There are 536 musical films on the site, released from 1927 to 2026, and 431 of them are ranked. The best-rated is David Byrne’s American Utopia (2020, 92 Echo) and the biggest box office hit is The Lion King (2019) with $1.7B worldwide. The 2010s were the busiest decade with 139 releases. Wilfred Jackson has directed more notable musical films than anyone else on the site (8).
David Byrne’s American Utopia (2020) is the best-rated musical movie on the site with an Echo Score of 92, ahead of Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938). Ranked by Echo Score; 2 of these 3 films have none (released before 2017, when Echo Scores start) and are ranked by a blend of their Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings.
#1 of 431 musical films Best-rated musical movie
2020 Documentary Music 1h 45m English
92 Echo Score $248.6K worldwide
Directed by Spike Lee
Also near the top: Beauty and the Beast (1991, 95 Metascore) and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938, 96 Metascore).
About David Byrne’s American UtopiaThe top 12 of 431 ranked musical films. Ranked by Echo Score; 6 of these 12 films have none (released before 2017, when Echo Scores start) and are ranked by a blend of their Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings. 5 of the top 12 were released in the 2020s.
2020 · Documentary, Music · 1h 45m
Dir. Spike Lee
1991 · Fantasy, Romance · 1h 24m
Dir. Gary Trousdale No Echo Score: ranked 91/100 on critics & audiences
1938 · Fantasy, Romance · 1h 23m
Dir. Ben Sharpsteen No Echo Score: ranked 91/100 on critics & audiences
1952 · Comedy, Romance · 1h 43m
Dir. Stanley Donen No Echo Score: ranked 90/100 on critics & audiences
2018 · Drama, Romance · 2h 16m
2022 · Musical, Documentary · 1h 30m
Dir. Michael John Warren
1939 · Adventure, Fantasy · 1h 42m
Dir. George Cukor No Echo Score: ranked 89/100 on critics & audiences
1994 · Adventure, Drama · 1h 29m
Dir. Rob Minkoff No Echo Score: ranked 88/100 on critics & audiences
1936 · Comedy, Drama · 1h 53m
Dir. James Whale No Echo Score: ranked 88/100 on critics & audiences
2022 · Adventure, Comedy · 1h 42m
Dir. Bernard Derriman
2020 · Adventure, Sci-Fi · 1h 26m
Dir. Bob Bowen
Don't Say Good Luck (2026), released Aug 14, 2026, is the latest musical release with a score, box office or a plot summary on the site. 5 musical films have been released so far in 2026.
Released: Aug 14, 2026 Don't Say Good Luck 2026 · Drama · 76 Echo 
Released: Jul 24, 2026 Hadestown: The Musical 2026 · Music · 87 Echo 
Released: Jun 26, 2026 The Wave 2026 · Drama · 52 Metascore 
Released: May 29, 2026 Power Ballad 2026 · Comedy · 70 Echo 
Released: May 27, 2026 I Am Frankelda 2026 · Animation · 66 Echo 
Released: Dec 25, 2025 Song Sung Blue 2025 · Biography · 82 Echo 
Released: Dec 19, 2025 David 2025 · Animation · 85 Echo 
Released: Nov 25, 2025 Chainsaws Were Singing 2025 · Comedy · 73 Echo 
Released: Nov 21, 2025 Wicked: For Good 2025 · Family · 74 Echo 
Released: Nov 14, 2025 A Very Jonas Christmas Movie 2025 · Comedy · 43 Echo 
Released: Oct 10, 2025 Kiss of the Spider Woman 2025 · Drama · 80 Echo 
Released: Jul 18, 2025 Smurfs 2025 · Animation · 34 Echo The Lion King (2019) is the highest-grossing musical movie with $1.7B worldwide, ahead of Frozen II (2019) at $1.5B. These 10 hits alone hold 38% of all musical box office on the site. Grosses judged to be data errors are left out.
Number 1 
Number 2 
Number 3 $27.8B earned worldwide by the 359 musical films with a reported gross
The 2010s were the busiest decade with 139 musical films, ahead of the 2020s (129). Under each column is the decade's best-rated film, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938) to David Byrne’s American Utopia (2020). Films without a release date are not counted here.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 96 Metascore 
Pinocchio 99 Metascore Singin' in the Rain 99 Metascore 
My Fair Lady 95 Metascore 
Cabaret 80 Metascore 
Victor Victoria 84 Metascore Beauty and the Beast 95 Metascore 
Sita Sings the Blues 93 Metascore A Star Is Born 90 Echo David Byrne’s American Utopia 92 Echo Wilfred Jackson has directed 8 notable musical films, more than anyone else on the site, ahead of Clyde Geronimi (6); James Corden leads the cast list with 8 roles. Only notable films count: those with a score, box office, an award nomination or 1,000+ votes.
La La Land (2016) is the most-awarded musical film with 25 wins from 45 nominations, including wins at the Oscars, the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs. Across every award body on the site, musical films have won 415 of 1,506 nominations.
| # | Film | Wins | Nominations | Won at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  La La Land 2016 · 45 nominations · Won at Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA, Critics' Choice | 25 | 45 |
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| 2 |  Emilia Pérez 2024 · 62 nominations · Won at Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA, Critics' Choice | 18 | 62 |
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| 3 | Cabaret 1972 · 30 nominations · Won at Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA | 18 | 30 |
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| 4 | My Fair Lady 1964 · 20 nominations · Won at Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA, DGA Awards | 13 | 20 |
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| 5 |  Gigi 1958 · 17 nominations · Won at Oscars, Golden Globes, DGA Awards | 13 | 17 |
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| 6 |  Les Miserables 2012 · 39 nominations · Won at Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA, Critics' Choice | 12 | 39 |
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| 7 | Wicked 2024 · 47 nominations · Won at Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA, Critics' Choice | 11 | 47 |
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| 8 |  Dreamgirls 2006 · 24 nominations · Won at Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA, Critics' Choice | 11 | 24 |
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| 9 |  The Sapphires 2013 · 11 nominations · Won at AACTA Awards | 11 | 11 |
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| 10 |  West Side Story 2021 · 32 nominations · Won at Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTA, Critics' Choice | 10 | 32 |
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English is the biggest source of musical films with 431 (80%), followed by Hindi (16) and Spanish (14). In all, 4 languages have ten or more musical films.
53% of musical films are also tagged comedy, the most common pairing, followed by drama (44%) and romance (36%). A film can carry several genres, so the shares overlap.
53% 286 films
44% 238 films
36% 193 films
32% 173 films
24% 127 films
21% 115 films
21% 114 films
13% 71 films
389 musical films have a full plot summary and 77 have the ending explained. Below are the best-rated ones not already listed above, led by La La Land (2016) and A Star Is Born (1954).
75 articles on the blog are tagged musical; the newest is “Power Ballad (2026) Review, Opinions & Reception – Critics, Fans, and Performance Analysis” from June 3, 2026.
June 3, 2026
Power Ballad (2026) Review, Opinions & Reception – Critics, Fans, and Performance Analysis
Explore the mixed fan reactions and critic reviews for Power Ballad (2026), dissecting the film’s performances, storytelling, and its place in contemporary music‑drama cinema. We break down how the movie’s themes resonate with audiences and what critics say about its soundtrack and character dynamics.
October 11, 2025
Kiss of the Spider Woman (2025) Review: Critics, Fan Opinions, Reception & Storytelling Analysis
Explore how critics and fans have responded to the 2025 film Kiss of the Spider Woman, examining performances, storytelling, and its place within the musical franchise. This post breaks down reviews, audience reactions, and the film’s overall reception.
July 17, 2025
Explore the diverse fan reactions and critic reviews of the 2025 film Smurfs, analyzing its reception, performance, storytelling, and visual effects. Discover how the movie fits into the franchise and what audiences are saying about this family adventure.
July 4, 2025
K-Pop Demon Hunters (2025) Explained: Unpacking Rumi’s Secret & the Ending
Explore the deeper lore behind K-Pop Demon Hunters—from Rumi’s hidden half-demon nature to Jinu’s sacrifice and the meaning of the Golden Hanmoon. We break down how its mythic ending sets up the next chapter.
July 4, 2025
K-Pop Demon Hunters (2025) Review: A High-Energy Musical Action Ride
Dive into our review of Netflix’s animated hit K-Pop Demon Hunters—where catchy K-pop anthems collide with supernatural battles. We explore its vibrant animation, emotional depth, and where its fast pace both soars and stumbles.
June 30, 2025
Explore fan reactions, critic reviews, and the overall reception of KPop Demon Hunters, highlighting standout performances, storytelling, and franchise implications amidst mixed critical reviews and enthusiastic fan support.
Filter all 536 musical films by decade, year, language, box office, plot summaries and after-credits scenes on the full list, which opens with the 431 ranked ones, best first. The best-first lists hold ranked films only: the Hindi-language list has 10 of the 16 Hindi musical films.
Quick answers about musical movies from the numbers on this page: David Byrne’s American Utopia (2020) is the best-rated, The Lion King (2019) is the biggest hit and the 2010s were the busiest decade.
David Byrne’s American Utopia (2020, 92 Echo) is the best-rated musical movie on What's After the Movie, followed by Beauty and the Beast (1991, 95 Metascore) and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938, 96 Metascore). Ranked by Echo Score; 6 of these 12 films have none (released before 2017, when Echo Scores start) and are ranked by a blend of their Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings.
See the top 12The Lion King (2019) has earned $1.7B worldwide, the most of any musical film on the site; Frozen II (2019) is second with $1.5B.
Musical box office chartsThe site lists 536 musical films. 431 of them are ranked, 359 have reported box office and 389 have a plot summary. A film counts as musical when musical is one of its genres.
Browse all musical moviesThe 2010s, with 139 musical films, ahead of the 2020s (129). The decade's best-rated musical film is A Star Is Born (2018, 90 Echo).
Wilfred Jackson, with 8 notable musical films; the best-rated of them is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938). Notable films have a score, box office, an award nomination or 1,000+ votes.
Wilfred Jackson49 musical films on the site have a scene during or after the credits, so it is worth staying seated. Each film page says whether there is one.
Ranked musical movies with an after-credits sceneFilms released from 2017 on are ranked by their Echo Score, our 0–100 rating; older films by a blend of their Metascore and IMDb/Letterboxd user ratings. To be ranked a film must run at least an hour and have a score, box office, an award nomination or enough votes, so shorts and obscure uploads stay out of the lists.
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