Top 10 Most Emotional Singing Performances in Movies

Top 10 Most Emotional Singing Performances in Movies

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most stirring and powerful moments where movie characters break into song. For this list, we’re sticking to songs that are sung in the universe of the film, so beware of potential spoilers ahead.

#10: “I Dreamed a Dream”
“Les Misérables” (2012)

The cast of this epic Broadway adaptation was tasked with singing live on set instead of lip syncing to a backing track. It’s a major risk. But it pays off in Oscar winner Anne Hathaway’s big number. Playing the impoverished and hopeless Fantine, Hathaway makes one of Broadway’s most famous ballads her own. She doesn’t just play the grief and hopelessness of the song. She is also angry at the way her life has turned out, and the camera lingers on all of it. The result is a riveting experience that brings us to our knees.

#9: “This Is Me”
“The Greatest Showman” (2017)

The Hugh Jackman-led P.T. Barnum musical made a lot of money, and has won over many audiences. Its soundtrack, and this tune in particular, is a major reason why. “This Is Me” is a forward-driving, pop chart-friendly theme of empowerment and self-love led by Keala Settle, who plays Barnum’s bearded lady. The soaring choir and overwhelming percussion move us, while Settle’s voice beautifully rises over it all to cut right to the song’s core. When she sings, she believes it — and so do we. In a lot of ways, “This Is Me” captures the story’s heart, and we have Settle to thank for that.

#8: “I Will Always Love You”
“The Bodyguard” (1992)

The private plane is pulling away. Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner’s characters have said their goodbyes. Their romance will just be a memory. Then, pop star Rachel Marron stops the aircraft, rushing to give loyal bodyguard one final embrace. Throughout, Whitney’s “I Will Always Love You” begins playing. The scene shifts, and we see the star performing the number like the powerhouse she is. Her take on the Dolly Parton song would have been amazing as just a single. Yet being able to see her embody it in character amps up the stakes, further cementing it in our memory. Bittersweet and devastating, the rendition will forever be part of movie history.

#7: “The Edge of Night”
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” (2003)

The epic scope and spectacle of Peter Jackson’s trilogy is definitely moving, but few moments could make a grown nerd cry like “The Edge of Night.” Famed for their many battle scenes, “The Lord of the Ring” movies never fail to deliver on drama, action, and violence. But in the third film, “Return of the King,” Jackson slows things down to let us take in the depressing reality of war. The hobbit, Pippin, solemnly sings “The Edge of Night” while the cruel and callous Denethor gorges himself. Actor Billy Boyd’s voice then echoes as Denethor’s son, Faramir, and his men are needlessly brutalized in battle. It’s one of the trilogy’s most measured, graceful, and devastating moments.

#6: “Edelweiss”
“The Sound of Music” (1965)

Faced with either joining the Nazi Party or having to leave their homeland of Austria, the von Trapps tug at our heartstrings by performing “Edelweiss” at a festival. Realizing this may be the last time he’ll see his home, Captain von Trapp begins to falter, only to be helped by Maria, his children, and the audience. The gentle lullaby of a song becomes a powerful note of defiance against the fascist tide. The moment is extra poignant, since the tune also helped unify the family earlier in the story. It may not be actor Christopher Plummer’s singing voice we hear, but he and playback singer Bill Lee give us the movie’s most beautiful moment.

#5: “Tiny Dancer”
“Almost Famous” (2000)

Following an aspiring music writer as he joins rock band Stillwater on tour, “Almost Famous” is a story of excess and camaraderie. Perhaps its most famous scene occurs when everyone is on the bus, not speaking a word to one another. But Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” is playing on the radio, and soon, that shifts the entire dynamic. The tune breaks the ice, as each individual begins singing along. Music allows them all to reconnect, and bond over the pure joy that music provides. It’s hard to stay composed as we watch the exuberant, cathartic display.

#4: “Let It Be”
“Across the Universe” (2007)

Two storylines, one about the Vietnam War and one about the 1967 Detroit riots, converge in this 2007 Beatles jukebox musical. The funerals of two young people are juxtaposed while Carol Woods and Timothy T. Mitchum sing a gospel rendition of “Let It Be.” The scene takes what is already one of the Beatles’ most stirring and spiritual songs, and launches it into the stratosphere. It’s packed with power and raw emotion. Woods and Mitchum make brief appearances, but their choir-backed duet is what you’ll be thinking about long after the credits roll.

#3: “My Man”
“Funny Girl” (1968)

In this 1968 classic, Barbra Streisand once again assumes the role she played on Broadway to glorious effect. The climax finds entertainer Fanny Brice abandoned by the man she loves, whose gambling problem and shady business dealings have landed him in prison. Though she sticks by him, they part upon his return – but that doesn’t change how she feels. “My Man” is a classic torch song. Brice is on stage, but the way the scene is filmed makes us forget there are people watching her – it’s just her, the darkness, and us. Of course, Streisand nails Brice’s devotion in the face of all the reasons she should forget him, gutting us in the process. It’s no wonder she got the Oscar.

#2: “And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going”
“Dreamgirls” (2006)

Broadway fans waited over twenty years to see “Dreamgirls” come to the silver screen, but it was worth it. The moment Effie White is foisted out of the girl group she helped start, abandoned by her friends, and betrayed by her lover, is particularly poignant. When Jennifer Hudson launches into the big number, she brings it to life in a way that gives us major goosebumps. Every word is felt, every note is magnetic, and every minute is absolute magic. The pure emotion permeating Hudson’s moment is impossible to ignore, and never fails to get the tears flowing.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Moon River,” “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961)
Audrey Hepburn’s Wispy Voice & Guitar Strumming Make an Unforgettable Movie Moment

“La Marseillaise,” “Casablanca” (1942)
Rick Blaine’s Customers Defy the German Officers by Singing the French National Anthem

“Wise Up,” “Magnolia” (1999)
A Group of Struggling People Sing Along to This Aimee Mann Song

“Llorando,” “Mulholland Drive” (2001)
A Haunting & Surreal Performance

“Falling Slowly,” “Once” (2007)
Two Musicians Fall in Love Over a Song

#1: “Over the Rainbow”
“The Wizard of Oz” (1939)

Judy Garland had a powerful voice, but the real power came in her ability to channel pure emotion through it, like she did in “Meet Me in St. Louis.” Her singing in “The Wizard of Oz” is the best example of this phenomenon. Dorothy Gale is just a girl who dreams of getting away from her family’s farm, and “Over the Rainbow” is her wondering where she belongs. As Garland looks to the sky, she sings what has since become one of Hollywood’s most touching and elegant songs. Her interpretation is beyond reproach, with her character’s innocence and hopefulness still resonating with people all over the world.

Which of these performances had you clutching your tissues? Tell us in the comments.