Top 20 Hardest Broadway Songs to Sing

The video script introduces a countdown of the top 20 hardest songs to perform in Broadway musicals. It highlights the challenges of singing these songs, such as high sustained notes, emotional range, and physical demands. The script also invites viewers to share their favorite songs in the comments if they feel any are missing.

The script discusses 'Climb Every Mountain' from 'The Sound of Music', noting its inspirational nature and the difficulty of its high sustained notes. It mentions Maria's journey and the song's role as a first act closer, typically sung by a classically trained soprano, showcasing its impressive vocal demands.

The script describes 'She Used to Be Mine' from 'Waitress' as a song full of high highs and low lows, emphasizing the importance of vocal range. It highlights the emotional weight of the song as Jenna reflects on her life's missteps. Sara Bareilles, the composer, sings a version with a vocal range from F3 to D5, showcasing the song's complexity.

The script talks about 'Made of Stone' from 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame', focusing on the difficulty of hitting high notes while portraying Quasimodo's physicality. The song requires raw emotion and the actor must convey the character's contemplation of his lost love, Esmeralda, making it a challenging performance.

The script highlights 'Rainbow High' from 'Evita' as a difficult song due to its large vocal range, strange intervals, and style changes. It mentions the key changes and the challenge of performing this song, especially when sung by a great like Patty LuPone.

The script discusses the challenge of 'Confrontation' from 'Jekyll and Hyde', where the actor sings a duet with himself as Dr. Jekyll confronts Mr. Hyde. The actor must switch between voices, physicality, and motives, making it a complex and demanding performance.

The script describes 'Rose's Turn' from 'Gypsy' as an emotionally demanding song where Rose admits to pushing her daughters towards fame. The song is not as melodic as others in the show but requires significant emotional work, making it a standout performance.

The script talks about 'Pity the Child' from 'Chess', noting its departure from typical Broadway show tunes. The song starts slow and builds into a powerful rock anthem, requiring a heavy amount of power and range, as well as the ability to pull off an arena rock sound.

The script highlights 'So Much Better' from 'Legally Blonde', focusing on its physical demands, including movement, dancing, and running around the stage. The song requires an in-shape performer and ends with a sustained note that is challenging to execute.

The script discusses 'Your Fault' from 'Into the Woods', emphasizing its fast pace and wordiness. The song is filled with complex lyrics and multiple singers, making it a challenging piece to perform, especially with its rapid delivery and emotional undertones.

The script describes 'I'm Here' from 'The Color Purple' as an emotional powerhouse and a culmination of Celie's journey. The song requires the actress to use her belt and mix at varying intervals, culminating in a powerful final section that can leave the audience in awe.

The script talks about 'The Modern Major-General Song' from 'The Pirates of Penzance', noting its comedic and satirical nature. The song is known for its tongue-twisting lyrics and alliterative challenges, making it a difficult piece to perform perfectly.

The script highlights 'Memory' from 'Cats', discussing its reputation as a difficult song to sing. The song's repetitive melodies and high, slow belty notes require the actor to convey emotional intensity, making it a challenging performance.

The script discusses 'Guns and Ships' from 'Hamilton', focusing on its fast-paced lyrics and Lafayette's mastery of the English language. The song showcases Lafayette's rapping skills and is a highlight of the show, demanding a high level of vocal and rhythmic ability.

The script talks about 'Bring Him Home' from 'Les Misérables', noting its deceptively difficult nature. The song has a steady, measured melody that builds both vocally and emotionally, requiring a high vocal range and control from the performer.

The script highlights 'And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going' from 'Dreamgirls', focusing on its powerful performance by Jennifer Holliday. The song is written as a plea but is sung with such force and power that it feels more like a demand, making it a challenging and iconic Broadway number.

The script discusses 'Gethsemane' from 'Jesus Christ Superstar', emphasizing its difficulty for tenors. The song requires the actor to humanize Jesus while hitting high notes, making it a challenging and demanding performance.

The script talks about 'Defying Gravity' from 'Wicked', noting its difficulty due to its high notes and physical demands. The song is a pivotal moment in the show where Elphaba decides to defy the Wizard, requiring a powerful vocal performance.

The script discusses 'Getting Married Today' from 'Company', focusing on its fast-paced and wordy nature. The song is sung by Amy as she experiences cold feet before her wedding, making it a comedic and challenging performance.

The script highlights 'The Phantom of the Opera' song, focusing on its climactic high note, an E6, sung by Christine. The song showcases the Phantom's power and Christine's vocal ability, making it an impressive and difficult performance.

The script discusses 'Glitter and Be Gay' from 'Candide', emphasizing its comedic and physical demands. The song requires the soprano to hit high E flats while performing a physically demanding routine, making it a challenging and impressive piece.