The Best Tony Award Winning Musicals

Updated November 21, 2020 8.7k votes 894 voters 24.7k views

List RulesBest musicals to have won a Tony Award for Best Musical, not just any award.

This list ranks the greatest musicals that have won the Tony Award for Best Musical, though many of these Broadway musicals have garnered multiple additional Tony Awards in other categories as well. Broadway musicals that’ve been honored with the Best Musical award include many that are instantly recognizable by fans around the world, including My Fair Lady and Annie. Thanks to their accolades and their recognizability, each musical on this list deserves a spot as one the best Tony Award winning musicals.

The Tony Awards were introduced in 1947, but it wasn’t until 1949 that the Best Musical category was introduced. That year, the show many people consider to be one of the greatest Broadway musicals of all time took the award: Kiss Me, Kate, based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and with music by Cole Porter. Since then, many amazing Broadway musicals have been handed the award, including Kinky Boots, which debuted on Broadway in 2013.

With so many great Broadway musicals, however, it isn’t always easy to choose the winner of the Tony each year. That was certainly the case in 1960, when The Sound of Music and Fiorello! tied for the top spot. Both Tony Award winning productions were so popular that they’ve subsequently been staged on Broadway multiple times, earning them each a spot on this list of the best Broadway musicals that have won the Tony.

This list contains all of the greatest winners of the Tony for Best Musical. If you’ve yet to see a few of these productions, don’t worry, they’re so popular that they’re sure to make it back to Broadway, and this list includes videos from these top Broadway musicals. Vote up the best Broadway musicals on the list below.

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1
353
131
Les Misérables
Claude-Michel Schönberg, Jean-Marc Natel
Characters: Jean Valjean, Javert, Fantine, Éponine, Monsieur Thénardier
Les Misérables, colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz is a sung-through musical based on... more on Wikipedia
2
208
91
Rent
Jonathan Larson
Characters: Mimi Marquez, Angel Dumott Schunard, Joanne Jefferson, Maureen Johnson, Tom Collins
Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson loosely based on Giacomo... more on Wikipedia
More Rent
#11 of 87 The Most Popular Broadway Musicals of All Time#28 of 190 The Greatest Musicals Ever Performed on Broadway, Ranked
3
292
136
Wicked
Stephen Schwartz , Winnie Holzman
Characters: Wicked Witch of the West, The Wizard, Glinda the Good Witch, Boq, Doctor Dillamond
Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen... more on Wikipedia
4
175
89
Chicago
Bob Fosse , Fred Ebb
Characters: Velma Kelly, Billy Flynn, Roxie Hart, Amos Hart, Matron "Mama" Morton
Chicago (Chicago: A Musical Vaudeville) is an American musical with music by John Kander,... more on Wikipedia
5
260
117
The Phantom of the Opera
Charles Hart, Richard Stilgoe
Characters: Erik, Christine Daaé, Carlotta, Viscount Raoul de Chagny, Madame Giry
The Phantom of the Opera is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles... more on Wikipedia
6
194
102
The Book of Mormon
Matt Stone, Trey Parker
Characters: Arnold Cunningham, Kevin Price, Nabulungi, General Butt-Fucking Naked, Elder McKinley
The Book of Mormon is a musical comedy. First staged in 2011, the play is a satirical... more on Wikipedia
7
138
74
Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Hugh Wheeler, Stephen Sondheim
Characters: Sweeney Todd, Judge Turpin, Adolfo Pirelli, Mrs. Lovett, Tobias Ragg
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a 1979 musical thriller with music and... more on Wikipedia
More Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
#1 of 34 The Best Broadway Musicals of the '70s#14 of 38 The Best Plays Based on Books

8
192
122
The Lion King
Mark Mancina, Elton John
Characters: Scar, Simba, Mufasa, Pumbaa, Nala
The Lion King is a musical based on the 1994 Walt Disney Animation Studios' animated feature... more on Wikipedia
9
116
60
Cabaret
Fred Ebb, John Kander
Characters: Fräulein Schneider, Sally Bowles, Fraulein Kost, Emcee, Clifford Bradshaw
Cabaret is a 1966 musical with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and book by Joe... more on Wikipedia
10
127
69
Newsies
Alan Menken , Jack Feldman
Newsies The Musical is a Disney Theatrical Productions stage musical based on the 1992 film... more on Wikipedia
11
147
84
The Sound of Music
Richard Rodgers, Russel Crouse
Characters: Fraulein Maria, Louisa von Trapp, Marta von Trapp, Gretl von Trapp, Kurt von Trapp
The Sound of Music is a multiple Tony Award-winning musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by... more on Wikipedia
12
122
68
In the Heights
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Quiara Alegría Hudes
Characters: Claudia, Graffiti Pete, Camila Rosario, Benny, Kevin Rosario
In the Heights is a musical with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and a book by Quiara... more on Wikipedia
13
124
79
Fiddler on the Roof
Sheldon Harnick, Jerry Bock
Characters: Tevye, Chava, Lazar Wolf, Tzeitel, Golde
Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book... more on Wikipedia
14
89
56
Avenue Q
Jeff Marx, Jeff Whitty
Characters: Trekkie Monster, Princeton, Mrs.Thistletwat, Christmas Eve, Nicky
Avenue Q is an American musical in two acts, conceived by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, who... more on Wikipedia
15
102
63
A Chorus Line
Edward Kleban, Nicholas Dante
Characters: Zach, Sheila Bryant, Greg Gardner, Mike Costa, Don Kerr
A Chorus Line is a musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban and a book... more on Wikipedia
16
227
42
Hamilton
Hamilton: An American Musical is a sung- and rapped-through musical about the life of American... more on Wikipedia
17
133
85
Hairspray
Scott Wittman, Marc Shaiman
Characters: Velma Von Tussle, Edna Turnblad, Little Inez, Seaweed J Stupps, Motormouth Maybelle
Hairspray is an American musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and... more on Wikipedia
18
137
39
Dear Evan Hansen
Dear Evan Hansen is a musical with music and lyrics by Pasek and Paul, and a book by Steven... more on Wikipedia
19
85
59
Evita
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice
Characters: Che Guevara, Eva Perón, Juan Perón, Perón's Mistress, Agustín Magaldi
Evita is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. It concentrates... more on Wikipedia
20
105
49
Heathers
21
79
44
Miss Saigon
Richard Maltby, Jr.
Characters: Christopher Scott, Kim, John Thomas, Tam, Gigi Van Tranh
Miss Saigon is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil... more on Wikipedia
22
97
77
My Fair Lady
Frederic Loewe, Alan Jay Lerner
Characters: Eliza Doolittle, Professor Henry Higgins, Alfred Doolittle, Mrs Higgins, Mrs. Pearce
My Fair Lady is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, with book and lyrics by... more on Wikipedia
23
75
52
The King and I
Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II
Characters: King Mongkut, Anna Leonowens, Louis Leonowens, Tuptim, The Kralahome
The King and I is the fifth musical by the team of composer Richard Rodgers and dramatist... more on Wikipedia
24
67
45
South Pacific
Richard Rodgers, Joshua Logan
Characters: Emile De Becque, Liat, Luther Billis, Bloody Mary, Capt. Brackett
South Pacific is a musical composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II... more on Wikipedia
25
80
54
Spring Awakening
Steven Sater, Duncan Sheik
Characters: Otto, Martha, Anna, Thea, Wendla Bergmann
Spring Awakening is a rock musical with music by Duncan Sheik and a book and lyrics by Steven... more on Wikipedia
More Spring Awakening
#6 of 49 Stage Musicals That Would Make Great Movies#8 of 45 The Greatest Musicals That Started Off-Broadway

The Book of Mormon

Avenue Q

Evita

Heathers

My Fair Lady