" Hamilton," written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, is a musical unlike any other. Known all over for it’s unique combination of music, dance and story. But how does a musical about the founding father on the $10 bill gain national attention? The soundtrack is available free on Spotify as well as Youtube. The best part? The 47 songs selected can tell the story of the musical on their own and allow you to experience the hit musical without spending $400 on a ticket to see it on Broadway. Here are ten reasons you should go listen to it now!
1. The cast is almost all POC actors and actresses.
The musical is phenomenal in casting with its diversity. To cast these historical figures with POC creates a never-before-seen twist on history. And the writer says he would love to see women play the roles of the founding fathers, as well.
2. This is Alexander Hamilton.
Alexander Hamilton is played by none other than Lin-Manuel Miranda himself. Miranda is also the playwright, composer and the lyricist for the musical. He's also worked on "In The Heights," which received four Tony awards, and countless other musicals. He's received a Grammy, and an Emmy, making him an extremely talented writer and performer.
3. This is Thomas Jefferson (who also plays Marquis de Lafayette in Act One).
Daveed Diggs stars as Marquis de Lafayette in act one, and switches hairstyles in act two to be the jazzy southerner, Thomas Jefferson. His outfit as Jefferson is spectacular, his rapping and singing in both parts is fantastic and he even is credited with singing in the fastest song in Broadway history – "Guns and Ships." Singing that song to beat and time is an accomplishment of itself.
3. Speaking of being fast-paced, Hamilton manages to fit more than 20,000 words into the two-and-a-half hour show.
"Hamilton" comes in at 144 words per minute, making it almost twice as wordy as runner-up "Spring Awakening," which comes to 77 words per minute. How? Using hip-hop, rap, R. & B. and pop music. This results in the musical being upbeat in tempo, even if what's happening is very serious.
4. You don't just get powerful male characters, but you also get empowered female leads as well.
The Schuyler sisters, Alexander Hamilton's sister-in-laws, are three amazing women, each with their own unique backstory and independent personality. Angelica, the oldest, even states she wants to make Thomas Jefferson include women in the Constitution.
5. The choreography is jaw-dropping and captivating.
Yes. Even in GIF form. And for most of us, that's all we can afford. During most of this, the performers are also rapping and singing with some powerful lungs and vocal chords.
6. The "Hamilton" soundtrack is on the Rolling Stone's "Top 100 Albums of 2015."
Even if you only see GIFs, the songs themselves are substantial enough to fill in the story. The soundtrack hit numerous top 100 positions, and debuted at number 12 when the 46 song album was released! There's a reason for it.
7. Speaking of the songs, the debates in George Washington's cabinet that shaped our nation's government are portrayed through rap battles.
Yes, you read that right. Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton participate in rap battles to decide the country's government. You could say that they're diametrically opposed.
8. Even if you've never been interested in American history before, you'll be all too invested in the American Revolution.
It's almost impossible to not be amazed by this one-of-a-kind story about the people who set up the nation's government, using complex choreography, catchy music and brilliant writing.
10. Did I mention it's free to listen to on YouTube and Spotify?
So, why not? It's the perfect music to jam out to, to have playing in the background, to dance to, to write to and simply live to. After all, who doesn't love a good musical? Especially one that has the potential to change your life.
