As any Broadway theater-goer knows, jukebox bio-musicals are surprisingly difficult to pull off well. Stringing together hit songs in a way that serves a story, while also dealing with all the real-life egos involved, often involves sacrificing musical or dramatic integrity. It's even more surprising, then, that one of the best recent bio-musicals isn't even a Broadway show: it's Rocketman, the musical movie about the early life and career of Sir Elton John. By giving itself permission to be a musical first, the movie's soundtrack manages to capture the iconic musician's sound without giving up on a satisfying dramatic arc.

BEETLEJUICE is a giddily irreverent musical that has left audiences laughing themselves to death since it began its out-of-town tryouts in Washington, D.C. Currently playing Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre, this rib-tickling treat has recently released BEETLEJUICE (Original Broadway Cast Recording) through Ghostlight Records and Warner Records. The album captures the heart and humor of the production, sharing the giggles and laughs with a worldwide audience.

the latest revival of My Fair Lady proved that they're all for breaking traditions, and this is just the latest one: releasing an EP with Laura Benanti. It's a treat to hear another of modern Broadway's top leading ladies tackle this iconic role.

It's another op'nin' of another version of Kiss Me, Kate, the iconic Cole Porter musical that adds a sassy, meta-theatrical, mid-century twist to Shakespeare's battle of the sexes The Taming of the Shrew. With an all-star cast, the cast recording of Roundabout's latest revival has little in the way of surprise or novelty, but plenty of talent along the way.

The soundtrack for the live-action remake of Aladdin manages to tweak the classic score just enough to not sound like a pale imitation while keeping the core of the magic that's made it one of the most enduring scores of its generation.

Michelle Vezilj is making a profound and timely statement with her latest single, 'Fire Goes to Die.' Inspired by the #MeToo movement and being a victim of sexual assault herself, Vezilj's empowering anthem touches on those pressing topics. Yet, in the same week as the governor of Alabama signed our nation's most restrictive anti-abortion bill into law, this tune's broader themes about emboldening oneself to take control of one's body couldn't feel more timely.

With a slightly different cast and some changes to the music, it is no surprise that BE MORE CHILL's Broadway production was recorded for Ghostlight Records BE MORE CHILL (Original Broadway Cast Recording). The album is full of energy and teeters on the verge of frenetic, masterfully capturing the best and worst aspects of the upgraded Broadway production.

Preston Max Allen's WE ARE THE TIGERS Off-Broadway run had music and lyrics that were fully realized and demanded to be recorded. Broadway Records answered that call and released WE ARE THE TIGERS (Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording), preserving the show's infectious, toe-tap inducing pop score. And, freed from the book scenes, this music comes across as more poignant and thought-provoking than it did in the context of the show.

The onslaught of jukebox musicals doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon, which, in turn, means that there are an awful lot of cast albums that also double as very well-sung cover albums. That's definitely the case with the original cast recording of The Cher Show, which functions okay as a cast album but mostly rides on its cast's considerable talent and the sheer joy of Cher's catalog.

It's not everyday you get rediscovered music, posthumously released music from a musical theater icon, but alas that day has come. "The Jonathan Larson Project" is a new album featuring previously unreleased music from the late composer and playwright. This collection of songs comes from shows that never had seen the light of day in addition to some standalone tracks. Larson tragically passed away in 1996 at the young age of 35, but not before leaving us with the soon-to-be cultural touchstone RENT and highly commendable, autobiographical tick, tick... BOOM! Ghostlight Records released this compilation of songs earlier this month. Give it a listen here! The physical CD is set for release this June, in tandem with a 40-page hardcover book contextualizing the material.

Ben Platt's SING TO ME INSTEAD is ready to be the pop album you leave on repeat all spring long, and deservedly so. His soaring vocals, especially those grandiose belts, sans the affectations of Evan Hansen dazzle across the record, making each of the tunes - whether an up-tempo bop or a soulful ballad - command the attention of the listener. Truthfully, SING TO ME INSTEAD is pure joy, making repeat listens more than welcomed; they are essential.

With his new album Call Me Old-Fashioned, Tony nominee Max von Essen proves that he's found the perfect balance between modern Broadway star and golden age elegance.

Reviewing the cast album for Ain't Too Proud, the new bio-musical tracing the origins of the Motown vocal group the Temptations, is an unusually tricky task. How does one really review music that has been iconic in the pop lexicon for half a century? For the most part, the original cast recording is a mixture of straightforward covers, interspersed with bits of dialogue so that it doesn't appear just as a cover album. Thanks to a ridiculously talented cast, it pretty much succeeds.

The London production of TINA - THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL Is slated to transfer to Broadway this fall, but Ghostlight Records is offering audiences a sneak peek into the critically well-received show through their release of TINA - THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL (Original London Cast Recording). It cements Adrienne Warren's star and builds anticipation for her portrayal of Tina Turner on Broadway.

With his new album Coming Home to You, Michael Ball expands his reach with a sound that's part country, part easy listening pop. It's an admirable effort, but one that sometimes falls flat.

ABKCO's CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE '90S MUSICAL (Original Cast Album) is undoubtedly Kidz Bop for adults. And there's nothing wrong with that (in this case). The album features "Every You, Every Me," "Colorblind," and "Bittersweet Symphony" from the original motion picture soundtrack, and the remaining 15 tracks are comprised of instantly recognizable standards of the era.

Musicals inspired by the Greek myths are a dime a dozen, and Marcus Stevens' and Oran Eldor's MYTHIC is just another entry in that overpopulated canon. Despite the overzealous ebullience and mirth laced into every track on MYTHIC (Original London Cast Recording), the recording offers nothing more than bland pop schmaltz.

The newly released West End cast recording of Heathers includes all the fan-favorite songs from the original version, as well as a few new additions. For longtime fans, it's a welcome treat to have an updated version, but it's unlikely to win over longtime skeptics.

John Owen-Jones is best known for two distinctive roles - Jean Valjean in Les Miserables and The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera. He had played Jean Valjean on the West End, Broadway, and in the 25th Anniversary International Tour productions of Les Mis, becoming the youngest actor to play the role when he first took it on at age 26. Owen-Jones was also at one the time the longest running Phantom in the London production of the show, but his record has since been passed. Despite having playing these two definitive roles, John Owen-Jones has an incredible range as an actor and a singer, something that he showcases on his new album, Spotlight.

Broadway composer Andrew Lippa has written a poignant song cycle with UNBREAKABLE, which was premiered by The San Francisco's Gay Men's Chorus at Nourse Theater in San Francisco, CA on June 22-23, 2018. This week Ghostlight Records released UNBREAKABLE (Original Cast Recording), allowing listeners a chance to go inside the Nourse Theater to experience the powerfully moving cycle live and for themselves.

Phone rings, door chimes, in comes musical modernization! Closing in on 50 years since its Broadway debut, George Furth and Stephen Sondheim's COMPANY returns with a revolutionary new production in the West End. This rendition sees the previously male lead role Bobby now as the female Bobbie, portrayed by Rosalie Craig. This gender-swap is thanks to the direction of Marianne Elliott, who worked side by side with Sondheim on the revamping. The COMPANY 2018 London Cast Recording was recorded at RAK Studios in London.  As previously reported, footage of the cast recording was preserved for a forthcoming documentary on the production.

When it comes to RENT being on broadcast television, it was always going to be a dicey experience. Diehard fans were sure to be disappointed by lines altered to be in compliance with the FCC. Then, casting a handful of pop performers over trained actors was sure to lead to questionable character choices throughout the evening. Sony Masterworks Broadway's RENT (Original Soundtrack of the Fox Live Television Event) drives these points home with all the subtly of a sledgehammer bludgeoning a nail.

When a musical is titled 'Bulldozer,' listeners might expect its score to contain a blaze of sound, a rush of electric guitars, and a furious pounding of drums. The original cast recording of the Off-Broadway musical Bulldozer: The Ballad of Robert Moses, however, reveals its score to be a fairly tame collection of pop-rock songs.

Jason Robert Brown's beloved and thrilling song cycle SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD was recently produced. Starring Shoshana Bean, Colin Donnell, Mykal Kilgore, and Solea Pfeiffer, there is no denying this presentation was a true event. Luckily for all, this cast - in all of its glory - was captured and preserved by Ghostlight Records on SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD (New York City Center 2018 Encores! Off-Center Cast Recording).

It is a truth universally acknowledged that there can never be enough Jane Austen adaptations - at least not for Austenites like me. Coincidentally, the theatre world is newly home to not one, but two works based on Austen's masterpiece Emma: Paul Gordon's musical adaptation, a regional staple for years, has finally received a cast recording.