What's the Best OPENING NUMBER from a Musical? | VS Brackets 

I always feel like it is harder to decide the song rounds instead of characters as you end up picking one type of song but all openings have to be so good and impactful to draw people into the story. I can just imagine how difficult it would be choosing a finale song or act 1 finale as all they are often the most fundamental to the story

"It's weird but I'm also weird so how can i judge" 😂😂 so relatable!

My pick has to go to Bells of Notre Dame in Hunchback. Makes me cry every time I listen to it because it’s beautiful to the point of genius. Makes and Schwartz really killed it with that one

Round 1 1 Hadestown - that trombone intro gets me everytime 2 Lion King 3 Six 4 Hairspray - though Hello is super strong 5 Chicago 6 Waitress 7 Into the woods - both are iconic though 8 Sweeney Todd 9 Legally Blond 10 Come from away 11 J. C. Superstar 12 Beauty and the Beast 13 Little Shop 14 Hamilton 15 Cabaret 16 In the Heights- this was the hardest for me Round 2 Hadestown Hairspray Chicago Into the woods Come from away J.C.Superstar Hamilton In the heights Round 3 Hadestown Into the woods Gah! Come from away Heights Round 4 Hadestown Come from away Final - Hadestown - not what I thought would happen These are so hard but so fun. Avenue Q, Gentlemans guide, Guys n Dolls, Music Man, Fiddler on the roof and Fun Home are my humble submissions for consideration if you do a part 2.

When I read this title, I immediately started singing Another Opening from Kiss me Kate. To me, it is iconic. I would love to see a version of this with just older more classic musicals, then you could put the more modern and the classic head to head.

Playing along at home Round 1: 'Road to Hell' Beats 'No One Mourns the Wicked' 'Circle of Life' Beats '9 to 5' '30/90' Beats 'Ex-Wives' 'Good Morning Baltimore' Beats 'Hello' 'All that Jazz' Beats 'Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats' (Fuck Cats) 'Opening Up' Beats 'Oh What a Beautiful Morning' 'Into the Woods' Beats 'God I hope I Get it' 'Ballad of Sweeney Todd' Beats 'Beautiful' (Heathers is my favourite musical, but come on) 'Oh My God You Guys' Beats 'Company' 'Welcome to the Rock' Beats 'Prologue' 'Hard Work' Beats 'Heaven on their Minds' (Nostalgia is strong with this one) 'Belle' Beats 'Magic to Do' 'Prologue (Little Shop of Horrors)' Beats 'Miracle' 'Alexander Hamilton' Beats 'Tower of Babel' 'When You're an Addams' Beats 'Willkommen' 'In the Heights' Beats 'Look Down' Round 2: 'Circle of Life' Beats 'Road to Hell' '30/90' Beats 'Good Morning Baltimore' 'All That Jazz' Beats 'Opening Up' 'Ballad of Sweeney Todd' Beats 'Into the Woods' 'Oh My God you Guys' Beats 'Welcome to the Rock' 'Belle' Beats 'Hard Work' 'Alexander Hamilton' Beats 'Prologue (Little Shop of Horrors)' (Wanted this to go further) 'In the Heights Beats 'When You're an Addams' Round 3: 'Circle of Life' Beats '30/90' 'Ballad of Sweeney Todd' Beats 'All That Jazz' 'Oh My God you Guys' Beats 'Belle' 'Alexander Hamilton' Beats 'In the Heights' Round 4: 'Ballad of Sweeney Todd' Beats 'Circle of Life' 'Alexander Hamilton Beats 'Oh My God you Guys' Final Round: 'Ballad of Sweeney Todd' Beats 'Alexander Hamilton' (My 2nd and 3rd favourite musicals respectively) The Winner: 'Ballad of Sweeney Todd'

Sequel please! Big call on Sweeney Todd .. My winner would be Hamilton - aside from it being amazing, the opening number also introduces the plot brilliantly. Loved the shout out to 42 Balloons 🎈

Love these competition videos

Before the video started my answer was “welcome to the rock”

I love All That Jazz, and musically it’s amazing, but I think that Welcome to the Rock is a much stronger opening number. After watching/listening to Welcome to the Rock I don’t think there is anyone who wouldn’t want to watch the rest of the musical, because it just pulls you in so well while also leaving enough questions unanswered that watching the rest of the show is just obligatory.

Heres my choices Round 1 No One Mourns The Wicked Circle of Life Ex wives Good morning baltimore All that jazz Oh what a beautiful morning God I hope I get it Ballad of Sweeney Todd Oh My God You Guys Welcome to the Rock Heaven on their minds Belle Little shop of horrors Alexander Hamilton Wilkomen Look Down Round 2 Circle of life Good morning baltimore All that jazz Ballad of Sweeney todd Welcome to the rock Heaven on their minds Alexander hamilton Wilkomen Round 3 Circle of life All that jazz Heaven on their minds Alexander Hamilton Round 4 Circle of life Heaven on their minds Winner Heaven on their minds One of my favourite musical theatre songs: the riff, the vocals, the lyrics, the journey. It manages to introduce where we are in the story while also being introspective which is rare for an opening number. Love it! All the choices in the bracket were great though!

So I decided to play along and Beautiful is my winner. I love that number and I am not surprised. But I was surprised to see it against Oh my God. Apparently I really love the way Lawrence O'Keffee introduces the characters. Elle's introduction is sooo good. But Heathers being introduced (in the UK production with the wall opening) that is just musical theatre gold. Most iconic entrance ever. That is why it took my top spot! All That Jazz is an amazing opening number as well and a great choice for a winner! Road to Hell 9 to 5 Ex wives Good Morning Baltimore All that Jazz Opening up Into the Woods Beautiful Oh my God Welcome to the Rock - (Don't remember either) Magic to Do Little Shop of Horrors Alexander Hamilton Wilkomen In the Heights Road To Hell Ex Wives All that Jazz Beautiful Oh my God Magic to Do Alexander Hamilton Wilkomen Ex Wives Beautiful Oh My God Wilkomen Beautiful Oh My God Beautiful

1. Road to Hell 2. Circle of Life 3. 30/90 4. Good Morning Baltimore (really hard one though!) 5. Jellicle Songs (don't judge 😭) 6. Oh What a Beautiful Morning 7. Into the Woods (REALLY HARD ONE 😭😭) 8. Ballad of Sweeney Todd 9. Company 10. Welcome to the Rock 11. Heaven on their Minds 12. Belle 13. Little Shop of Horrors (another close one!!) 14. Alexander Hamilton 15. Wilkommen 16. Look Down (but I feel like it depends on the day) Circle of Life, Good Morning Baltimore, Oh What a Beautiful Morning, Ballad of Sweeney Todd (feels like choosing between my children though), Welcome to the Rock, Heaven on their Minds, Alexander Hamilton, Wilkommen Good Morning Baltiomore, Ballad of Sweeney Todd, Heaven on their Minds, Alexander Hamilton Ballad of Sweeney Todd, Heaven on their Minds I think Sweeney Todd wins for me!! I wouldn't have expected that!

You set yourself up for an impossible task and I salute you! Also, as a Canadian-American who was an adult on 9/11, I’m legally obligated to back Welcome To The Rock against any and all comers. P.s. Who’s your Judas, and why is it Tim Minchin? 😆

Loooove this video

Missing from your list....Ragtime opening , Tradition from Fiddler on the Roof, The travelling salemen singing to the beat of a train in The Music Man and the Times Sq ballet/opening for Guys & Dolls

Into the woods isn't a seven minute extravaganza it's closer to 17

Completely agree on those top two. As a brass player, Chicago is so fun to play. I might have given it to Welcome to the Rock, but that’s maybe Come From Away bias showing. Thought Hello! might get further.

No one mourns the wicked in my book

Round 1 No One Mourns The Wicked beats Road To Hell (very competitive match though, very strong R1 matchup) Circle of Life beats 9 to 5 Ex-Wives beats 30/90 Good Morning Baltimore CLEARS Hello All That Jazz beats Jellicle Songs For Jellicle Cats Opening Up CLEARS Oh What A Beautiful Morning (I respect Oklahoma as a musical but I do not vibe with it at all) Into The Woods beats I Hope I Get It Ballad of Sweeney Todd beats Beautiful (another unfortunate matchup) Omigod You Guys beats Company Welcome To The Rock beats 42 Balloons Prologue (had never heard it previously and definitely beats some other Round 1 participants - very sad matchup) Hard Work beats Heaven On Your Mind (never seen JCS though so maybe it'd change if I saw it in person though, but Fame nostalgia wins out) Belle beats Magic To Do Little Shop of Horrors CLEARS Miracle Alexander Hamilton beats Tower of Babble (not familiar with this but tbh I don't think it'd have a chance) Wilkommen beats When You're An Addams In The Heights beats Look Down (weakest matchup of the round for me, not huge on either) Round 2 No One Mourns The Wicked beats Circle of Life Good Morning Baltimore beats Ex-Wives All That Jazz beats Opening Up Into The Woods beats Ballad of Sweeney Todd (this is a finale-worthy matchup, two incredible openers here) Welcome To The Rock beats Omigod You Guys (another top-tier matchup, both set their scenes of the musical so well) Belle beats Hard Work Little Shop Of Horrors beats Alexander Hamilton Wilkommen CLEARS In The Heights Round 3 Good Morning Baltimore beats No One Mourns The Wicked (Baltimore is such a great song, it's a close battle but I think it sets up Hairspray so much better while Wicked takes a bit longer to shine) Into The Woods beats All That Jazz Welcome To The Rock beats Belle Wilkommen beats Little Shop of Horrors Semi Finals Into The Woods beats Good Morning Baltimore Welcome To The Rock beats Wilkommen Finale 1st. Into The Woods 2nd. Welcome To The Rock 3rd. Good Morning Baltimore 4th. Wilkommen Honourable Mentions from tough matches - Ballad of Sweeney Todd, Omigod You Guys

I loved this theme, however, you just broke my heart when you chose All that Jazz over all those wonderful people in Come From Away😢💔

Ooh 😯 My initial thoughts: Hoping Six’s ex wives is on this list! It’s such a great start to the show. Then the energy of no way is the perfect start. I was literally dancing and singing to this song today so I might be biased 😅. All that jazz is awesome - Chicago is one of my favourite musicals Possible unpopular opinion but Wicked’s opening number is good but sometimes the sound on the ensemble is not as clear so it loses some points I don’t know tick tick boom

Yet to see Hadestown but I understand your points Circle of life in awesome Again not seen dolly but I know the song from mainstream Yes ballad of sweeney Todd is epic

I wish that it been final all that jazz v into the woods 😕 but I couldn't of chosen between them

Round 1: Road to Hell beats NOMTW Circle of Life beats 9 to 5 30-90 beats Ex Wives Good Morning Baltimore beats Hello All That Jazz beats Jellicle Cats (love both though) OWABM beats Opening Up Into the Woods beats GIHIGI (just) Ballad of Sweeney Todd beats Beautiful Company beats OMGYG Welcome to the Rock beats 42 Balloons (and indeed, beats almost EVERYTHING😂) Heaven on their Minds beats Hard Work Magic to Do beats Belle (just) Miracle beats Little Shop Alexander Hamilton beats Tower of Babel Wilkommen beats When You’re an Adams Look Down beats In the Heights (close!) Round 2: Circle of Life beats Road to Hell Good Morning Baltimore beats 30-90 All That Jazz beats OWABM Sweeney beats ITW Welcome to the Rock beats Company Heaven on their Minds beats Magic to Do Alexander Hamilton beats Miracle Wilkommen beats Look Down Round 3: Circle of Life beats Good Morning Baltimore Sweeney beats All That Jazz Heaven on their Minds beats Welcome to the Rock (but I’m not happy about this!) Alexander Hamilton beats Wilkommen (again, not happy) Round 4: Sweeney EASILY beats Circle Heaven on their Minds beats Alexander Hamilton (I feel like the former very much inspired the latter here - antihero introducing the story etc!). Final: Heaven on their Minds beats Sweeney. Absolutely love both - I just think Heaven sets up the story and dramatic urgency better. I’d actually have Welcome to the Rock in second place, between these two - and tbh there’s almost nothing between all 3 of them!