So, you want to get into musicals. Every emerging fan has to start somewhere, and musicals are no different. Many fans, especially now in the streaming age, get their start listening to cast albums.

With songs such as "Dear Theodosia" from Hamilton, "Candy Store" from Heathers, and "All You Wanna Do" from SIX becoming popular TikTok sounds, listening to musicals has turned from nerdy to mainstream. While it is impossible to encapsulate the hundreds of years of Broadway history in just a couple of shows, these three shows are approachable and amazing, providing the listener with a firm foundation.

Album 1: SIX The Musical

SIX, written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, premiered on the West End in 2019. While the subject matter has been covered countless times, that being the six wives of British king Henry VIII, the musical offers a fresh take, showing the Queens as pop superstars forming a group. One Queen, Anna of Cleves, performs in the style of Rihanna.

Another, Jane Seymour, sings an Adele-style ballad. It all furthers the show's themes of female empowerment by showing these historical women in a new light. Variety praised this in their 10/10 review.

"Just as Lin-Manuel Miranda's "Hamilton" made us hyper-aware of "who lives, who dies, who tells your story," this show now gives voice to these Tudor #MeToos, presenting a feminist — both proto and post — -version of "herstory." As one character says, "History's about to get over-throned."

A few of the best songs from the live cast recording are "Ex Wives," "Get Down," and "All You Wanna Do."

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Album 2: In The Heights

Lin-Manuel Miranda's first musical, In the Heights, is deeply personal to him. It tells the story of multiple people living in the real-life New York City neighborhood of Washington Heights, close to where Miranda grew up. It deals with themes of family expectations, racism, and the value of community.

Some songs have verses completely sung in Spanish, a first for Broadway. Despite this, it is easily understood by listeners of the smallest Spanish fluency. New York Theatre Guide had this to say when the show opened in 2008.

"From the title song's opening rap to the strong ballads, to the grand finale, we cheer for the people of this Hispanic immigrant neighborhood because their needs are our needs, their dreams are our dreams, and their life songs are our life songs."

A couple of the best songs from the album are "96,000" and "Carnival Del Barrio."

Album 3: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

The thirteenth musical by the late composer Stephen Sondheim, Sweeney Todd, is a rare example of a musical thriller. The story follows the titular Todd, who was wrongfully imprisoned for fifteen years on a trumped-up charge. Why was he imprisoned?

Will he get his revenge on the judge who convicted him? As the opening number states, "That's the play, and he wouldn't want us to give it away." The show masterfully blends absurd comedy moments with edge-of-your-seat suspense. I have had the pleasure of seeing this show live multiple times, and even though I knew what had happened, I still waited with bated breath for what would happen next. The original Broadway production of the show is notable for starring Angela Lansbury as Ms. Lovett, for which she won her fourth Tony Award for leading actress in a musical. The show won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Score. A couple of the best songs from the show are "The Worst Pies in London," "Epiphany," and "City on Fire!"

The most important thing when listening to musicals is finding what works for you. There are many musicals that I and my friends love that I didn't mention here, such as Ride the Cyclone, Little Shop of Horrors, and my personal favorite, Hadestown.

If these three musicals don't appeal to you, try some more! The great thing about musicals is that there is no one "Broadway" sound. There are musicals of every genre, from pop to punk to a cappella.

No matter what you like, there is a musical for you. Happy Listening!