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Music is the universal language, and when combined with the visual medium, it can often create something quite special. The musical genre has certainly had its ups and downs over the years following its heyday throughout the 1950s and 60s, but you can always count on a resurgence following a fallow period. And, of course, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Second Golden Age throughout the 1990s was defined by adding a musical element back into its films. So if you’re looking for something to sing along to, tap your feet to, or maybe just something to make you feel happy, below we’ve assembled a list of the best musicals on Netflix right now.
Editor’s note: This article was updated December 2022 to include Jingle Jangle.
tick, tick…BOOM! (2021)
Run Time: 1 hr 55 min | Director: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Vanessa Hudgens
Lin-Manuel Miranda, in his directorial debut, crafts a love letter to the life of Jonathan Larson, a brilliant playwright lost too soon. Based on Larson’s semi-autobiographical musical of the same name, Andrew Garfield immerses himself as Jonathan Larson during a period of his life where he’s struggling to finish a musical and his relationship with his girlfriend (Alexandra Shipp) is on the rocks. What’s even more impressive is that Garfield learned how to sing for this role, and you’d never know based on how well his performance is. The rock music is catchy and foreshadows the type of music found in Larson’s most famous musical, Rent. While this musical focuses on Larson before he turns 30, it serves as an inspiration for other creatives struggling to make their big break and how to keep going in the midst of it. — Meredith Loftus
Jingle Jangle (2020)
Run Time: 2 hrs 2 min | Director: David E. Talbert
Cast: Forest Whitaker, Keegan-Michael Key, Madalen Mills, Phylicia Rashad, Ricky Martin
An irrefutably beautiful family film, Jingle Jangle is a gorgeous and delightful musical from writer/director David E. Talbert. Jingle Jangle is led by Oscar winner Forest Whitaker (BlackPanther) and features an undeniably talented cast, including Keegan-Michael Key,Phylicia Rashad, and Ricky Martin. In Jingle Jangle, an eccentric but disillusioned toymaker (Whitaker) and his precocious granddaughter (Madalen Mills) find themselves on an adventure to reclaim a magical invention stolen by the toymaker’s former mentee, now rival (Key). Through vibrant costumes, spellbinding sets, and energetic choreography, Jingle Jangle is a whimsical film bursting with miraculous charm and wonder. – Yael Tygiel
Vivo (2021)
Run Time: 1 hr 35 min | Director: Kirk DeMicco, Brandon Jeffords
Cast: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Zoe Saldana, Ynairaly Simo, Gloria Estefan
Vivo is an adorable and beautiful story about love, music, family, and passion. Featuring the incomparable Lin-Manuel Miranda(Hamilton), who voices the titular character and provides all-new original songs, this joyous and colorful family film follows a delightfully cute kinkajou named Vivo, who journeys to bring Marta (Gloria Estefan) a love song from her former bandmate and secret admirer, Andrés (Juan De Marcos González). The first-ever musical from Sony Pictures Animation, Vivo reveals gorgeous animated locations and vibrant scenes in an unforgettable epic adventure. – Yael Tygiel
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Christmas on the Square (2020)
Run Time: 1 hr 38 min | Director: Debbie Allen
Cast: Dolly Parton, Christine Baranski, Jenifer Lewis, Josh Segarra
Brilliant actress, musical genius, and kindhearted philanthropist Dolly Parton brings together an elite cast of incredible stars in Christmas on the Square, a festive celebration of music and cheer. Along with Parton, Christmas on the Square stars Christine Baranski (The Good Fight) and Jenifer Lewis (Black-ish) in a scrooge-inspired tale about a woman who intends to sell her small town, indifferent to the townsfolk that will be affected. Featuring an angelic role for Parton, Christmas on the Square includes 14 new, original songs from the maestro, plus all the beloved holiday movie tropes audiences expect and love. – Yael Tygiel
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13: the Musical (2022)
Run Time: 1 hr 31 min | Director: Tamra Davis
Cast: Debra Messing, Eli Golden, Peter Hermann, Josh Peck
Based on the fantastic Broadway show, 13: The Musical is a beautiful family film about a young man who moves from New York to a small town in Indiana with his mother and attempts to earn social status and friends by throwing the best Bar Mitzvah ever. Featuring a stellar cast that includes Debra Messing (Will and Grace) and Younger’s Peter Hermann, 13: The Musical balances the emotional depth of a coming-of-age story with the humor and theatricality of a modern American Bar Mitzvah. Playing young Evan is relative newcomer Eli Golden, who holds his own against the heavyweights of Messing, Hermann, and Rhea Perlman (Cheers). – Yael Tygiel
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Diana the Musical (2021)
Run Time: 1 hr 57 min | Director: Christopher Ashley
Cast: Jeanna de Waal, Roe Hartrampf, Erin Davie
Live from the Broadway stage, Diana the Musical stars Broadway staple Jeanna de Waal (Iron Fist) as the late and beloved princess. Based on the heartwrenching book by Joe DiPietro, Waal’s performance as the incomparable Diana Spencer is breathtakingly elegant while also devastating. Celebrate a beautiful and tragic life that was cut too short by experiencing Diana’s vivacious spirit through the music from Tony Award winner David Bryan (Memphis the Musical) and the direction of Tony Award-winner Christopher Ashley (Come From Away). Diana the Musical is a gorgeous tribute, ideal for any millennial musical lover. – Yael Tygiel
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The 40-Year-Old Version (2020)
Run Time: 2 hrs 30 min | Director: Radha Blank
Cast: Radha Blank, Peter Kim, Oswin Benjamin, Imani Lewis
Winning awards at festivals around the nation, including Sundance, The Forty-Year-Old Version, stars Radha Blank as a playwright who was considered up and coming but never arrived. Written and directed by Blank herself, The Forty-Year-Old Version is also produced by the talented Lena Waithe (Ready Player One). In The Forty-Year-Old Version, the fictional Radha is approaching her forties. Attempting to achieve her goal, she merges her worlds, melding theater and hip hop and reinventing herself as a rapper named RadhaMUSPrime. The Forty-Year-Old Version is a touching and honest comedy, relatable to any creative who struggles to find their voice, regardless of age. – Yael Tygiel
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A Week Away (2021)
Run Time: 1 hr 34 min | Director: Roman White
Cast: Bailee Madison, Kevin Quinn, David Koechner
Bailee Madison (The Fosters, Once Upon A Time) stars in A Week Away, Netflix’s musical teen drama about standoffish bad boy Will Hawkins (Kevin Quinn), who is sent to a Christian camp where he falls for the camp owner’s daughter (Madison). A Week Away is a feel-good coming-of-age movie that blends upbeat jams with a wholesome message about family, trust, and home. Helmed by experienced music video director Roman White, A Week Away exposes audiences to catchy musical numbers and trend-worthy choreography, combining the peppy vibes of Teen Beach Movie with a Nicholas Sparks romance. – Yael Tygiel
Holy Camp! (2017)
Run Time: 1 hr 48 min | Director: Javier Ambrossi, Javier Calvo
Cast: Macarena García, Anna Castillo, Belén Cuesta
Holy Camp! is a wild ride. Based on the play by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, who also wrote and directed the film, Holy Camp! irresistibly juxtaposes bright colors, glitter, and sequins on top of the muted, bland backdrop of a Catholic summer camp in Spain. Holy Camp! follows a couple of teen girls, played by Macarena García & Anna Castillo, as they are forced to spend their summer wardened by nuns and repenting for their rebellious ways. Bonding over their love of music, the young women find themselves and their faith in this hilarious and energetic film. – Yael Tygiel
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
Run Time: 2 hr 3 min | Director: David Dobkin
Cast: Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Dan Stevens, Graham Norton
Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams are the musical comedy duo we didn’t know we needed! Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga is about two best friends who dream of winning the Eurovision Song Contest and becoming global stars. While Lars (Will Ferrell) has his eyes on the prize, Sigrit (Rachel McAdams) is secretly in love with her best friend. Together, the two face on stage mishaps and high stakes that threaten to shake their bond and their chances to win.
In addition to being a fun musical, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga also acts as a loving tribute to ABBA, since the band famously won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 and went on to superstardom; the movie features their winning performance and includes “Waterloo” in a musical medley midway through the film. The ABBA connection doesn’t stop there: Mamma Mia! star Pierce Brosnan also stars in the movie as Lars’ disapproving father. — Meredith Loftus
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The Get Down (2016)
Created by: Baz Luhrmann, Stephen Adly Guirgis
Cast: Justice Smith, Shameik Moore, Herizen F. Guardiola
Set in the Bronx in the 1970s, The Get Down tells the story of the rise of “MC Books,” AKA Zeke Figuero (Justice Smith), a young poet and budding hip-hop star. He teams up with aspiring DJ Shaolin Fantastic (Shameik Moore) and his best friends to form the rap group “The Get Down Brothers.” But Zeke’s first love Mylene (Herizen F. Guardiola) has disco dreams of her own, and their careers (and the city’s seedy underbelly) may end up pulling them apart. With fresh, original tunes that feel plucked from music history, The Get Down is every bit as lush, grand, and colorful as you might expect from a Baz Luhrmann production. — Mary Kate Carr
The Prom (2020)
Run Time: 2 hr 10 min | Director: Ryan Murphy
Cast: Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Keegan-Michael Key
Ryan Murphy brought the Broadway hit musical to Netflix with an all-star cast. When their Broadway show gets canceled after only one night, Broadway legends Dee Dee Allen (Meryl Streep) and Barry Glickman (James Corden) decide that they need to do something for a good cause in hopes to revitalize their images. When they hear of a girl named Emma (Andrew Pellman) not being allowed to go to her Prom because she’s gay, the gang of actors (including Nicole Kidman and Andrew Rannells) head to the Midwest to right a wrong. There may have been ulterior motives to get them to do the right thing, but if they’re not careful, they may just find themselves invested in these kids and wanting to do the right thing for the actual right reasons. — Jennifer McHugh
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2015-2019)
Created by: Rachel Bloom, Aline Brosh McKenna
Cast: Rachel Bloom, Vincent Rodriguez III, Santino Fontana
Ambitious and hilarious, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend expertly parodied every possible genre of music and musical theater over its four-season run. When Rebecca (Rachel Bloom) runs into her first love Josh (Vincent Rodriguez III) in New York City, she’s set on a journey of romance and self-discovery that brings her to West Covina, California (which happens to be where Josh lives). Throughout the series, Rebecca sings and dances her way from being a romantic ingénue to a troubling anti-hero and back again. The denizens of West Covina are rounded out by Broadway powerhouses and brilliant comic actors who sell every number. Add in a surprisingly refreshing mental health message, and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is arguably the best musical TV show of all time. — Mary Kate Carr
Les Misérables (2012)
Run Time: 2 hr 38 min | Director: Tom Hooper
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried
The world-famous musical finally came to the screen in 2012. This globally loved classic is based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. It is the story of Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) who is a prisoner on the run from police inspector Javert (Russell Crowe) after stealing a loaf of bread. When he finds himself as a caretaker of a daughter, Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) who had been orphaned, his life has new meaning and his only mission in life is to give her the kind of life he never had. The musical debuted in France in 1980, in London, in 1985, and on Broadway in 1987. It was nominated for 10 Tony Awards and won 8 including Best Musical of the year. The film was nominated for 8 Academy Awards, winning 3, including Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Anne Hathaway. — Jennifer McHugh
White Christmas (1954)
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Run Time: 2 hr | Director: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen, Dean Jagger
This is a must-see every Christmas, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be Christmastime to enjoy this classic. Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye star as two army veterans who have made their living post World War II as a singing duo. When they have a run-in with a female singing duo (Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen), it seems they have met their match. The four journey to Vermont to perform and have some snow for the holidays when they are surprised to run into their old army general (Dean Jagger) running an inn. The foursome makes it their mission to pack the inn and help out their favorite old man. It’s a sweet story filled with dancing and beautiful music that is sure to put a smile on your face. — Jennifer McHugh
Shrek the Musical (2013)
Run Time: 2 hr 10 min | Director: Michael John Warren
Cast: Brian d’Arcy James, Sutton Foster, Daniel Breaker
It’s always risky taking an animated film and transforming it to live-action, especially on stage. Shrek the Musical exceeds expectations in a musical that’s fun for the whole family. When Shrek the Ogre (Brian d’Arcy James) is tasked with rescuing Princess Fiona (Sutton Foster) from a tower for Prince Farquaad (Christopher Sieber), his adventures along with his sidekick Donkey (Daniel Breaker) are filled with comedy. The original music is super catchy especially “I Know It’s Today” sung by young Fiona, teen Fiona, and Fiona concurrently. The musical premiered on Broadway in 2008 after an out-of-town tryout in Seattle. It closed in 2010 and this filmed performance with the Original Broadway Cast popped up on Netflix in 2013. — Jennifer McHugh
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