Top 20 Songs You Should NEVER Audition With

It might be the moment for Jekyll, but it is most certainly not the moment for you. “This Is the Moment” from “Jekyll & Hyde” is a gorgeous song, and we can certainly understand why you would want to give it a shot in an audition setting. But “This Is the Moment” is a song that’s really all about the build – the song grows so seamlessly and fits together so well, it might be difficult to find the perfect moment to start your sixteen measures. Furthermore, by the time you get to the end of the song, you’ve got a couple pretty high notes and a lot of sustained ones. Remember, you’ve just got the one shot, so pick something you’re certain to slay.

He’s a very nice prince - this much we know - but is this a very nice audition song? The jury is out. In general, songs by the great Stephen Sondheim are usually best avoided - in fact, you’ll see him again on this list. His music can be really tough to sight read, and if you want the accompanist to like you, it’s best to steer clear. But more than that, “On the Steps of the Palace” is a difficult song to nail on the first try and under pressure. Sondheim uses strange intervals in his songs often, and this one is no different.

Come on, you all know the tune – it’s impossible not to sing along when you hear those famous first notes come in. But, a catchy tune does not a great audition song make. There’s no doubt that “If I Were a Rich Man” is one of the most famous songs in the musical canon – and pretty well known as a reworked pop song, too – but it’s probably something a lot of casting directors have heard one or two times too many. You want to stand out in an audition and pick something that won’t make the casting director think of anyone else, even if that someone else is Gwen Stefani.

We’ve all definitely belted out the notes to “Let It Go” in the shower, or perhaps driving in our cars. But, if we’re being honest, it’s probably best the song stays out of the audition room. “Frozen” was so unimaginably popular when it came out in 2013, and Idina Menzel’s rendition of “Let It Go” was practically inescapable. The casting director you’re auditioning for has definitely heard this more times than necessary – and a few of those times have probably been from a very loud child. Best to just let this one go.

Just remember – not EVERYTHING goes in an audition. “Anything Goes” is an incredibly catchy number, and certainly a perfect choice for a quick dance or tap audition if that’s what you’re going in for. But, it’s not necessarily the most impressive song to SING, which is what we’re focused on today. When you’re picking the perfect audition song, you want something that’s going to show off your vocal strengths, and we think there are probably other songs from “Anything Goes” that would do that better than the titular number. Plus, you’d be competing with the likes of Sutton Foster and Patti LuPone – who wants to do that?

The last time this song fared well in an audition was probably 2009 when Susan Boyle sang it on “Britain’s Got Talent.” But it’s certainly been downhill since then. If “I Dreamed a Dream” wasn’t the most recognizable song from “Les Misérables” before Boyle cranked it out for Simon Cowell, it certainly is now. It’s a little overly emotional if you’re not particularly prepared to hone that sadness, and a LOT oversung in an audition room. Our advice if you want to nail the audition? Quit dreamin’ that dream, and pick another song.

For a lot of us, “Rent” is the reason we know how many minutes are in a year, and was probably our introduction to musical theatre. But don’t let that nostalgia factor take over you in an audition; leave this one alone. “Seasons of Love” is a great song, no doubt – but it’s not the most musically interesting solo you could pick, and doesn’t give you too much to work with as an actor in an audition. Plus, once again, it’s a song that everyone and their mom has heard 525,600 times – or probably more. Be unique! Pick something else.

It’s a given, but an important one! Choosing a song from the show you’re auditioning for can go wrong for so many reasons. The team watching you audition probably already has a certain creative approach in mind for the show, and if you miss the mark with a song from the show, they might feel like you’re not the right fit. Also, if you audition with a song from the show, you’re probably going to pick a song for a role you want. Doing this might pigeonhole you in the director’s mind, and they might not consider you for something else. Your best bet is to go with a similar style, but avoid anything from the show itself.

We all know “Wicked”: an iconic show with iconic performances... that should definitely be avoided in the audition room. We almost went with “Popular” for this entry – which you should probably also avoid – but “Defying Gravity” is really the one to avoid. With that said, if you know for a fact that you can absolutely nail this number on the first run, we won’t stop you. But, when you’re following in the footsteps of Idina Menzel, Stephanie J. Block, and the like – you better be sure of your skills under pressure. It’s always best to avoid anything with such high standards already set.

If we’re being realistic, you should probably avoid anything from “Phantom of the Opera” like the plague! It’s overdone, it’s over the top, and it’s tough to nail when you’re nervous. But, if we had to pick one song to throw by the wayside, we’ll go with “Think of Me”. It’s Christine’s first big solo in the show, and with that stature comes a lot of pressure. The song involves a ton of vocal leaps, stays pretty high for the entirety of its run, and has one of the most difficult outros we’ve ever heard. If you absolutely must do “Think of Me”, just promise us you won’t tackle that ending, alright?

As soon as the “Hamilton” cast recording became available for mass consumption, every director in the musical theater world just knew they’d be hearing the songs at auditions for years to come. In fact, in just a few short years, many “Hamilton” songs became ones to avoid. We definitely think you should leave “Burn” on the cutting room floor, but nothing’s worse than picking “Satisfied”. And it’s always best to leave songs created for actors of color to the performers they’re intended for. But, even if the song is right for you, “Satisfied” is one that’s tough to perfect. With its combination of belting, rapping, and acting, you need to be positive that you can absolutely kill it!

If you want to be on your own, outside the audition room, lamenting your choice in song, by all means – pick this one! Rachel Berry might have made it into the glee club with this, but that doesn’t mean you will. “On My Own” might be one song in “Les Misérables” that could beat “I Dreamed a Dream” for the most overdone audition song. And when you pick a song that’s probably been sung a multitude of times that day, you run the risk of not being the best at it. And we want you to be the best!

We’ve spent a lot of this list talking about “Les Mis.” With its big emotions and grand musical stylings, theatre kids all over the world fell in love with the show at an early age. But just because you love something doesn’t mean you should bring it into the audition room. “Bring Him Home” may not be the most overdone “Les Mis” song, but it’s still probably best to leave it out of the equation. The song requires such a strong start, right in those first few notes, that if you’re even the least bit nervous, it’s bound to show. Instead, go with something that gives you a little more breathing room. Literally.

We almost went with the emotional “Words Fail,” but we’re keeping it classic with “Waving Through a Window.” Sometimes, it’s a great idea to sing a song from a newer musical for an audition. It’s modern, it’s fresh, and not a ton of people have had the chance to sing it yet. But, in the case of some songs from “Dear Evan Hansen,” that might not be the best choice. Ben Platt really blows this song out of the water, and it’s the most popular song in this very popular show. If you’re some secret savant, by all means, be our guest. As a general rule, though, it’s always better to avoid the ones with iconic performances attached to them.

Talk about an earworm – and if you’re a casting director (or a human being, really), probably one you don’t want to have rattling around your head all day. “Tomorrow” from “Annie” is a fun song to sing when you’re a kid, and probably used to be a great audition song for little kids – until it became so incredibly overdone. It’s possible you still might have the pluck to make that casting director crack a smile, but odds are they won’t be quite as endeared as Franklin Delano Roosevelt, as they’ve already heard the song too many times.

If Ben Platt is strongly tied to Evan Hansen, Barbra Streisand is basically married to Fanny Bryce. Thus, pretty much everything she sings in the musical “Funny Girl” should be avoided – and none more so than “Don’t Rain on My Parade”. When you’re going into an audition, you want to make sure you stand out, while also showing off what you can do. The last thing you want is to be compared to someone who’s not even auditioning for the role. And, unfortunately, if you choose “Don’t Rain on My Parade”, it’s going to be near impossible not to compare you to Babs.

Ah, Sondheim... In any other context, we’d be raving about how much we love his difficult and unique arrangements. When it comes to an audition room, however, you need the accompanist on your side from the get-go. So, you should probably avoid incredibly difficult-to-play songs like “Another Hundred People,” but you should DEFINITELY avoid masterpieces like “Being Alive”. Not only does it have that signature Sondheim stamp of complexity, but it’s near-impossible to separate yourself from the master himself. Unless you can blow it out of the water, people will likely leave talking about how good Sondheim is rather than how good you are.

If there was ever a song that was so incredibly associated with one performer, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” would be it. Jennifer Holliday wiped the floor with this number when she first sang it, and has continued to do so every time she’s performed it since. Jennifer Hudson also did an amazing job in the “Dreamgirls” movie in 2006, but this role is still, to this day, immediately associated with Holliday. Those are two really tough comparisons, and the song is pretty difficult to sing and emote through anyway. Our advice? Leave it to the pros.

Every musical theater kid worth their salt loves a good Jason Robert Brown tune. Which means his songs are frequently used in auditions. Emphasis on the ‘frequent’. We can guarantee your casting director has already heard everything from “The Last Five Years” and probably most of “Songs for a New World” that day – maybe twice. Plus, like Sondheim, Jason Robert Brown pieces are incredibly hard to sight-read. You don’t want to be a Cathy in this situation and make the pianist hate you, so might as well choose something else.

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

“She Used to Be Mine,” “Waitress”
This Used to Be Yours, but Not Anymore

“Mama Who Bore Me,” “Spring Awakening”
Mama Don’t Sing Me

“Dead Girl Walking,” “Heathers: the Musical”
You’ll Be a Dead Girl Walking if You Sing This

“This Is Me,” “The Greatest Showman” (2017)
This Is Not You

“Maybe This Time,” “Cabaret”
Maybe This Time, Maybe Not

There was really only one choice for the number one spot – you knew it, we knew it… . Sure, it’s an absolutely gorgeous song and, without a doubt, the most beautiful song in the show but, let’s be real, that’s not exactly a unique opinion. And, you definitely wouldn’t be the first person to take it into an audition. Besides being overdone, this song requires a ton of emotional investment. You can’t just sing “Memory”, you have to feel it! The show is literally about cats, so getting the audience to care about the characters takes some serious acting chops. Our best advice? Let the cat keep your tongue if you’re planning to audition with this one!