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Best Selling Broadway Shows

Last updated May 7, 2024 by Broadway.com Staff
Lead image for the article Best Selling Broadway Shows
Illustration: Jillian Goeler

Our customer service team is often asked, "What are the most popular shows playing?" Our answer is "it depends"; popularity can change over time as new shows emerge and audience tastes evolve. Some people enjoy musicals, some prefer plays, and some are looking for the best kid-friendly shows.

However, Broadway does have a long-standing tradition of reporting just how much each show sells every week. Below is a list of the "literal" best-selling shows by category.

Pro tip: Shows play in small, medium, and large Broadway theaters that physically hold different amounts of patrons. Consider that when comparing a large musical playing in an 1,800-seat theater to a small play housed in an 850-seat theater.

What You'll Learn About

Overall Best Selling Shows on Broadway

Broadway's best-selling productions have attracted large global audiences due to their high-quality performances and production values. When we refer to "best-selling" Broadway shows, we mean those productions that have sold the highest number of tickets, indicating their immense popularity and appeal. Below are the results based on gross sales for the performance week ending May 5, 2024. 

SHOW
1The Lion King
2Cabaret
3Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
4Hamilton
5Wicked
6The Wiz
7MJ The Musical
8Merrily We Roll Along
9Moulin Rouge! The Musical
10Hell's Kitchen
11Aladdin
12The Great Gatsby
13An Enemy of the People
14Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
15Water For Elephants
16Uncle Vanya
17The Who's Tommy
18The Outsiders
19Back to the Future
20& Juliet
21The Book of Mormon
22Six
23A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical
24Hadestown
25Illinoise
26The Notebook
27Appropriate
28Chicago
29Suffs
30Stereophonic
31Mother Play
32Mary Jane
33Patriots
34The Heart of Rock and Roll
35Lempicka

Best Selling Musicals on Broadway

"Best-selling" Broadway musicals refer to those shows that have achieved the highest ticket sales, showcasing their widespread popularity and the enduring appeal of their music and storytelling. Below are the results based on gross sales for the performance week ending May 5, 2024. 

SHOW
1The Lion King
2Cabaret
3Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
4Hamilton
5Wicked
6The Wiz
7MJ The Musical
8Merrily We Roll Along
9Moulin Rouge! The Musical
10Hell's Kitchen
11Aladdin
12The Great Gatsby
13Water For Elephants
14The Who's Tommy
15The Outsiders
16Back to the Future
17& Juliet
18The Book of Mormon
19Six
20A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical
21Hadestown
22Illinoise
23The Notebook
24Chicago
25Suffs
26The Heart of Rock and Roll
27Lempicka

Best Selling Plays on Broadway

"Best-selling" Broadway plays, refers to those shows whose dramatic productions that have drawn the largest audiences, as evidenced by their highest ticket sales, reflecting their widespread acclaim and popularity. Below are results based on gross sales for the performance week ending May 5, 2024. 

SHOW
1An Enemy of the People
2Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
3Uncle Vanya
4Appropriate
5Stereophonic
6Mary Jane
7Patriots

Best Selling Kid-Friendly Shows on Broadway

"Best-selling" kid-friendly Broadway shows are those productions that have sold the most tickets in this category, indicating their success in capturing the imaginations of children and their families, and reinforcing Broadway's broad appeal to audiences of all ages. Below are the results based on gross sales for the performance week ending May 5, 2024. 

SHOW
1The Lion King
2Wicked
3The Wiz
4MJ The Musical
5Aladdin
6Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
7Back to the Future
8Six
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