I get it. Not everyone likes musicals. In fact, there are a lot of people out there who don’t like musicals. But I think musicals are kind of like dating: you don’t know what you’re missing out on until you see the one. It’s easy to dismiss musicals, because it doesn’t always make sense why the characters are singing. But in the five musicals below, the characters are all singing because they need to sing, and they’re singing the kind of songs most people are used to hearing on the radio. So take a look & listen!

"American Idiot"
In the tradition of The Who's "Tommy," (but, in my opinion, much more entertaining/less disturbing) is Green Day's "American Idiot," based on their 2004 album of the same name. The show plays more like an extended music video than a traditional Broadway musical. The lyrics tap into the angst of youth, and the choreography is a more elegant embodiment of what every teenager is feeling inside.

"Spring Awakening"
This is the show that got me thoroughly addicted to musical theater, and with good reason. Like "American Idiot," the songs in "Spring Awakening" are more in the vein of rock than traditional musical theater. The show is very relatable for young people, as it focuses on teenagers discovering their own sexuality. It’s a fun show, and definitely worth checking out. Here’s their (censored) medley from the 2007 Tonys:

“Hair”
The original “tribal love-rock musical,” “Hair” follows a lovable group of hippies as they try to deal with the Vietnam War. The show is a trip, in more than one way, but it’s tremendously enjoyable.

“Once”
In the words of the woman I subletted from a couple years ago, “I don’t like musicals, but I like ‘Once.’” And I think that’s true not just for her, but for many other people. The characters in “Once” are musicians, so when they sing, it actually makes sense that they’re singing. Also, the score is gorgeous. You might remember “Falling Slowly,” which won the Oscar for Best Song in 2008.

“Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson”
What’s that you say? An emo-rock musical about the American president responsible for the Trail of Tears? Yup. It’s a thing. And it’s fantastic. Completely tongue-in-cheek, and thoroughly entertaining, “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” takes a twisted look at American history. Warning: definitely NSFW.

So give 'em a shot. You never know. You might meet your musical theater soulmate!

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