It's easy to sing the praises of a great musical. Musicals are frequently high in emotion and energy, with the genre usually being definable as one that incorporates music in with its storytelling. Sometimes, this is done with characters breaking into song. Sometimes, musical sequences will only exist in dreams or fantasy sequences. Other times, a musical might center on characters who sing and dance as part of their profession, making the music feel more believably in-universe.

Not all musicals will necessarily be to everyone's tastes, and the genre is perhaps one of the more divisive ones out there, at least broadly speaking (the same can arguably be said about Westerns and horror movies). Yet for those who love the genre, or for those who want to discover what it has to offer, the following titles are among the greatest musicals of all time. They showcase how varied and exciting the genre can be at its best, and are ranked below from great to greatest.

30 'Mary Poppins' (1964)

Director: Robert Stevenson

As perhaps one of the most popular family-friendly musicals of all time (and one of the best movies of 1964), Mary Poppins is one title that's likely familiar to many. It's a Disney classic in many ways, telling the unusual yet interesting story of a magical nanny caring for two children, with the trio going on all sorts of strange adventures, learning about the world around them.

Get past the weirdly dark scenes and some annoying accents and there's a great deal to appreciate in Mary Poppins. From a technical perspective, it's remarkable by the standards of 1964, especially when it comes to combining live-action and animated elements. And the songs on offer are undeniably catchy and basically impossible to ever forget, for better or worse.

29 'Fiddler on the Roof' (1971)

Director: Norman Jewison

A mammoth-length musical film that runs for approximately three hours, Fiddler on the Roof could well be considered a true epic, and quite a good one at that. It's a film adaptation of the beloved stage musical of the same name, and centers on a family dealing with love, loss, and the struggles of getting by in Czarist Russia during the early years of the 20th century.

It's the rare time when what's put on screen does justice to what was already widely celebrated on stage, and as such, it's a continually popular film deserving of its legacy. Even if the length might put some people off, it's got a good deal to offer, and will undoubtedly appeal to anyone who has a fondness for movie musicals.

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28 'The Lion King' (1994)

Directors: Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff

Released in 1994, which was one of cinema's best-ever years, The Lion King is a phenomenal animated movie that manages to be a comedy, family film, drama, and musical all at once. It tells the story of a young lion prince who's banished by his evil uncle, Scar, and returns to his homeland as a young adult, looking to right the wrongs Scar's done during that time.

The Lion King has so much going on at the same time, yet still feels coherent and equally satisfying to watch as both a kid and an adult. It's one of the greatest animated movies Disney ever produced, and is so great that not even an underwhelming (and oddly lifeless) 2019 remake can dampen the legacy of the 1994 original.

27 'My Fair Lady' (1964)

Director: George Cukor

1964 was a big year for big, ambitious musicals, as not only did it see the release of the aforementioned Mary Poppins, but so too was 1964 the year that My Fair Lady came out. It was also a monumentally successful movie, winning a total of eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

It runs for almost three hours, and its narrative is centered around the unlikely romance that develops between an upper-class man who takes a working-class girl and attempts to transform her into a member of high society. My Fair Lady is all knowingly old-fashioned and sometimes quite silly, but there's a certain charm to it, and from a technical perspective, it is quite a dazzling film to look at and listen to.

26 'Meet Me in St. Louis' (1944)

Director: Vincente Minnelli

A breezy movie that nonetheless has some subtly dark aspects to it, Meet Me in St. Louis is one of the most well-known musicals of the 1940s. It begins shortly before the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, and follows several daughters who all learn about life and love, singing their hearts out all the while.

It's a very colorful movie, and is well-presented overall thanks to the direction of Vincente Minnelli, who was one of the most acclaimed musical directors of his time. It certainly feels like a product of its time, but not in a way that detracts tremendously from the film overall, and those who don't mind an older musical movie every now and then should find themselves able to have a good time with it.

25 'A Star Is Born' (1954)

Director: George Cukor

Modern-day viewers might be most familiar with the 2018 version that stars Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, but the 1954 version of A Star Is Born remains the best. That being said, it's not the original. Aside from the two aforementioned versions, A Star Is Born's story has also been told in 1937 and 1976 versions.

The tragic romantic story about a young female singer experiencing a rise to power while her older partner endures a fall from grace seems to be a generation-crossing one that audiences can't get enough of. This 1954 version is notable for its length (it's almost three hours) and for featuring what might be Judy Garland's greatest performance (though Meet Me in St. Louis and a certain fantasy film from 1939 do offer decent competition).

24 'Chicago' (2002)

Director: Rob Marshall

Not only is Chicago a great musical, but it's also a surprisingly great darkly comedic crime movie, too. It's a satirical look at the similarities between infamy and fame, following two women who find themselves on death row in the titular city during the 1920s and will stop at nothing to avoid execution.

To some extent, traditional musicals went out of fashion in the 1980s and 1990s, with unabashedly bold and music-heavy films like Chicago ultimately helping the genre become trendy once more. More than 20 years on from its release, the music, style, and performances of Chicago remain entertaining, with it being a deserving Best Picture winner at the 2002 Oscars.

23 'A Hard Day's Night' (1964)

Director: Richard Lester