Back when The Greatest Showman premiered in 2017, no one was expecting the smashing success it would become. Musicals were dying down, and it was a risky move on Hugh Jackman's part to make his passion project come alive. And yet he did, surrounded by an immensely talented cast of household names and unknown faces alike.
Filled with upbeat original songs, inspiring anthems, and goose-bumping inducing ballads, The Greatest Showman does, indeed, put on a great show. It's hard to rank all the musical numbers audiences were treated to, simply because they were all so incredible from a production perspective. However, we're giving it a go - here are all the numbers in the movie, ranked!
Tightrope
While Michelle Williams does a wonderful job as Barnum's ever-loving and supportive wife, her character is not a prominent one in the movie, and doesn't feature in a whole lot of musical numbers.
"Tightrope" represents her only solo song, and while it's sweet and melancholic, it lacks the passion and fire that most of the other songs bring to the table. We still love listening to it because Williams' voice is probably the sweetest of the bunch.
A Million Dreams
It's through the course of "A Million Dreams" that audiences learn about P.T. Barnum's character, his origins, his story, and his motivations. Born and raised extremely poor, that doesn't keep him from pursuing and eventually marrying the love of his life, portrayed by Williams in the movie.
It gives anyone who's listening a delicious sneak peek into the catchy and inspiring songs that will be coming throughout the movie, and it makes it impossible not to instantly sympathize and root for the main character.
Come Alive
"Come Alive" is the first musical performance featuring several members of the cast, and an introduction to what will one day become the greatest show on earth. It starts slowly and keeps building up into something more, even though it never quite gets there. However, it's still incredibly fun.
The audience gets to dance along while the performers are introduced for the first time, and a flame quickly starts burning inside the spectator. "Come Alive" leaves you wanting for more, and the movie keeps delivering.
Never Enough
Even though it's Rebecca Ferguson's character, singer Loren Allred of The Voice fame is the one that lends her impressive pipes to this tragic and powerful ballad. "Never Enough" doesn't feature a large cast of voices or complex choreographies to go with it, but that's what makes it so special.
Rebecca's lipsynching and acting abilities are impressive and the whole scene is filled with tear-jerking potential. The ground almost shakes and hearts melt slowly throughout the whole song - and that's saying something!
From Now On
"From Now On" marks the penultimate number in the movie. Headlined by Jackman and accompanied by the rest of the cast in the chorus, this song begins with a slow pace, as Barnum realizes his mistakes and makes the decision to go back to his wife and ask for forgiveness.
It has one of the best buildups in the entire movie, as it eventually explodes into a multitude of voices singing along to the words "and we will go back home!", alongside an impressive, energy-fueled choreography at a bar. Stomping, screaming, and living for it the entire time, the cast delivers an unbelievable performance.
The Other Side
It's throughout "The Other Side" that audiences witness Hugh Jackman's Barnum trying to convince Zac Efron's character to "join the circus". Everybody who's familiar with the High School Musical franchise knows that Efron is quite the performer, with a beautiful voice and the dance moves to go with it.
However, this performance is still mind-blowing. The song shifts up and down in rhythm and the two actors partake in one of the most intricate and exciting choreographies in the whole movie.
The Greatest Show
Audiences get to hear a small part of "The Greatest Show" in the opening act of the film, but the song doesn't reach its full potential until the very end. It lives in a world where energy and fantasy come together in what can only be described as a cotton candy-infused dream.
Elephants, dancers, trape artists, and Hugh Jackman plus Zac Efron with a top hat. What more can a lover of musicals want? The stakes were high for a song that essentially represents the movie, but one thing is for sure - no one felt disappointed.
Rewrite The Stars
The chemistry between Zac Efron and Zendaya is one of the most breathtaking things about The Greatest Showman. The decision to give these two actors the chance to perform together was genius, and the song became so popular, singers Anne-Marie and James Arthur covered it themselves.
And while the song is everything a hopeless romantic could wish for, the choreography takes the cake. Zendaya is wrapping herself in ropes and flying through the circus, with Efron flying alongside her. Many bruises came out of it, but the finished product is worthy of several awards.
This Is Me
When it comes down to selecting the number one musical number in the movie, there's simply no competition. "This Is Me" was actually the song that allowed the movie to be green-lit, and for good reason. A true anthem about self-love, overcoming challenges and crossing the societal-imposed boundaries.
Keala Settle's vocals are out-of-this-world sensational, and even though the song didn't win the Oscar it was nominated for, "This Is Me" will always remain one of the most inspiring and uplifting numbers to ever be featured in a movie.