[2026] Iconic musical numbers: from the latest releases to timeless classics!
Many of the songs used in musicals are quite famous, and you often hear them in various places—on TV, in commercials, or as background music in videos.
These pieces often include tracks that pump you up or grand, moving numbers that give you chills, touching not only musical fans but a wide range of people.
In this article, we’ll introduce a whole selection of such musical numbers!
We’ve picked broadly from a variety of shows, so you might find a tune you once heard and wondered about, or a song from one of your favorites.
Take this opportunity to give them another listen!
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TonightNiizuma Seiko, Inoue Yoshio
A song from a musical that is also popular in Japan, depicting two days of love and death for a young man and woman who become victims of a gang rivalry among delinquent youths.
It is a duet sung by the two victims, Maria and Tony.
The beautiful harmonies resonate with lyrics overflowing with their love for each other.
Sit Down You’re Rockin’ The BoatStubby Kaye, Guys & Dolls
Guys and Dolls is a musical comedy that premiered in 1950.
An all-Black cast version was staged in 1976, and it was also performed by the Takarazuka Revue in 1984.
It’s a work that could be called a classic musical number, cherished for many years.
In 1955, it was adapted into a film starring Marlon Brando.
The Japanese title is “Yarō-domo to Onna-tachi.”
Prelude and the Sound of Music (From the Sound of Music)Julie Andrews, Irwin Kostal Orchestra
The theme song from the Broadway musical West Side Story, which premiered in 1957.
It’s a song in which the protagonist, Aria, sings about the wonders of nature.
Its expansive, majestic melody evokes wide-open prairies and lush greenery.
Since it’s often covered in music classes, many people may already be familiar with it.
Hakuna MatataElton John
Set on the vast savanna and themed around the Circle of Life—the passing on of life—The Lion King is a musical that portrays the lives of animals.
Among its most popular songs is Hakuna Matata.
The lyrics were written by Tim Rice, well known for his work on Disney songs, and the music was composed by singer-songwriter Elton John.
Hakuna Matata is Swahili for “it’ll be all right” or “don’t worry.” Even for surviving in the harsh natural world, a laid-back, positive mindset—“things will work out”—is important!
Alexander HamiltonLeslie Odom Jr. · Anthony Ramos · Daveed Diggs · Okieriete Onaodowan · Lin-Manuel Miranda · Phillipa Soo · Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton
A song from the Broadway musical Hamilton.
This musical, which centers on Alexander Hamilton and depicts the era of the American Revolutionary War, is a rare historical piece even by Broadway standards.
Despite its historical subject matter, its unusual fusion with hip-hop music drew widespread attention and made it a huge hit.
The song Alexander Hamilton is the first number in the musical, in which each character sings about their circumstances and background.