride the Cyclone😌

[@MsMojo]

That's awesome!!

[@Cecdramaqueeeen]

I did!! It’s so fun

[@th3on.official]

I think all theatre kids have tried to sing Your Fault by themselves in their room at least once... (and probably failed)

[@donjoseph6052]

I played the Baker in high school. We got so off track with the pit so many times singing it lol. One time while our music director was mad after having to coach us on it again when she was walking off the stage she walked into an opening to the pit

[@KittiesofEvil]

Almost anything by Stephen Sondheim equals complex and amazing. "Your Fault" from Into the Woods, "Getting Married Today" from Company, even "Old Friends" from Merrily We Roll Along the speed the singers have to reach while interacting with each other is astounding.

[@mgray5001]

I was honored to sing I'm Still Here at a Cabaret show my chorus put on. What a great opportunity to sing a mid-range song for a middle aged woman and still wow folks.

[@FionaHobson-on4tz]

I have a friend who had CRAZY high vocal range. Her dream role used to be Cinderella in into the woods. She got to play that role and now her dream role is Christina in phantom of the opera. At a recent vocal recital, she sang wishing you were somehow here again. I got chills. She is such a beautiful singer.

[@gwenschott]

"I'm Breaking Down" from Falsettos deserves a spot on this list

[@missyjanehale57]

I agree.

[@urfavaspen]

i love that song so much

[@alizamoon6842]

I get chills listening to Steve Balsmo and Ted Neely singing Gethsemane, I have fricking sobbed to that one on both of their performances, fricking powerful

[@hallaburger]

Chess is a deeply underrated show and it deserves a resurgence!!

[@hallaburger]

somewhere, colm wilkinson is still holding that last "home"...

[@cijmo]

I didn't realise how difficult The Impossible Dream is to sing because everyone does such a beautiful job that they make it look "easy." That's the thing about artists...you get so used to them being awesome, you just figure that's what everyone can do.

[@christinarosen9711]

Jacques brel’s french version is the best

[@rubygracemoseley8144]

😭😭 I almost started crying when Memory came on. I sang it at my music teacher’s final recital of the year a couple of years ago. I no longer take lessons with that teacher so the song about having bittersweet memories being the last song with my music teacher I adored really hurts and hits hard now. But she said it was her favorite song that I sang with her all year. Considering all the hours I put into learning that song the words, the voice control, holding notes, keeping the emotional range of that whole song, while also keeping the voice control and power you need….It’s very hard. It’s such a moving and powerful song so trying not to cry while singing it as well as the power you need in your voice to sing it is very hard….I had a blast (well as much of a blast you as you can singing such a heartbreaking song) singing it because it was the first time I got to sing a Broadway solo in a performance. So far it’s been the only time but I treasure that memory (no pun intended) so much

[@cottoncandysprite]

Shoutout to the countertennor student drama teacher I had in high school who sang defying gravity for us and absolutely nailed it. Good luck in life king

[@mentallyunstable-zx1zm]

I have a counter tenor friend who sings ballad of Jane doe with the sopranos for fun

[@rubygracemoseley8144]

Awe. I sang The Impossible Dream for a little while in rehearsals for a Broadway revenue. Unfortunately I got sick and during the last rehearsals and the actual show. But it was the chorus song for our show and all of the teenagers singing together in that song was beautiful in the rehearsals for sure

[@ReenyJW]

I had a random memory pop up. We used to see a lot of broadway shows back in the day. I remember seeing Gypsy after the Tony Awards - I don't recall if Bernadette won, but I do remember that after Rose's Turn, she got a standing ovation during our show.

[@lueagle09]

For me, the hardest songs would be those with an emotional depth plus a challenging range. I think of “Being Alive” from Company myself.

[@BookieGames05]

As a highschooler who played Cinderella in Into the Woods both On the steps of the palace and your Fault was harder than I expected but now it like my party trick, now i can do all of the parts myself, faster than the original lol! I love singing it now!

[@rubygracemoseley8144]

The school my mom’s a teacher at did Legally Blonde a few months ago. Obviously it wasn’t Broadway and it was kids so it wasn’t life changing. But the girl who played Elle had an insanely good voice. I was shocked. She’s probably only 14 but she had such a powerful voice. I ended many songs with my mouth dropped.

[@funkyunclenardi]

Good job with the list. Finally!!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 A list like this is long overdue about a topic under-celebrated thus far! 🎶🎭

[@Sojoboscribe]

I'm not sure "I am the Very Model of a Modern Major General" IS the hardest of the Gilbert and Sullivan patter songs. It may be the best known, but several of the others are quite a bit trickier. "My Name is John Wellington Wells" from the Sorceror has those long descending bits. Love Unrequited, Robs Me of My Rest (a.k.a. The Nightmare song) from Iolanthe really CAN be a nightmare if you aren't prepared. "My Eyes are Fully Opened" from Ruddigore is pretty tricky as well, as is "Rising Early in the Morning" from The Gondoliers (actually The Gondoliers sort of has THREE patter songs, since "In Enterprise of Martial Kind" and "There Lived A King as I am Told" are also pretty involved.

[@elphabathropp2818]

Jane Doe made a list!!!!!!!! But seriously that needs to be in the top 5, that's the hardest song ever

[@LaLayla99]

Glitter and Be Gay is definitely the hardest, even for very high sopranos.

[@AJLom5]

I’ve sung it. It takes a lot out of you! 😅

[@ombrenightcores]

It’s not even just the notes - you have to sing your brains out AND be funny. It’s a LOT.

[@sweetsyerra]

Steve Balsamo - stunning in everything he sings.

[@ljslibrary]

love the your fault representation!! that song is so so so good

[@Swimdeep]

Imperial Theater, December 20, 1981, Jennifer Holiday; I was there.

[@FionaHobson-on4tz]

I AM IN MUSIC MAN RIGHT NOW! It is a middle school summer show. Two 8th grade boys sing this song and they are doing great! This show is really hard😂. I would like to make an honorable mention to goodnight my someone and till there was you. AS WELL AS PICK A LITTLE. HOLY COW THAT SONG IS HARD! I am not in that song but the adult females are doing SO GOOD! Edit: realize I did not clarify the song, I mean ya got trouble

[@avengirl6479]

I'm not sure if people realize this but World Burn is such a difficult song to sing despite the fact that I am also a belter. Way worse than Defying Gravity. It hurts my throat so much. If I can sing the Phantom of the Opera theme song correctly with a good E6, then why can't I try World Burn when I do head AND chest voice? Like get World Burn away from me. It's fun to listen to it but we can't all be Renee Rapp

[@tikkilover4890]

Or Taylor Louderman

[@biancadiangelo5904]

Same girl

[@bvas1572]

I used to have so much trouble singing this until I taught myself how to modify the vowels (turn the e’s into sort of a mix between ah/uh) and mix belt is SO IMPORTANT. I have the same range and have been able to sing phantom since I was in middle school and I’m a senior and JUST NOW getting world burn down now. It’ll happen I PROMISE!!!

[@Highland804]

I've seen Wicked four times. Stephanie J Block was my first Elphaba, and in my opinion, the best. Of course, I never saw Idina Menzel. (Or Adele Dazeem if you're John Travolta.)

[@thomasbradley4505]

I saw it several times, and the first was the Pre-Broadway run in San Francisco with most of the original cast including Kristin and Idina. It was fantastic

[@grey_gums]

Omg I was doing a song showcase and a girl called Laura sang she used to be mine and it was so powerful and amazing she’s so talented

[@samanthaeck2319]

I am glad to see Confrontation from Jekyll & Hyde and Gethsemane from JCS on the list. Was very surprised David Hasselhoff is as good as he is on the DVD of Jekyll & Hyde. And no one, I mean no one can sing Gethsemane better than Ted Neely. Was lucky to see him on his farewell tour with JCS and he was incredible.

[@amanogirl1]

Gethsemane is easy for me to sing, since I had Michael Crawford sing it on cassette tape. Only song I have trouble with is Music of the Night, The Money Keeps Rolling in

[@samanthaeck2319]

@@amanogirl1 Michael Crawford on Music of the Night is hard to beat.

[@amanogirl1]

@@samanthaeck2319 True

[@ThatOneGuy71217]

“Little Bit Of Good” from Chicago is a very difficult song to sing. It’s made for a countertenor, which is a male body that can sing soprano. The songs goes as high as a Bb5.

[@patriciasnyder6915]

Jim Nabors - The Impossible Dream

[@corvus1374]

How could you leave off the Amber Riley version of And I Am Telling You?

[@Impallica67]

I agree! She nails it every time!!

[@henriklindholm7007]

I think the hardest is Bring him home from Les Mis, because Colm Wilkinson (the original Valjean) has such a crazy falsetto. Not many male singers can get that high

[@kendalledwards6898]

Please do Top 30 Broadway Villain Songs or Top 20 Broadway Villians!

[@samuelcollantes1175]

Phantom of the opera. Happy monday night, Emily. Take care and God bless you. Greetings from Colombia to you as well

[@evagreenwell3610]

You really need to add Amber Riley to that list of three women who can really sing And I am Telling You. I'm not talking about when she sang it on Glee... But her performance at the Lawrence Olivier awards (Britain's equiv of the Tony). She won Best Actress in a Musical for her portrayal as Effie in the West End version. Also, no one can top Ted Neeley on Gethsemane.

[@dragonreader3817]

I keep trying to hit that phantom E. I can’t even squeak it out. 😂

[@cecelia8885]

When I was younger, every once in a while, I could hit it in falsetto.

[@cl0v3_]

Personally I wish Sunday in the Park with George was on the list because of the difficult mood switches, has a lot of range, very jumpy song and you like have to stay still most of the time. Not to mention the really fast parts you have to do at full voice like breath support

[@oliviac3313]

Top 30 30. "The Speed Test" - Thoroughly Modern Millie 29. "I Read" - Passion 28. "Flowers" - Hadestown 27. "World Burn" - Mean Girls 26. "The Impossible Dream" - Man Of La Mancha 25. "Soliloquy" - Carousel 24. "Octat" - Light In The Piazza 23. "Kiss Me" - Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street 22. "The Ballad Of Jane Doe" - Ride The Cyclone 21. "(Ya Got) Trouble" - The Music Man 20. "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" - The Sound Of Music 19. "She Used To Be Mine" - Waitress 18. "Made Of Stone" - The Hunchback Of Notre Dam 17. "Rainbow High" - Evita 16. "Confrontation" - Jekyll & Hyde 15. "Rose's Turn" - Gypsy 14. "Pity The Child" - Chess 13. "So Much Better" - Legally Blonde 12. "Your Fault" - Into The Woods 11. "I'm Here" - The Colour Purple 10. "I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major General" - The Pirates Of Penzance 9. "Memory (Reprise)" - Cats 8. "Guns And Ships" - Hamilton 7. "Bring Him Home" - Les Misérables 6. "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" - Dreamgirls 5. "Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say)" - Jesus Christ Superstar 4. "Defying Gravity" - Wicked 3. "Getting Married Today" - Company 2. "The Phantom Of The Opera - The Phantom Of The Opera 1. "Glitter And Be Gay" - Candide

[@PhantomofDB]

Props for actually using John Owen Jones for bring him home - best Valjean by far

[@GeometryGav]

I have to disagree, it just is Colm in my opinion

[@vianneymusical5658]

So... A few days after watching this Top 30, I tried to sing the Prologue in Sweeney Todd and it just HAS to be one of the hardest Broadway songs to sing because getting the rhythm is SO hard!

[@KZ1211-t2q]

Funny how you compare The Speed Test to "the patter songs of Gilbert and Sullivan". You do realize, of course, that the song is actually a Gilbert and Sullivan song titled My Eyes are Fully Open, and they just changed the words. The song was written for their operetta Ruddigore, but was put into the Joseph Papp production (and Movie) of Pirates of Penzance.

[@MrGleeiscool]

I had to sing castle in a cloud when I was 8 or 9 so ya not easy

[@GeometryGav]

my mother was cinderella in into the woods for her college, she said "Your Fault" was pretty easy and the hardest was "One the steps of the Palace" because of the wonky timing.

[@aaronhelms]

Obviously they've never heard Amber Riley's version of And I Am Telling You because it needs a special mention as well!

[@dawnbehen2780]

Satisfied from Hamilton should’ve been one of the 30. No contest.

[@kirstylou142]

I feel like Franklin Shephard Inc from Merrily We Roll Along should have a place on this list, definitely not an easy one!

[@johnny062448]

How about some of the songs by Prof Higgins in My Fair Lady? And I'm the Greatest Star from Funny Girl?

[@casihamilton3773]

The fact that Lost in the Wilderness from Children of Eden isn't on here makes me so sad. Someday...someday that show will get it's flowers.

[@amentlik]

@7:56 who is this Joshua Henry and why am I just now discovering him?!

[@sandhyanagarajan]

Glitter and Be Gay is RIDICULOUSLY DIFFICULT. Bebe Rexha did really well (she recently sang the song btw, if any of you didn't know)

[@foryou4life]

What about Le Jazz Hot from Victor Victoria, or the Shady Dame from Seveell?

[@kayvi0]

RIDE THE CYCLONE MENTIONED🎉🎊🎈🥳🍾

[@whoopscoop4292]

i was spongebob in our production of the spongebob musical and “(Just) a Simple Sponge” was hands down the hardest song i have ever sang in my life 💀

[@Daddyal-m3x]

your fault is very hard but i can do it by myself and when everyoneis going over each other i choose the one i can hear the best and go with them

[@kathrynmolesa1641]

Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors.

[@xcal21]

They call the wind Maria from paint your wagon

[@MiladyMacabre]

How about Melisande from 110 in the Shade?

[@ombrenightcores]

As someone who’s had to sing some of Elphaba’s songs for a competition, Defying Gravity is hard - but not anywhere near as hard as No Good Deed

[@janniklasfingerle5828]

This list is missing Electricity from Billy Elliot. To be able to continue the song after the eleborate dance routine, and that as a child actor and not as a professional singer, is a feat of itself.

[@florianbortfeldt6051]

There is one peace missing. From "Dance of the Vampire" the Song "truth" or in german from "Tanz der Vampire" the Song "Wahrheit" and even if it's not good enough for this video you should give it a try.

[@keithmck4345]

while you can say the title song from Phantom is hard, it's well known that when Christine hits the E6 note it is a pre-recorded note and does not sing it thereby diminishing (in my humble opinion) the difficulty. I don't blame the singers since it is a hard note and they need to preserve their voices. But when you just need to record it once and never have sing it again, there are other songs on this list that should be above this one.

[@rhunterdouglas]

Two missing La Vie Boheme and Over the Moon from Rent

[@TheDustinExperience]

How about every Gilbert and Sullivan song? Lol!

[@AudreyAnimates]

How is guns and ships not on this list? It’s pretty fast, and in fact one of the fastest songs in Hamilton! I’m surprised it isn’t on this list.

[@cedgson91]

Modern major general pirates of Penzance, not getting married Company

[@callioperose0]

i would like to give sweeney todd's "a little priest" a mention while i cqn

[@lovely.i.n.]

I think be a lion from the wiz is hard like nichelle lewis HIT that high note

[@amanogirl1]

I’m having trouble singing Music of the Night

[@kimberlybrady6976]

Your Fault should be higher on the list, I think. Having performed it, it's hard on it's own for what YOU have to pull off, but the fact that it has to fit with 3 other people, and you're ALL required to match each other in speed, tone, intensity... it's literally one of the more exhausting songs in the whole show. And god forbid one person can't go fast enough - seriously, this song does not work if its too slow. First of all, almost all patter song performances include some muscle memory - the muscles are your tongue and mouth, primarily, nose for breathing JUST THERE - and if you slow it down too much, it's HARDER. But mostly, it's just that if staged right, you're literally chasing each other around the stage while singing fast, while breathing, while acting... I've done some hard stage performances (sing upside-down dangling off a bed while trying to do basketball tricks?), and nothing has ever been harder than Your Fault.

[@jakedarker4734]

Guns and Ships is honestly sooo easy

[@theonlymoo5e]

Personally, I think that Ian Gillan does the best version of Gethsemane

[@NickofMusic]

Who makes these lists, are they singers?

[@braindeadgoldfish]

Mentions sustained note at the end of "so much better." Shows a video of it being bisected with a breath. 🤔

[@leslihudson]

How could you not put Raul Esparza's Pity the child in there? It is so much more potent than Pascal's.

[@sunnygirl523]

most of these songs aren’t hard for me to sing ❤

[@fruityfishboy8414]

Im shocked I didn’t see Santa Fe on here

[@battlegirldeb]

Sorry "Music of the Night" and "Were Not Getting Married" should switch places on this list.

[@famousedits4]

3 Comments and already 2 of them with an inappropriate profile picture...

[@tikkilover4890]

Sigh….

[@Uncle_Smidge]

Bots be botting

[@dirtyglasses1665]

Not having any Jason Robert Brown on this list is questionable… and Franklin Shepherd INC should’ve been there too

[@MangosCanFly]

I can do Your Fault :3

[@stephaniecabrera-o8l]

Mean Girls Musical

[@annika_panicka]

Don't hassle The Hoff!

[@thomasbradley4505]

With all of the incredible male talent in Broadway in the 80s and 90s, was there no one else they could have cast when they filmed Jekyll and Hyde than David Hasselhoff? I saw it on tour with Chuck Wagner and he was incredible when performing Confrontation. Hasselhoff……wasn’t 😡

[@emilydiveley9661]

Your fault from Into the woods that song is not hardest song and Getting Married today from company is the hardest to sing that song in the Broadway

[@StubbyandShifu]

I remember watching John Legend in JCS and he couldn't hit anything.

[@theevilqueenreadstoo]

Glitter and be gay

[@cayandres6057]

whats a drame? ??mispronounced climb every mountain -audra mcdonald

[@HetaliaGirl1]

Jennifer Hudson will never be as good as Jennifer Holliday. I know that's not popular. She's indeed also subpar. This so g belongs to Jennifer Holliday without challenge.

[@battlegirldeb]

When she said what she did about Holiday there was nothing but truth. I love Hudson and Amber Riley, but There has never been anyone like Jennifer Holiday!!!