Since 1949, the Tony Awards have recognized an array of remarkable shows with the coveted title of Best Musical. Show-stopping classics from Cats, The Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables to contemporary toe-tappers such as Rent, The Book of Mormon and Hamilton have won the Broadway honor over the years.
Scroll through the gallery to take a look back at all the Best Musical winners.
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KISS ME, KATE, 1949
Image Credit: Everett Collection Patricia Morison, Alfred Drake, Lisa Kirk and Harold Lang.
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SOUTH PACIFIC, 1950
Image Credit: Everett Collection Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza.
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GUYS AND DOLLS, 1951
Image Credit: Eileen Darby/Everett Collection Robert Alda and Isabel Bigley, 46th Street Theater, New York.
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THE KING AND I, 1952
Image Credit: Everett Collection Gertrude Lawrence and Yul Brynner, St. James Theater, New York.
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WONDERFUL TOWN, 1953
Image Credit: Everett Collection Edie Adams, Dody Goodman and Rosalind Russell, Winter Garden Theater, New York.
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KISMET, 1954
Image Credit: Everett Collection Alfred Drake
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THE PAJAMA GAME, 1955
Image Credit: Everett Collection John Raitt, Janis Paige, Marion Colby and Thelma Pelish.
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DAMN YANKEES, 1956
Image Credit: Everett Collection Stephen Douglass, Gwen Verdon and Ray Walston, 46th Street Theater, New York.
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MY FAIR LADY, 1957
Image Credit: Everett Collection Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison.
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THE MUSIC MAN, 1958
Image Credit: Everett Collection Robert Preston holding Marilyn Siegel.
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REDHEAD, 1959
Image Credit: Everett Collection Gwen Verdon, 46th Street Theatre, New York.
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THE SOUND OF MUSIC, 1960 (TIE)
Image Credit: Everett Collection The cast and Mary Martin (center)
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FIORELLO!, 1960 (TIE)
Image Credit: Everett Collection The cast and Tom Bosley (Center)
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BYE BYE BIRDIE, 1961
Image Credit: Everett Collection Dick Gautier, Martin Beck Theater, New York.
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HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, 1962
Image Credit: Everett Collection Rudy Vallee, Joy Claussen and Darryl Hickman, 46th Street Theater, New York.
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A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, 1963
Image Credit: Everett Collection Brian Davies, Zero Mostel and Preshy Marker.
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HELLO, DOLLY!, 1964
Image Credit: Everett Collection Carol Channing with cast.
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FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, 1965
Image Credit: Everett Collection The cast with Maria Karnilova and Zero Mostel.
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MAN OF LA MANCHA, 1966
Image Credit: Everett Collection Gino Conforti and Richard Kiley.
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CABARET, 1967
Image Credit: Friedman-Abeles / courtesy Everett Collection Joel Grey, Billy Rose Theatre, New York, NY.
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HALLELUJAH, BABY!, 1968
Image Credit: Getty Leslie Uggams
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1776, 1969
Image Credit: Martha Swope/Everett Collection Howard Da Silva and William Daniels, 46th Street, St. James and Majestic Theaters.
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APPLAUSE, 1970
Image Credit: Everett Collection Lauren Bacall (center), during a dance sequence with Lee Roy Reams.
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COMPANY, 1971
Image Credit: Everett Collection Dean Jones, Charles Kimbrough and Barbara Barrie, Shubert Theater, Boston.
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TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, 1972
Image Credit: Playbill Playbill from the musical Two Gentlemen of Verona.
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A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, 1973
Image Credit: Everett Collection Judy Kahan and Glynis Johns.
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RAISIN, 1974
Image Credit: Everett Collection Ralph Carter, Debbie Allen, Virginia Capers and Ernestine Jackson, 46th Street and Lunt-Fontanne Theaters, New York.
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THE WIZ, 1975
Image Credit: Martha Swope/Everett Collection Gregg Burge, Stephanie Mills, L. Michael Gray and Tiger Haynes.
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A CHORUS LINE, 1976
Image Credit: Everett Collection Pamela Blair, Sammy Williams, Donna McKechnie, Robert LuPone, Charlene Ryan, Priscilla Lopez, Shubert Theater.
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ANNIE, 1977
Image Credit: Everett Collection Andrea McArdle and Sandy, Reid Shelton, New York.
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AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’, 1978
Image Credit: Martha Swope/Everett Collection Debbie Allen
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SWEENEY TODD, 1979
Image Credit: Martha Swope/Everett Collection Ken Jennings and Angela Lansbury, Uris Theater, New York.
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EVITA, 1980
Image Credit: Everett Collection Patti LuPone, Broadway Theater, New York.
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42nd STREET, 1981
Image Credit: Martha Swope/Everett Collection Don Crabtree, Jerry Orbach and Tammy Grimes, Winter Garden Theater, New York.
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NINE, 1982
Image Credit: Peter Cunningham/Everett Collection Karen Akers and Raul Julia.
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CATS, 1983
Image Credit: Carol Rosegg/Martha Swope/Everett Collection Larry Small and Loni Ackerman, Winter Garden Theater, New York.
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LE CAGE AUX FOLLES, 1984
Image Credit: Playbill Playbill for La Cage aux Folles.
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BIG RIVER, 1985
Image Credit: Martha Swope/Carol Rosegg/Everett Collection Marin Mazzie, Daniel Jenkins, (front), Larry Riley, Eugene O’Neill Theater, New York.
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THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, 1986
Image Credit: Playbill Playbill for The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
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LES MISERABLES, 1987
Image Credit: Jack Mitchell/Getty Images Terrence Mann (as Javer) and Colm Wilkinson (as Jean Valjean).
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THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, 1988
Image Credit: Playbill Playbill for The Phantom of the Opera.
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JEROME ROBBINS’ BROADWAY, 1989
Image Credit: Walter McBride/Corbis via Getty Images Jason Alexander with ensemble cast backstage on Opening Night of ‘Jerome Robbins’ Broadway’ at the Imperial Theatre in New York City.
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CITY OF ANGELS, 1990
Image Credit: Martha Swope/Everett Collection James Naughton, Virginia Theater, New York.
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THE WILL ROGERS FOLLIES, 1991
Image Credit: Martha Swope/Everett Collection Keith Carradine and Dee Hoty, Palace Theater, New York.
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CRAZY FOR YOU, 1992
Image Credit: Joan Marcus/Everett Collection Pia Zadora, Shubert Theater, New York.
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KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, 1993
Image Credit: Everett Collection Brian Mitchell and Howard NcGillin.
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PASSION, 1994
Image Credit: Playbill Playbill for the musical Passion.
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SUNSET BOULEVARD, 1995
Image Credit: Joan Marcus/Everett Collection Glenn Close
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RENT, 1996
Image Credit: Janette Pellegrini/WireImage The final cast of Rent attends curtain call on the closing night of “RENT” on Broadway at the Nederlander Theatre.
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TITANIC, 1997
Image Credit: Playbill Playbill for the musical Titanic.
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THE LION KING, 1998
Image Credit: BRUCE BISPING/Star Tribune via Getty Images Actress Tsidii Le Loka as Rafiki with the cast of “The Lion King.”
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FOSSE, 1999
Image Credit: Playbill Playbill for the musical Fosse.
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CONTACT, 2000
Image Credit: Paul Kolnik/Everett Collection Charlotte d’Amboise, Vivian Beaumont Theater, New York.
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THE PRODUCERS, 2001
Image Credit: Everett Collection Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick.
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THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, 2002
Image Credit: Dennis Clark/Getty Images The cast of the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie Marquis Theatre in New York City.
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HAIRSPRAY, 2003
Image Credit: James Keivom/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images Cast of the Broadway musical Hairspray at the Neil Simon Theatre.
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AVENUE Q, 2004
Image Credit: Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic Cast members of Avenue Q at John Golden Theatre, New York.
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MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT, 2005
Image Credit: Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images Hank Azaria, David Hyde Pierce, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Tim Curry, John Cleese and Eric Idle (front, l. to r.) join cast members onstage during the curtain call on opening night of the new Broadway musical, “Spamalot,” at the Shubert Theater.
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JERSEY BOYS, 2006
Image Credit: Ryan Miller/Getty Images (L to R) Castmembers Actors Erich Bergen, Christopher Kale Jones, Deven May and Michael Ingersoll sing during the curtain call for the opening night performance of Jersey Boys.
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SPRING AWAKENING, 2007
Image Credit: Playbill Playbill for the musical Spring Awakening.
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IN THE HEIGHTS, 2008
Image Credit: Joan Marcus The cast of the musical In The Heights.
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BILLY ELLIOT, 2009
Image Credit: Rob Kim/Everett Collection Cast in attendance for Stars Take Final Bows at Billy Elliot the Musical, Imperial Theatre, New York.
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MEMPHIS, 2010
Image Credit: Ben Hider/Getty Images Actors Chad Kimball, Montego Glover and Derrick Baskin perform the final song during the opening night of Memphis on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre.
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THE BOOK OF MORMON, 2011
Image Credit: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images The cast of The Book of Mormon during the curtain call on the opening night of “The Book of Mormon” on Broadway at Eugene O’Neill Theatre
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ONCE, 2012
Image Credit: Matthew Eisman/WireImage Steve Kazee, Cristin Milioti (L-R) and cast take the opening night curtain call for Once Broadway premiere at The Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.
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KINKY BOOTS, 2013
Image Credit: ç Andy Kelso and Billy Porter.
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A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER, 2014
Image Credit: Walter McBride/Getty Images Jane Carr, Lisa O’Hare, Bryce Pinkham, Jefferson Mays, Lauren Worsham, Price Waldman, Eddie Korbich and Jennifer Smith during the Broadway opening night curtain call for A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at Walter Kerr Theatre.
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FUN HOME, 2015
Image Credit: Walter McBride/Getty Images Creative team Sam Gold, Alison Bechdel, Jeanine Tesori, Lisa Kron and Danny Mefford greet cast members Zell Steele Morrow, Sydney Lucas, Roberta Colindrez, Michael Cerveris, Beth Malone, Judy Kuhn, Emily Skeggs, Joel Perez and Oscar Williams during the Broadway Opening Performance Curtain Call for Fun Home at Circle in the Square Theatre.
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HAMILTON, 2016
Image Credit: John Lamparski/WireImage Leslie Odom Jr., Phillipa Soo, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Christopher Jackson attend “Hamilton” Opening Night at The Public Theater.
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DEAR EVAN HANSEN, 2017
Image Credit: Matthew Murphy The cast of Dear Evan Hansen.
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THE BAND’S VISIT, 2018
Image Credit: Ahron R Foster Tony Shalhoub and Katrina Lenk in off-Broadway premiere of ‘The Band’s Visit.’
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HADESTOWN, 2019
Image Credit: Matthew Murphy Amber Gray, ‘Hadestown’, Broadway
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MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL, 2020
Image Credit: Matthew Murphy ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’, Broadway
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A STRANGE LOOP, 2022
Image Credit: Marc J. Franklin The cast of the musical A Strange Loop.
