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Best Selling Broadway Shows

Last updated May 20, 2025 by Broadway.com Staff
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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 18, 2025. 

SHOW
1Othello
2Good Night, and Good Luck
3Wicked
4The Lion King
5Hamilton
6Glengarry Glen Ross
7Aladdin
8The Outsiders
9MJ The Musical
10Gypsy
11Death Becomes Her
12Moulin Rouge! The Musical
13The Great Gatsby
14Hell's Kitchen
15Sunset Boulevard
16Cabaret
17Oh, Mary!
18Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
19The Picture of Dorian Gray
20Buena Vista Social Club
21& Juliet
22Maybe Happy Ending
23The Book of Mormon
24Hadestown
25Six
26Redwood
27Operation Mincemeat
28Smash
29Chicago
30Just In Time
31Stranger Things: The First Shadow
32The Last Five Years
33BOOP! The Musical
34Purpose
35Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends
36John Proctor is the Villain
37Floyd Collins
38The Pirates of Penzance
39Real Women Have Curves
40Dead Outlaw
41English

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 18, 2025. 

SHOW
1Wicked
2The Lion King
3Hamilton
4Aladdin
5The Outsiders
6MJ The Musical
7Gypsy
8Death Becomes Her
9Moulin Rouge! The Musical
10The Great Gatsby
11Hell's Kitchen
12Sunset Boulevard
13Cabaret
14Buena Vista Social Club
15& Juliet
16Maybe Happy Ending
17The Book of Mormon
18Hadestown
19Six
20Redwood
21Operation Mincemeat
22Smash
23Chicago
24Just In Time
25The Last Five Years
26BOOP! The Musical
27Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends
28Floyd Collins
29The Pirates of Penzance
30Real Women Have Curves
31Dead Outlaw

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 18, 2025. 

SHOW
1Othello
2Good Night, and Good Luck
3Glengarry Glen Ross
4Oh, Mary!
5Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
6The Picture of Dorian Gray
7Stranger Things: The First Shadow
8Purpose
9John Proctor is the Villain
10English

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 18, 2025. 

SHOW
1Wicked
2The Lion King
3Aladdin
4MJ The Musical
5Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
6Maybe Happy Ending
7Six
8Operation Mincemeat
9BOOP! The Musical
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