5 Jukebox Musicals We Need & 5 That Should Stay Away from Broadway
advertisement
VOICE OVER: Emily Brayton
WRITTEN BY: Arianna Wechter
Join us as we explore which musical catalogs deserve the theatrical spotlight, and which ones should stick to their day jobs. Get ready for drama, both onstage and off, as we break down the hits and misses! We're examining artists like Taylor Swift, Prince, Madonna, and Fleetwood Mac who could create theatrical magic, while explaining why others like Maroon 5 and Drake might want to keep their distance from the Great White Way. Which artist would you love to see on Broadway?
Welcome to MsMojo, and today were looking at artists whose discographies were made for theatrical adaptations and those that shouldnt touch the stage with a ten-foot pole.
While they may have a decent amount of hits in their catalog, that doesnt mean theyre destined for the stage. At its core, Maroon 5 is centered entirely around its frontman, Adam Levine meaning a biographical jukebox musical would ultimately be the same. Besides his infamous 2022 cheating accusations, there wouldnt be much to get into, which would result in the worlds most boring show. Even if they decided against the memoir route, most of their discography is so straightforward and radio-friendly that its practically impossible to craft a meaningful story around it. It would essentially be two acts of random, disconnected songs with no real meaning to them, a formula that would have everyone scrambling for a refund.
With his immense talent and ability to adapt to practically every genre, a show centered around his work would be legendary at the very least. Purple Rain gave us a taste of what a Prince-centered jukebox musical could be,but one spanning his 40+ year career may just revolutionize the concept as we know it. Whether its centered around his own life or a fictional character, the music would have the audience locked in from beginning to end. With his incredible emotionally driven ballads and funky party tunes, theres no shortage of choices that would lend itself to a compelling, award-winning story.
If we were to only focus on a small sliver of her career, then this would be a much different entry. Unfortunately, when you scale back to take all of Katy Perrys catalog into account, the probability of it making a good jukebox show shrinks. Even her best material would be hard to work into a plot, particularly hits like E.T. or Dark Horse that dont have much meaning to them. From the Witness era on, all bets are off. Several of her singles from that album and every one following it veer too far into campy territory, and would be impossible to take seriously. Even imagining a theatrical adaptation of Swish Swish or Womans World is laughable, and not in a good way.
If there was any artist whose work was made to be adapted into a fictional story, its hers. In fact, Janelle Monáe is one step ahead, with their first two bodies of work being centered around an alter ego from 2719 named Cindi Mayweather. Theres already plenty of lore surrounding the character, making her the perfect subject of a potential show. Thats only dipping a toe into Monáes worldbuilding. Even just imagining Cindi being implanted into the futuristic world of Dirty Computer and going on a romantic adventure with Jane 57821 is enough to make us wish this musical existed in real life. It would be a story full of poignancy, progressivism, and freedom, with a soundtrack that would have everyone dancing in their seats.
Hes the ultimate proof that popularity wouldnt equate to a compelling musical. His discography, while giant, doesnt have too many hard-hitting tracks. Even his more emotional songs dont have much substance to them, which would make any show fall flat in response. While a hip-hop jukebox act could be refreshing, his catalog leans too far into pop to succeed in that vein. His own life wouldnt lend itself well to a biographical story, unless we want endless scenes about flexing wealth or the pitfalls of love. Ironically, the one facet of his career that would make for an interesting plot would be his feuds with other rappers but even then, he and his music would take a backseat to theirs.
Even if you ignored their musical output entirely, their inter-band drama is so intense that it could span across a whole series of shows. Both Fleetwood Macs work and personal lives were made for the stage, and the two intertwined would be otherworldly. Angry tracks like The Chain and Go Your Own Way would make for the perfect accompaniment to the decay of their romantic relationships and the band as a whole, while ballads like Landslide would have the audience weeping in their seats. They arent the only ones whose tumultuous times would adapt well to the stage. The on-stage threats between members of Eagles leads us to believe that their musical would be just as juicy.
Theyre the very definition of co-worker music, and while theres nothing inherently wrong with that, it wouldnt create a very fun show, either. Imagine Dragons repetitive sound and lyricism has earned them plenty of criticism from listeners and critics alike. As such, it goes without saying that their work is too generic and their come-up too easy to be made into even the simplest of stories. Even their more intense songs are lacking in any real grit, making them come across as inauthentic and corny two traits no one wants to see in their jukebox musical. While their work certainly has a place within the music industry as a whole, it doesnt have one in theatre.
The queen of pops reign would translate perfectly to the stage. While a show spanning her decades-long career would be interesting enough on its own, one that peppered her work into a fictional story would be just as enthralling. Separating her discography from her larger-than-life persona would allow the emotional and political themes to shine. Songs like Papa Dont Preach and American Life would make for excellent angry moments akin to Dont Rain on My Parade or Could I Leave You?, whereas celebratory, joyful tracks like Holiday or Material Girl would be perfect for ensemble numbers. Any combination of Madonnas discography could create a compelling story, making her the perfect choice for a jukebox musical.
Before we unveil our top picks, here are a few honorable and dishonorable mentions.
A nu metal-inspired jukebox show could be interesting as long as the soundtrack was provided by practically any other band. Limp Bizkits music is so aggressive that a two-act musical centered around them would just become exhausting to listen to and watch. Were not even sure what a story inspired by them or their music would even look like, but we can only imagine it would end in the front rows being converted into a mosh pit. Though it would be interesting to see such a specific subgenre adapted into a more theatrical tone, there are other groups whose discographies would make for a much better selection than the guys behind Nookie and Break Stuff.
Theres no modern artist whose work is better suited to the stage. Her catalog is intensely personal and autobiographical, with plenty of lore infused into it. Her rapid rise in fame combined with her tumultuous private and public life would make for a gripping autobiographical tale, with plenty of bops to accompany it. However, her work is also perfect for a fictional show. The characters introduced on Folklore are already fleshed-out and layered, with fully realized arcs that any devoted Swiftie or casual listener would be enthralled by. No matter which iteration would be made, the crowd would be in for a perfect collection of quill, fountain pen, and of course, glitter gel pen lyrics.
Which star would you love to see adapted into a jukebox musical? Let us know in the comments below!
#5: Should Stay Away: Maroon 5
While they may have a decent amount of hits in their catalog, that doesnt mean theyre destined for the stage. At its core, Maroon 5 is centered entirely around its frontman, Adam Levine meaning a biographical jukebox musical would ultimately be the same. Besides his infamous 2022 cheating accusations, there wouldnt be much to get into, which would result in the worlds most boring show. Even if they decided against the memoir route, most of their discography is so straightforward and radio-friendly that its practically impossible to craft a meaningful story around it. It would essentially be two acts of random, disconnected songs with no real meaning to them, a formula that would have everyone scrambling for a refund.
#5: Would Make a Great Show: Prince
With his immense talent and ability to adapt to practically every genre, a show centered around his work would be legendary at the very least. Purple Rain gave us a taste of what a Prince-centered jukebox musical could be,but one spanning his 40+ year career may just revolutionize the concept as we know it. Whether its centered around his own life or a fictional character, the music would have the audience locked in from beginning to end. With his incredible emotionally driven ballads and funky party tunes, theres no shortage of choices that would lend itself to a compelling, award-winning story.
#4: Should Stay Away: Katy Perry
If we were to only focus on a small sliver of her career, then this would be a much different entry. Unfortunately, when you scale back to take all of Katy Perrys catalog into account, the probability of it making a good jukebox show shrinks. Even her best material would be hard to work into a plot, particularly hits like E.T. or Dark Horse that dont have much meaning to them. From the Witness era on, all bets are off. Several of her singles from that album and every one following it veer too far into campy territory, and would be impossible to take seriously. Even imagining a theatrical adaptation of Swish Swish or Womans World is laughable, and not in a good way.
#4: Would Make a Great Show: Janelle Monáe
If there was any artist whose work was made to be adapted into a fictional story, its hers. In fact, Janelle Monáe is one step ahead, with their first two bodies of work being centered around an alter ego from 2719 named Cindi Mayweather. Theres already plenty of lore surrounding the character, making her the perfect subject of a potential show. Thats only dipping a toe into Monáes worldbuilding. Even just imagining Cindi being implanted into the futuristic world of Dirty Computer and going on a romantic adventure with Jane 57821 is enough to make us wish this musical existed in real life. It would be a story full of poignancy, progressivism, and freedom, with a soundtrack that would have everyone dancing in their seats.
#3: Should Stay Away: Drake
Hes the ultimate proof that popularity wouldnt equate to a compelling musical. His discography, while giant, doesnt have too many hard-hitting tracks. Even his more emotional songs dont have much substance to them, which would make any show fall flat in response. While a hip-hop jukebox act could be refreshing, his catalog leans too far into pop to succeed in that vein. His own life wouldnt lend itself well to a biographical story, unless we want endless scenes about flexing wealth or the pitfalls of love. Ironically, the one facet of his career that would make for an interesting plot would be his feuds with other rappers but even then, he and his music would take a backseat to theirs.
#3: Would Make a Great Show: Fleetwood Mac
Even if you ignored their musical output entirely, their inter-band drama is so intense that it could span across a whole series of shows. Both Fleetwood Macs work and personal lives were made for the stage, and the two intertwined would be otherworldly. Angry tracks like The Chain and Go Your Own Way would make for the perfect accompaniment to the decay of their romantic relationships and the band as a whole, while ballads like Landslide would have the audience weeping in their seats. They arent the only ones whose tumultuous times would adapt well to the stage. The on-stage threats between members of Eagles leads us to believe that their musical would be just as juicy.
#2: Should Stay Away: Imagine Dragons
Theyre the very definition of co-worker music, and while theres nothing inherently wrong with that, it wouldnt create a very fun show, either. Imagine Dragons repetitive sound and lyricism has earned them plenty of criticism from listeners and critics alike. As such, it goes without saying that their work is too generic and their come-up too easy to be made into even the simplest of stories. Even their more intense songs are lacking in any real grit, making them come across as inauthentic and corny two traits no one wants to see in their jukebox musical. While their work certainly has a place within the music industry as a whole, it doesnt have one in theatre.
#2: Would Make a Great Show: Madonna
The queen of pops reign would translate perfectly to the stage. While a show spanning her decades-long career would be interesting enough on its own, one that peppered her work into a fictional story would be just as enthralling. Separating her discography from her larger-than-life persona would allow the emotional and political themes to shine. Songs like Papa Dont Preach and American Life would make for excellent angry moments akin to Dont Rain on My Parade or Could I Leave You?, whereas celebratory, joyful tracks like Holiday or Material Girl would be perfect for ensemble numbers. Any combination of Madonnas discography could create a compelling story, making her the perfect choice for a jukebox musical.
Before we unveil our top picks, here are a few honorable and dishonorable mentions.
Would Make a Great Show: Lady Gaga
From The Fame to Mayhem, Her Catalog Is Full of Theatrical Power-HittersShould Stay Away: Bon Jovi
Great Music, but Their Show Would Be Too Similar to Shows Like Rock of AgesWould Make a Great Show: Mumford & Sons
Their Folk Sound & Existential Themes Would Make an Understated Show Akin to OnceShould Stay Away: Pitbull
While Fun, His Party-Themed Tunes Could Never Be Adapted Into an Actual StoryWould Make a Great Show: Panic! At the Disco
Both The Bands History & Discography Were Destined for the Stage#1: Should Stay Away: Limp Bizkit
A nu metal-inspired jukebox show could be interesting as long as the soundtrack was provided by practically any other band. Limp Bizkits music is so aggressive that a two-act musical centered around them would just become exhausting to listen to and watch. Were not even sure what a story inspired by them or their music would even look like, but we can only imagine it would end in the front rows being converted into a mosh pit. Though it would be interesting to see such a specific subgenre adapted into a more theatrical tone, there are other groups whose discographies would make for a much better selection than the guys behind Nookie and Break Stuff.
#1: Would Make a Great Show: Taylor Swift
Theres no modern artist whose work is better suited to the stage. Her catalog is intensely personal and autobiographical, with plenty of lore infused into it. Her rapid rise in fame combined with her tumultuous private and public life would make for a gripping autobiographical tale, with plenty of bops to accompany it. However, her work is also perfect for a fictional show. The characters introduced on Folklore are already fleshed-out and layered, with fully realized arcs that any devoted Swiftie or casual listener would be enthralled by. No matter which iteration would be made, the crowd would be in for a perfect collection of quill, fountain pen, and of course, glitter gel pen lyrics.
Which star would you love to see adapted into a jukebox musical? Let us know in the comments below!
Sign in
to access this feature