Jukebox musical

A jukebox musical is a stage or film musical that uses previously released popular songs as its musical score. Usually the songs have in common a connection with a particular popular musician or group - either because they were written by, or for, the artists in question, or were at least covered by them. The songs are contextualized into a dramatic plot, often the biographical story of the performer(s) whose music is featured. Although jukebox musicals had achieved success for years (for instance "Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story", the musical about the life of Buddy Holly which ran in the West End for 13 years from 1989 to 2003) their recent surge in popularity was led by the success of "Mamma Mia!", based around the music of ABBA.

The critical and commercial success of jukebox musicals has been uneven. Some (such as "Lennon") have closed after a short season, while others (e.g. "Movin' Out" and "Jersey Boys") go on to win critical acclaim, financial success and long theatre runs and tours. The idea of using familiar songs, with or without new lyrics, in a stage production dates back at least to the "Beggar's Opera" of 1728, sometimes called "the first musical."

List of jukebox musicals

*"Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris" (1968), the songs of Jacques Brel
*"Marry Me a Little" (1981), the songs of Stephen Sondheim
*"My One and Only" (1983), songs of George and Ira Gershwin
*"Leader of the Pack" (1984), music of Ellie Greenwich
* "Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story" (1989), music covered by Buddy Holly (including many early rock "standards")
* "Return to the Forbidden Planet" (1989)
* "Forever Plaid" (1990)
* "Crazy for You" (1992), music of George and Ira Gershwin
* "Smokey Joe's Cafe" (1995), music of Leiber and Stoller
* "Play On!" (1997), music of Duke Ellington and based on Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night"
* "Disco Inferno" (1999), music of the 70s era.
* "Mamma Mia!" (1999), music of ABBA
* "We Will Rock You" (2002), music of Queen
* "Movin' Out" (2002), music of Billy Joel
* "Our House" (2002), music of Madness
* "The Boy from Oz" (2003), music of Peter Allen
* "Tonight's The Night" (2003), music of Rod Stewart
* "On the Record" (2004), music of the Walt Disney Company
* "Lennon" (2005), music of John Lennon
* "Good Vibrations" (2005), music of The Beach Boys
* "All Shook Up" (2005), music of Elvis Presley
* "Jersey Boys" (2005), music of Frankie Valli and Four Seasons
* "Hoy No Me Puedo Levantar" (2005), music of the Spanish group Mecano
* "Ring of Fire" (2006), music of Johnny Cash
* "Hot Feet" (2006), music of Earth, Wind & Fire
* "Dusty - The Original Pop Diva" (2006), music of Dusty Springfield
* "Daddy Cool" (2006), music of Boney M
* "Rock of Ages" (2006), music of the 80s era.
* "The Times They Are A-Changin'" (2006), music of Bob Dylan
* "The Clockwork Waltz" (2006), music of The Dresden Dolls
* "The Onion Cellar" (2006), music of The Dresden Dolls
* "Desperately Seeking Susan" (2007), music of Blondie
* "LoveMusik" (2007), music of Kurt Weil
* "Never Forget" (2008), music of Take That
* "Skasical" (2008), based on the music of Reel Big Fish, the Specials, Sublime, and the Aquabats.
* "" music of Bob Marley and the Wailers (band)

List of jukebox musical films

*"Singin' in the Rain" (1952)
*"A Hard Day's Night" (1964)
*"Yellow Submarine" (1968)
*"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (1978)
*"Can't Stop the Music" (1980)
*"The Blues Brothers" (1980)
*"The Wall" (1982), based on the songs of Pink Floyd
*"Everyone Says I Love You" (1996)
*"Blues Brothers 2000" (1998)
*"Moulin Rouge!" (2001)
*"" (2006)
*"Happy Feet" (2006)
*"Idlewild" (2006)
*"Romance & Cigarettes" (2006)
*"Across the Universe" (2007), based on the songs of The Beatles
*"Mamma Mia!" (2008), based on Mamma Mia! which is then, therefore, based on the songs of ABBA

External links

* [http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=515736 Mandelbaum, Ken. "Preview '05-'06: The Jukebox Plays On," July 27, 2005.]