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Best Selling Broadway Shows

Last updated April 30, 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 April 28, 2024. 

SHOW
1The Lion King
2Wicked
3Hamilton
4Cabaret
5The Wiz
6MJ The Musical
7Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
8Merrily We Roll Along
9Aladdin
10Moulin Rouge! The Musical
11Hell's Kitchen
12Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
13Back to the Future
14An Enemy of the People
15The Who's Tommy
16Water For Elephants
17The Great Gatsby
18& Juliet
19A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical
20The Outsiders
21The Book of Mormon
22Hadestown
23Six
24Uncle Vanya
25The Notebook
26Illinoise
27Appropriate
28Chicago
29Suffs
30Kimberly Akimbo
31Stereophonic
32Patriots
33Mother Play
34Mary Jane
35The Heart of Rock and Roll
36Lempicka

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 April 28, 2024. 

SHOW
1The Lion King
2Wicked
3Hamilton
4Cabaret
5The Wiz
6MJ The Musical
7Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
8Merrily We Roll Along
9Aladdin
10Moulin Rouge! The Musical
11Hell's Kitchen
12Back to the Future
13The Who's Tommy
14Water For Elephants
15The Great Gatsby
16& Juliet
17A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical
18The Outsiders
19The Book of Mormon
20Hadestown
21Six
22The Notebook
23Illinoise
24Chicago
25Suffs
26Kimberly Akimbo
27The Heart of Rock and Roll
28Lempicka

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 April 28, 2024. 

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

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 April 28, 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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