Many composers have graced both Broadway and the silver screen over the years, but few have managed to achieve as much of a public connection and popularity as Alan Menken. Born in New York in 1949, he grew up with an interest in music from a wide variety of styles, from classic Broadway to rock. After he graduated with a degree in music, he began writing songs for a variety of people, and the rest is history.

His work ranges from Broadway musicals such as Sister Act and Little Shop of Horrors to movies like Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast, and even television shows such as Galavant. He has collaborated with songwriting partners and lyricists such as Stephen Schwartz, Tim Rice, Glenn Slater, and perhaps his most influential partner, Howard Ashman. Whether it comes to his work before, during, or after the Disney Renaissance, Menken has become one of the most influential composers in modern musical history.

10 'Pocahontas' (1995)

Directed by Mike Gabriel & Eric Goldberg

While Pocahontas may be one of the more controversial films in the Disney animated canon, owing largely to the historical inaccuracies, one cannot deny Menken still created a lush and emotional score to uphold the story he was given. Taking place in the 1600s, it tells the story of English settlers setting off to the new world to conquer, pillage, and maybe kill a few natives. But John Smith (Mel Gibson) soon meets the chief’s adventurous daughter, Pocahontas (Irene Bedard), and the two begin to fall in love.

While some lyrics in the songs are somewhat simplistic, the intensity and passion behind songs such as “Just Around The Riverbend”, “Colors Of The Wind” and “Savages” are clear. They do well to establish Pocahontas’ adventurous spirit, her expansive worldview, and the mutual hatred between the natives and the settlers. While much has been argued over the film’s artistic licenses, the score remains powerful in the right areas.

Pocahontas can be streamed on Disney+ in the U.S.

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9 'Enchanted' (2007)

Directed by Kevin Lima

Beginning in a 2-D animated fairy tale kingdom, Giselle (Amy Adams) is a young, kind woman who talks to animals, sings her feelings, and falls in love at first sight with the handsome Prince Edward (James Marsden). But Giselle is banished by Edward’s stepmother, the evil Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon), into a world with no happy endings - live-action, modern-day Manhattan.

Enchanted is a film that tears down the notions of classic Disney fairy tales, and the music, with the score and songs written by Menken and composer Stephen Schwartz, help make the joke even more authentic. In particular, the song “That’s How You Know” shows the clash between Giselle’s own idealistic, fantasy-driven view of love as her singing entices a chorus in Central Park, all the while her cynical new friend Robert (Patrick Dempsey) watches on incredulously. It shows a deep love for the Disney fairy tale, while also giving it a gentle ribbing.

Enchanted can be streamed on Disney+ in the U.S.

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8 'Tangled' (2010)

Directed by Nathan Greno & Byron Howard

The last full animated movie score Menken created for Disney (at the moment), Tangled may be one of his more underrated scores compared to his classics, but it truly is a gem. Among its best songs, "Mother Knows Best” is a lighter take on a classic Disney number, with a chilling reprise toward the film’s midpoint. Rapunzel’s “I Want” song, “When Will My Life Begin”, uses contemporary guitar and a soft rock edge to bring a more modern flair to the classic Disney Princess structure she fits into.

Of course, the film’s most famous number, “At Last I See the Light”, is a beautiful love duet showing how far Rapunzel and Flynn (Zachary Levi) have come from where they started at the beginning of their relationship. While the film could have done with a strong closing number, the songs we get are representative of the film’s quality - a fun sense of classic Disney with a more modern style.

Tangled can be streamed on Disney+ in the U.S.

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7 'Newsies' (1992)

Directed by Kenny Ortega

Newsies was a cult classic flop film from the 90s that became a surprise smash hit when it came to Broadway in 2014. Based on a true story, the film tells the story of Jack Kelly (Christian Bale), a 17-year-old boy living with a group of young newspaper sellers trying to survive in 1899 New York. When they get the news that Joseph Pulitzer (Robert Duvall) has raised the prices of their papers, they decide to go on a strike that will change their lives forever.

The songs rank among Menken’s best, with lyrics written by Jack Feldman that blend well with the film’s story-line. The music helps especially to highlight the emotions of the characters, elevate the inspiring tone, and emphasize the pulse-pounding energy created by the choreography. Even if the film wasn't popular with critics, one cannot deny its energy and passion. If nothing else, it is interesting to witness a young, pre-American Psycho Christian Bale acting in a musical.

Newsies can be streamed on Disney+ in the U.S.

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6 'Hercules' (1997)

Directed by John Musker & Ron Clements

Hercules is a movie about gods and a man trying to find his way home in the heavens. So Menken rather ingeniously decided to give this mythical superhero comedy a joyful, gospel flavor. In Ancient Greece, the evil god of death, Hades (James Woods), plots to take over Mount Olympus, and the only one who can stop him is his nephew, Hercules (Tate Donovan), the son of Zeus (Rip Torn).

Telling this epic story are the Muses, the goddesses of the arts, portrayed in the film as a group of gospel singers who don’t interact with the plot directly, but sing the backstories of the main characters (and backup) when needed. Later in his career, Menken would go on to write the music for the Sister Act Broadway adaptation, returning to a story with an even more overt gospel influence. Having done the heavenly music for Hercules, it’s fair to say he was more than qualified.

Hercules can be streamed on Disney+ in the U.S.

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5 'Little Shop of Horrors' (1986)

Directed by Frank Oz

Menken’s biggest pre-Disney collaboration with songwriting partner Howard Ashman, Little Shop of Horrors is a musical based on a 1960 horror comedy directed by Roger Corman. The storytelling by Ashman and the music by Menken elevate what was just a silly, cheap horror flick into a parable about the dangers of capitalism, greed, and corruption. The music of Little Shop specifically puts a darker tinge on musicals that nostalgically recall the 50s and 60s.

An example of this can be seen with Orin Scrivello (Steve Martin) having the visual appearance and personality of an Elvis-esque greaser - all the while portrayed as an abusive, laughing gas-addicted scumbag. The Greek chorus of street urchins, Crystal (Tichina Arnold), Ronette (Michelle Weeks), & Chiffon (Tisha Campbell) take both their personality and their names from African-American 60s girl groups and narrate and comment on the story’s developments in a more impartial and sinister manner than the Muses in Hercules.

Little Shop of Horrors can be streamed on Max in the U.S.

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4 'The Little Mermaid' (1989)

Directed by John Musker & Ron Clements

Disney had been trying to make a film based on Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tale since the days of Walt, but it was Menken and Ashman’s influence that finally brought The Little Mermaid to life. In many cases, their ideas for the songs and characters helped to improve the film beyond what was initially planned before their hire. For example, Sebastian the crab (Samuel E. Wright) was envisioned by the film’s writers as a majordomo-esque side character more akin to Zazu from The Lion King.

But it was Ashman and Menken who suggested Sebastian be given a Jamaican accent, and for his songs “Under the Sea” and “Kiss the Girl” to have a calypso sound to establish a more playful personality and to provide stylistic contrast with the rest of the more classical sound present in the rest of the film’s songs. Songs like “Part of Your World” and "Poor Unfortunate Souls” fit perfectly with the structures of the “I Want Song” and Villain songs used within Broadway musicals.

The Little Mermaid can be streamed on Disney+ in the U.S.

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3 'Aladdin' (1992)

Directed by John Musker & Ron Clements

Aladdin is an Arabian-set comedy that served as Menken’s last collaboration with Howard Ashman, who pitched the film to Disney but tragically died before production kicked into high gear. As a result, Menken had to complete the rest of the film’s music, including songs such as “One Jump Ahead” and “A Whole New World”, with legendary Broadway lyricist Tim Rice. The songs earned Menken a much-deserved Academy Award for Best Original Score, showing off a more lighthearted, classically comedic yet sincere tone not seen in Menken’s scores since before Little Shop of Horrors.

“A Whole New World” in particular helped prove Menken could still deliver an emotionally powerful musical moment without Ashman by his side. Even deleted songs like “Proud of Your Boy” and “High Adventure” suit the narrative and tone perfectly, to the point where they were added back in for the film’s Broadway adaptation. This all helps to make Aladdin one of Disney’s most fondly remembered films.

Aladdin can be streamed on Disney+ in the U.S.

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2 'Beauty and the Beast' (1991)

Directed by Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise

Beauty and the Beast is perhaps the most acclaimed film in the Disney animated canon, and much of the credit goes to Menken and Ashman’s influences on the story and music. If The Little Mermaid established the pair’s Broadway influence on Disney, Beauty and the Beast was the film that cemented and perfected it. While Howard Ashman has rightfully been given credit for many of the film’s most powerful story developments, Menken was completely instrumental in bringing the film’s emotional impact to fruition.

Every song in the film not only showcases beautiful animation but also progresses the story forward impactfully. From “Belle” establishing the title character’s misfit nature compared to her environment, "Be Our Guest” shows the castle staff reveling in feeling useful for the first time in years, to “Something There” furthering the relationship between our two leads. The title number is perhaps his most iconic piece of music written for Disney, winning Ashman and Menken their second Oscar for Best Original Song.

Beauty and the Beast can be streamed on Disney+ in the U.S.

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1 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1996)

Directed by Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise

While all of Menken’s work with Howard Ashman is perhaps his most well-known and acclaimed work, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is perhaps his most dauntingly ambitious. Even when taking on a lighter tone compared to the Victor Hugo novel the film is based on, Hunchback still has a reputation for being one of Disney’s darker and more epic films. The orchestral score and biblical choir emphasize this darkness and grandness, elevating a story of love, acceptance, and prejudice into something that sounds like a biblical epic.

Perhaps his most powerful use of music is represented in the dichotomy between Quasimodo (Tom Hulce) and Frollo (Tony Jay). Notably, the two share the same melody in their songs that express their love and desire for Esmeralda (Demi Moore) - “Heaven’s Light” and “Hellfire”. “Heaven’s Light” is quiet, soft, and joyful to represent Quasimodo’s innocent love for her and the newfound joy it brings him. Meanwhile, “Hellfire” is loud, gothic, and terrifying to represent Frollo’s unholy lust and the psychological torment it causes him. It is perhaps the most effective use of contrast in Menken's career.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame can be streamed on Disney+ in the U.S.

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