. By now, you know all about Hamilton. The cast album is one of the best produced we've heard in years, and a perfect document of what is onstage. 's score is done full justice by the cast and producers Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter. It is sure to leave the cast album aficionado on your list "Satisfied."
. In researching my own iTunes library for this article, I was surprised to find that this album was among my most played, but I shouldn't have been. 's score is an amalgamation of soul, funk, rap and pulses with vibrancy. Buoyed by a cast headed by , and Andr茅 de Shields, this is a fantastic album.
It is so refreshing to hear a singer/songwriter score that is tuneful, illuminates the story and is joyful. ' score for Waitress is exactly that, and her solo album of songs from it (featuring two duets with Jason Mraz) is a must-have. If the show is as good as this album, Broadway is in for a treat.
. The 2008 Broadway musical finally went into the studio this year to record a cast album with "88.4% of the Original Broadway cast." This funny, rollicking score is sure to delight your ear, especially with a cast that includes the likes of , , (a stand-out in the original cast), , , and more. [Full disclosure, I designed this album, but I'd be recommending it either way!]
. After years of only having a truncated cast album available, it's so wonderful to have the full score by John Latouche and preserved on two vibrant discs. This live recording includes 87 minutes of previous unrecorded music, and is a treasure.
. The 2015 Tony winner for Best Musical updates the Off-Broadway recording with cast changes and creates the definitive cast album of and 's important, Tony-winning score, performed by a pitch-perfect cast, including , , , and .
. The Off-Broadway revival of and Tom Greenwald's John & Jen starred a luminous and , and luckily for us spawned this really wonderful cast album.
. For the old-school Broadway lover on your list, the sparkling cast recording of An American in Paris will do the trick. Full of Gershwin standards, and performed by an expert cast with luscious orchestrations, this cast album is a dream.
Notable solo albums that came out this year include "I've Been Played: Swings ," 's "Retro," Judy Kuhn's "Rodgers, Rodgers & Guettel," 's "The Essential Liz Callaway," 's "Ghostlight," Eric Michael Gillet's "Careless Rhapsody: The Heart of ," Anthony de Mare's "Liaisons: Re-Imagining Sondheim for Piano," "Live at 54 Below" albums from , and , and the compilations of ("Hidden Treasures") and ("You Fascinate Me So" ).
Robbie Rozelle is 半岛体育's Graphic Designer, and a freelance designer of cast and vocal albums. Follow him on Twitter at .
