My Top 10 Favorite Contemporary Broadway Songs for Men

Modern musical theatre composers and lyricists are at the top of their game. Move over, Rodgers and Hammerstein. Here are my top ten favorite contemporary male musical theatre songs of all time.

*Whether these are good auditions songs or not is up to you. Use your better judgement.

10. Finishing The Hat - Sunday in the Park With George

Enjoy this special video featuring Jake Gyllenhaal singing Finishing the Hat, directed by Cary Fukunaga. Previews begin Saturday. #SundayintheParkwithGeorge

Sondheim can sing Happy Birthday and it would be genius. In the most recent Sunday in the Park with George revival, Jake Gyllenhaal blew us away with his rendition of “Finishing The Hat.”

9. I’ll Be Here - The Wild Party

Award winning composer Andrew Lippa joins Kaitlin Hopkins and the students of Texas State University for an evening of his work. Funds raised benefited scholarships. Edwin Bates performs "I'll Be Here" from The Wild Party Andrew Lippa on piano Produced and Directed by Kaitlin Hopkins

Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party takes the cake with an incredible score. Enjoy my former Texas State classmate Edwin Bates singing “I’ll Be Here” with Andrew Lippa himself on the keys. I dare you not to swoon.

8. Her Voice - The Little Mermaid

Matt Doyle ("The Book of Mormon," "Spring Awakening" sings "Her Voice" from "The Little Mermaid" at "The Broadway Prince Party" on October 17th, 2016 at Feinstein's/54 Below.

I’m a sucker for soaring tenor melodies. Disney composer and lyricist Alan Menken hit the nail on the head by giving Prince Eric “Her Voice.” Oh, and Matt Doyle can sing me to sleep.

7. Wondering - Bridges of Madison County

Original Broadway Cast, 2014 Steven Pasquale Music by Jason Robert Brown

Ahahahsodhaskjfcasf this song gives me the FEELS. Steven Pasquale’s haunting vocals in Jason Robert Brown’s Bridges of Madison County leave us wanting more… and more… and more.

6. Come Back - Dogfight

Derek Klena singing "Come Back" from DOGFIGHT at the sold out Pasek & Paul in Concert & Dogfight CD Release party at Joe's Pub, New York City, May 15th, 2013. Dogfight is the musical based on the movie of the same name. Derek Klena originated the role of Corporal Eddie Birdlace.

Derek Klena, as US veteran Eddie Birdlace in Dogfight, vents about the harsh memories and inevitable heartbreak of the Vietnam War in “Come Back.” An early Pasek and Paul classic.

5. Johanna - Sweeney Todd

Jay Armstrong Johnson as Anthony Bryn Terfel as Sweeney Todd Audra McDonald as The Beggar Woman Erin Mackey as Johanna

Sue me. I love me some Sondheim. Who doesn’t?

4. Wait For It - Hamilton

Provided to YouTube by Warner Music Group Wait For It · Leslie Odom Jr. · Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton Hamilton ℗ 2015 Hamilton Uptown, LLC under exclusive license to Atlantic Recording Corporation Producer: Ahmir Thompson Conductor, Keyboards, Producer: Alex Lacamoire Orchestration: Alex Lacamoire Drums: Andres Forero Cello: Anja Wood Keyboards, Percussion: Benny Reiner Producer: Bill Sherman Violin: Erin Benim Mayland Keyboards: Kurt Crowley Harp: Laura Sherman Vocals: Leslie Odom, Jr.

Lin-Manuel Miranda is at the top of his game with Hamilton. Not many modern day musicals compare to this one. Here’s Tony Award winner Leslie Odom Jr. as American anti-hero Aaron Burr singing “Wait For It.”

3. Old Red Hills of Home - Parade

Provided to YouTube by Sony Music Entertainment Prologue: The Old Red Hills Of Home · Jeff Edgerton · Don Chastain · Parade Ensemble Parade (Original Broadway Cast Recording) ℗ 1999, BMG Music Released on: 1999-04-27 Composer, Lyricist: Jason Robert Brown Orchestrator: Don Sebesky / Don Sebesky / ドンセベスキー Associated Performer: Orchestra Mixing Engineer, Producer: Jeffrey Lesser Recording Engineer: Ed Rak Assistant Engineer: Keith Shortread Assistant Engineer: Pete Scriba Assistant Engineer: Suzanne Dyer Mastering Engineer: Greg Calbi Programmer: Bruce Samuels Auto-generated by YouTube.

I only allowed myself one song from Parade here… otherwise they would’ve taken up at least half of the list. I don’t care if the song is overdone or not. If you kill it, I will love you til the end of time.

2. Dust and Ashes - Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812

Exclusive music video from Broadway's The Great Comet. Josh Groban stars through July 2 only. Visit GreatCometBroadway.com.

I’ll say it now and I’ll probably say it again 1000 times over, but Great Comet of 1812 is one of the best musicals of all time. You mesh that together with Josh Groban and you get pure magic.

1. Barrett’s Song - Titanic

Barrett's Song from The Original Broadway Cast Recording of Titanic: A New Musical. (Track 7)

A very recent favorite of mine. Took me only 20 years to discover the OBC recording of Titanic and now its all I think about. A young Brian D’Arcy James nails it as Titanic stoker Frederick Barrett with Barrett’s Song. Maury Yeston’s finest work.

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