Top 30 Hauntingly Beautiful Songs in Broadway Musicals

#30: “Being Alive”

“Company”

Sondheim is a master at tapping into the deep emotional core that makes his characters feel so real. Take Bobby, who’s spent a lifetime dodging true love and real connection because being that open, that vulnerable, is terrifying. But as “Being Alive” unfolds, that wall starts to crumble. Bobby admits that as daunting as intimacy is, it’s exactly what he (or she) wants. The melody soars, the grip on your heart tightens, and at its center is something achingly human. Whether you’re a hopeless romantic or more like Bobby, the longing to be loved and the fear of letting someone in is universal. Just try listening to this song without feeling it in your soul.

#29: “With You”

“Ghost”

Based on the 1990 movie of the same name, this is the moment where Molly truly shares her grief with the audience but of course she’s singing to Sam, which makes this all that much more heartbreaking. The melody starts softly, wrapping audiences in a sadness and disbelief that anyone who’s faced loss will recognize. The music swells gradually pulling us deeper into Molly’s mind, heart and soul until we feel everything she does. The lyrics tell her story, but it’s the way the performer delivers them, and how the melody grows, that makes her pain hit even harder. It’s tender, it’s gut-wrenching, and it stays with you long after the final note fades.

#28: “Far From The Home I Love”

“Fiddler on the Roof”

Among many things, “Fiddler on the Roof” is about a father struggling to reconcile his people’s traditions with the fast-changing modern world his daughters are embracing. In this song, his second-oldest, Hodel, tells him she must leave Anatevka, the only home she’s ever known, to join her exiled fiancé in Siberia. The song is filled with fear, sadness, and fragile hope as Hodel pours her heart out to her father. It’s about so much more than just leaving her village; it’s about stepping into uncertainty and the struggle of letting go of the familiar, even when it’s the right thing to do. The song ends with them facing a goodbye that could last forever.

#27: “Tell Me On a Sunday”

“Tell Me On a Sunday”

You might not expect Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black to team up on a one-woman show, but here it is. It follows a British woman chasing love and success in the US, though, as always, life has other plans. The performer sings of an imminent breakup, and while it feels inevitable, she imagines all the little ways her partner might soften the blow. In a world where breakups often feel brutal and dehumanizing, it’s hard not to get swept up in images of nice days at the zoo or the circus. Each lyric reveals a heavy heart and something piercingly intimate. She’s clinging to the last pieces of something that’s slipping away.

#26: “For Good”

“Wicked”

Ah, the song that makes us all want to hug our besties a little tighter. At the end of Act One, Elphaba and Glinda part ways, and their subsequent choices push them even further apart. But with a mob now closing in, they finally open up about how much they’ve shaped each other’s lives. Their voices move between tension and harmony, sometimes tangled, sometimes soaring, but always mirroring their complicated feelings. As the song builds, their voices come together in one clear, powerful note. This shift from complex emotion to a single, pure sound brings their friendship full circle, making the song’s farewell incredibly moving and ensuring it will stay with you “For Good.”

#25: “Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)”

“Jesus Christ Superstar”

This marks the first time Jesus’ faith falters. Not in some cosmic theological way, but in a way that makes his story relatable to everyone, no matter their background. Here’s a man who, like all of us, wrestles with doubt, weakness, and unbearable loneliness. The musical centers on that very human fragility, inviting us to empathize with him deeply. It turns a religious tale into a universal story about a man under crushing pressure, facing an uncertain future, and the heavy burden of leadership. It demands everything from the performer, both vocally and emotionally. By the end, Jesus’s quiet defeat hangs in the air. It's haunting, it's chilling, and it's unforgettable.

#24: “Not While I'm Around”

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”

On the surface, this song is a simple, beautiful ballad of love and protection. Tobias sings with gentle devotion, promising to keep Mrs. Lovett safe, totally unaware she’s part of the very danger from which he wants to protect her. Even so, there is such beauty in his wide-eyed innocence. When Mrs. Lovett joins in, the tone shifts subtly. While Tobias may hear warmth and care, the music whispers something darker lurking in the shadows. The promise of protection, wrapped in soft, sweet melody, turns chilling once we realize Mrs. Lovett’s true intentions. That clash between innocent sound and twisted truth creates a gripping tension, making the song both magnetic and deeply unsettling.

#23: “Memory”

“Cats”

Grizabella the Glamour Cat has mostly been on the sidelines, pushed away by the others. But in “Memory,” she finally steps into the spotlight. The song starts quietly, with a slow, soft melody that reflects her pain and longing. Then, a younger cat’s clear, higher voice breaks through with its own verse, bringing a delicate thread of hope through the sorrow. However, what sticks with us is how Grizabella pours out everything she’s held inside for so long, the loss, the regret, and the desperate need for a second chance. It all crashes out in a powerful crescendo that grabs your heart. No wonder this song has clawed its way into everyone’s soul.

#22: “I’d Give My Life for You”

“Miss Saigon”

Rooted in Puccini’s tragic opera “Madama Butterfly,” “Miss Saigon” is full of hauntingly beautiful songs. But “I’d Give My Life For You” stands apart. Kim is so young, yet already worn down by hardship, and her son Tam is her only light. She pledges to do whatever it takes to give him the life she never had. The melody reflects a mother's love; deep, strong, tender, and growing fiercer by the moment. What makes the song truly haunting is the dramatic irony. The audience knows, or at least fears, that Kim will follow through on her vow. It’s this mix of pure love and looming tragedy that gives the song its unforgettable, gut-punching power.

#21: “Those You’ve Known”

“Spring Awakening”

In a soundtrack full of teenage angst, a few songs stand out as heartbreakingly beautiful yet deeply unsettling. “Those You’ve Known” tops that list. Melchior is haunted by the spirits of friends who got caught between generations that didn’t understand each other and paid the ultimate price for it. Moritz and Wendla urge him to keep living and tell their stories. The trio’s voices intertwine in delicate counterpoint, threading the past and present into one stirring moment. The bittersweet harmonies, haunting arrangements, and unforgettable vocal performances combine to create a number that leaves us with chills for days. Melchior ends alone, his voice carrying hope and the promise to keep their memories alive.

#20: “Why”

“tick, tick... BOOM!”

Jonathan Larson’s semi-autobiographical musical premiered Off-Broadway several years after his premature death. He left his mark with “Rent,” but “tick, tick... BOOM!” is a personal piece about his attempts to make a name for himself in the artform he loved. His character Jon’s solo near the end of the show charts his obsession with trying to get better. Given all he’s had to sacrifice, he wonders if he’s cut out for this career after all. “Over and over ‘til we get it right,” he repeats throughout the song. “Why”’s repetitive structure keeps winding up and righting itself as it starts to go off track, mirroring the composer’s approach to his art, career, and ultimately, his life.

#19: “The Light in the Piazza”

“The Light in the Piazza”

A lot of the classic musical love songs are naive and pretty. The title song from “The Light in the Piazza” is so full of happiness it feels dangerous, and therein lies its power. Clara, the character who sings it, has fallen in love with Fabrizio, a young Italian man, much to the dismay of her overprotective mother. The way she describes her feelings sounds like a person who’s sure she’s flying too close to the sun and doesn’t care. Composer and lyricist Adam Guettel’s music is elegant but frantic. Certain sections sound like individual instruments spinning out, following their own emotional tangents before coming back together, and it’s breathtaking.

#18: “Sunday”

“Sunday in the Park with George”

This Sondheim musical is inspired by the life of Georges Seurat and the creation of his painting, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” “Sunday” is a song that first appears at the end of Act I, as George brings harmony to the disparate parts of his painting. The ringing of the ensemble’s voices sounds like waves of endless music, and it’s a gorgeous piece that takes us into intermission feeling moved. The reprise, for its part, comes at the very end of the show, and is just as hauntingly beautiful, sending audiences back into the real world in inspiring fashion. Both versions of the song speak to the power of art, and are sure to echo for many generations to appreciate.

#17: “Momma Look Sharp”

“1776”

It may not be “Hamilton,” but this often overlooked musical about the Second Continental Congress features some haunting and foreboding moments. Throughout the show, an army courier briefly appears to bring updates from the battlefield. In the second act, he describes how his two best friends died on the same day at Lexington. “Momma Look Sharp” is his one and only number. The lyrics describe a young soldier calling out for his mother as he lays dying in the grass. We’ve spent lots of the musical listening to the congressmen battle and complain about the heat in Philadelphia, but it’s the first time the reality of the war comes crashing in on us.

#16: “Right This Way”

“Bandstand”

Reviving the old-fashioned, Big Band sound of the 1940s, this post-World War II musical finds a band made up of veterans trying to make it big. The bandleader and pianist, Donny Novitski, enters them into a national competition. However, once they win the state competition, they realize they’ll have to pay their way to the national finals. Short on cash, Donny tries to unite his bandmates through “Right This Way”. The song’s optimism and brass-and-drums are nothing short of powerful. He’s not a man who feels entitled to anything, but he knows they deserve to be recognized for their talent, if not everything they gave up. It’s not the only breathtaking number, either, as we later feel the soldiers’ repressed pain leftover from the war.

#15: “Bring Him Home”

“Les Misérables”

Given the title, it’s not surprising how many characters in this epic musical are suffering. Its most famous and spine-tingling songs deal with lost hopes, unrequited love, survivor’s guilt, and revolution. “Bring Him Home” is like a prayer in musical form. Self-sacrificing Jean Valjean has camped out with a group of young revolutionaries to protect Marius, the man his adoptive daughter loves. As night falls and their chances of survival dim, Valjean asks a higher power to protect Marius. Its religious overtones and allusions to “home” make it a number that has implications that stretch far beyond the musical’s plot.

#14: “Lead Us Out of the Night”

“Come from Away”

The population of Gander, Newfoundland is suddenly doubled when 38 airplanes are forced to land there when the American airspace is suddenly closed without explanation. Chaos ensues until everyone learns of the 9/11 attacks. This brief, but heartbreaking song captures the moment the American passengers catch up with the rest of the world. Throughout, they can only watch while they worry for their loved ones and pray for the missing, the dead, and the grieving. What the musical does so well is capture the confusion of that time, which can be forgotten some two decades on, now that the details have become known.

#13: “Johanna”

“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”

Anthony is a sailor who, despite having seen the world, feels most at home in London. When he sees Johanna, the lovely ward of the sadistic Judge Turpin, he decides he loves her. Seeing her as something of a caged bird, he vows to steal her away. His promises that he’ll always be beside her, in the dark, buried in her hair, do give stalker vibes if you look at it through that lens. But even assuming the purest intentions, Johanna is the Judge’s prisoner and Anthony’s love song for her is also a promise of rescue.

#12: “No One Is Alone”

“Into the Woods”

As the characters near the end of their journey, the Baker and Cinderella comfort their young companions, and reckon with what they’ve learned about loss, consequences, and forgiveness. It’s a sweet song for a hard truth. They sing about remaining good in spite of the world, even as they struggle to make sense of their own sadness. There’s almost a sense they’re making the words up as they go along, chasing the truth as it comes to them. Weaving in motifs from other melodies in the show, this climactic song is the culmination of the musical’s lessons. It is a fairy tale after all.

#11: “She Used to Be Mine”

“Waitress”

Jenna is a waitress at a small diner whose love of pie-making is all she has to keep her going. When she becomes pregnant with her abusive husband’s baby, she saves up enough money to leave him, only for him to steal it and leave her with nothing. The song that composer-lyricist Sara Bareilles wrote for the moment is a powerhouse ballad that suits the character so perfectly. She mourns the person she used to be, imperfect as she was, and indirectly vows to become that person again. As hopeful as the story turns out to be, the song is such a journey it’s hard to not feel emotionally spent by the end of it.

#10: “Send in the Clowns”

“A Little Night Music”

There’s nothing quite like reflecting on an ex. Sung by Desiree, “Send in the Clowns” takes place during Act II, when she reflects back on an affair she had with Fredrick. Despite the fact that Fredrik was deeply in love with her, Desiree rejected him, and she now realizes that she loves him - but this time around, he rejects her. The clowns Desiree refers to are not actual clowns, but fools like herself. The song itself is written in a complex meter, which is one of the reasons it is so haunting - it sounds like a waltz. Desiree is also furious - she can’t outwardly express her anger, so she does what characters do in any musical - she sings about it.

#9: “Telephone Wire”

“Fun Home”

Based on Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel “Fun Home”, this musical centers around Bechdel’s own coming out story and the complicated relationship she shared with her own closeted father, Bruce. Sung towards the end of the musical, this is the last conversation Alison has with her dad. She desperately tries to connect with her father while also revealing who she truly is. The song’s heartache lies in her father’s denial and how they never actually made a connection with each other. The song is even more heartbreaking considering the ending of the musical where it’s hinted that Bruce takes his own life.

#8: “Time Heals Everything”

“Mack and Mabel”

Only a truly stormy partnership could serve as the inspiration for this haunting melody. “Time Heals Everything” is part of the musical “Mack and Mabel,” which centers around silent movie director Mack Sennett who transforms Mabel, a local waitress, into a “star.” Mabel develops feelings for Mack, but sadly, Mack puts his work before romance. “Time Heals Everything” is Mabel’s sorrow over how Mack treated her, but also her way of saying “I’ll get over him.” When it comes to heartbreak, we’re often told to give it time, and that’s exactly what Mabel is telling herself. The song is particularly haunting when you think about what ultimately happens to the character - she deals with substance use disorder, and by the time Mack tries to make it up to her, she’s passed away.

#7: “Somewhere”

“West Side Story”

With lyrics by the late great Stephen Sondheim, “West Side Story” can be thought of as a modern retelling of the tragedy “Romeo & Juliet”, except that this version involves street gangs in New York City. “Somewhere” appears during different points of the musical, most notably when Maria sings the first few lines of the song after her true love, Tony, is shot. The melody actually borrows from Beethoven’s “Emperor Piano Concerto” and Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” which is why it’s so haunting. Tony and Maria’s longing to one day be together “somehow, someday, somewhere,” is sure to make you cry - especially since their dream never does come true.

#6: “Till We Reach That Day”

“Ragtime”

“Ragtime”, which has still not been turned into a movie musical and needs to be, follows a series of characters as they navigate life at the turn of the 20th century in New York. Sung at the end of Act I, “Till We Reach That Day” takes place at the funeral of Sarah, a young Black woman who is beaten to death by the Secret Service. Her friends and family gather to mourn their sweet Sarah as well as express their anger at a system where Black lives do not matter. The powerful lyrics are still disturbingly relevant today and serve as a reminder that Black Lives do indeed Matter.

#5: “Losing My Mind”

“Follies”

Imagine being so obsessed with your ex-lover that you slowly lose your mind over them. That’s the focus of the song “Losing My Mind” from the musical “Follies,” which focuses on the reunion of performers known as the Weismann’s Follies. Back in the day, Sally was in love with Ben, but he ended their relationship to marry her friend Phyllis. Sally married Buddy, but remained in love with Ben - even though he doesn’t love her - at least not in the same way. Dressed as a torch singer, Sally sings “Losing My Mind” about her longing and the fantasy world she has entered where Ben loves her. The song’s power lies in Sally’s obsession and her wondering whether or not Ben ever did actually love her.

#4: “I’ll Cover You [Reprise]”

“Rent”

Based on the opera “La Boheme” but set amongst the AIDS crisis in New York during the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, “Rent” has a soaring and inspirational first act that quickly dissolves into tragedy in the second. Tom Collins, a local gay professor, falls in love with the vivacious Angel. The pair’s relationship is one of the most heartwarming stories in the musical, and their upbeat duet, “I’ll Cover You” is an expression of their pure love. Sadly, their relationship becomes heartbreaking when Angel dies of AIDS. Collins reprises “I’ll Cover You” as he remembers the love he and Angel shared. The slowed down version is a reflection on how one person can truly make our lives magical.

#3: “It’s Quiet Uptown”

“Hamilton”

Even before “Hamilton,” Lin-Manuel Miranda was emotionally destroying us with “In the Heights”. But “Hamilton” mixed numerous musical genres to create a spectacular retelling of one of America’s founding fathers. Amidst the rap battles is one song that provides a straightforward reflection on mourning through more simple instrumentation: “It’s Quiet Uptown.” Sung towards the end of the musical, “It’s Quiet Uptown” focuses on the unimaginable: a parent’s grief over their child’s death. Alexander Hamilton, who at this point in the musical has done his wife dirty on numerous occasions, begs for forgiveness as the two try to grapple with their grief. Although Eliza faces more grief in her life, she doesn’t let it get the best of her as she details her accomplishments in “Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story.”

#2: “You’ll Never Walk Alone”

“Carousel”

The second musical from musical greats Rodgers and Hammerstein, “Carousel” isn’t exactly one of their more cheerful outings. Sung towards the end of the musical, “You’ll Never Walk Alone” is sung by Nettie to her cousin Julie, whose love, Billy, has just died in her arms. The song serves as the second act’s emotional peak and its themes center around hope and resilience. Over the years, numerous covers of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” have emerged, and it’s become the anthem for medical heroes during Covid. Theatrical performances of the number often use more simple musical arrangements, which allow the inspirational lyrics to shine through.

Before we unveil our top pick here are some honorable mentions

“Tell Me It’s Not True,” “Blood Brothers”

A Beautifully Resonant Exploration of Loss & Grief

“Somewhere That’s Green,” “Little Shop of Horrors”

A Gentle Melody About Dreaming of Greener Pastures That Pulls at the Heartstrings

“I Don't Know How to Love Him,” “Jesus Christ Superstar”

A Raw Portrayal of Vulnerable, Unrequited Love & the Inner Turmoil It Stirs Up

“Something Wonderful,” “The King and I”

A Powerfully Moving Composition on Loving Someone for Their Flaws & Profound Goodness

“The Flesh Failures (Let the Sun Shine In),” “Hair”

A Stirring Number for Anyone Who Dreams of the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius

#1: “The Music of the Night”

“The Phantom of the Opera”

We can all pretty much agree that the plot of “The Phantom of the Opera” - in which a mysterious masked musician who lurks in the bowels of the Paris Opera House, is obsessed with the beautiful soprano Christine - is just a little creepy. There are multiple hauntingly beautiful songs throughout this musical, including the painful lament Christine sings to her father in “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” , but “The Music of the Night” is definitely the most haunting. The Phantom seduces Christine with this song while also revealing his more sinister intentions. The song itself usually begins slowly, backed by only a few instruments before the rest of the orchestra joins in, ending in an unbelievable crescendo.

Which song holds you as tightly as the Phantom holds Christine? Tell us in the comments