10 Best Animated Movies That Are Also Perfect Musicals

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The relationship between animation and music dats back to the industry’s Golden Era, where companies like Disney and Fleischer Studio experimented with matching animation to musical ques. Since then, the combination has gown and expanded, to the point where almost every animated film produced these days is a musical. These films use their songs to advance the plot, establish characters, or establish crucial details, and many of their songs have become engrained in popular culture thanks to their quality.

With so many animated musicals being produced every year, it’s difficult to narrow down which ones are the absolute best. Thus, consider this list a dedicated animation fan’s ranking.

10 ‘An American Tail’ (1986)

Directed by Don Bluth

After their home is destroyed in a Pogrom, the Mousekewitzes family leaves Russia for a better life in America. During the crossing, their son, Fievel (Phillip Glasser), is swept overboard and presumed dead. Arriving in New York City, Fievel has to not only find his family but save the local immigrant mouse community from being exploited by cats led by conman Warren T. Rat (John Finnegan).

An American Tail is one of director Don Bluth’s best films thanks to its honest depictions of the struggles many immigrants suffer when coming to new countries, a theme that is sadly all too relevant today. Though its music isn’t as grand as other films, it still does a fantastic job of conveying theme, tone, and character. Some of the best examples are, “There are No Cats in America,” where the various immigrant mice talk about oppression in their countries, and “Somewhere Out There,” a heartbreaking song conveying love over great distances.

9 ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (1993)

Directed by Henry Selick

Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon) is the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town and is in charge of making sure everyone enjoys a good scare on Halloween. Unfortunately, he is finding himself stuck in a creative rut and longing for something new. When he accidentally stumbles into Christmas Town, Jack becomes fascinated by the beauty of this new holiday, and decides to try his hand at Christmas, with disastrous results.

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a masterpiece of stop-motion animation, and its characters remain some of the best in Henry Selick’s illustrious career. The songs were written by Sir Danny Elfman, and always capture the tone, from the creepy yet playful atmosphere of “This is Halloween,” to Jack’s wide-eyed wonder at Chrismas in “What’s This?”. Speaking of Jack, Elfman also performs his singing voice, which makes his songs feel even more genuine.

8 ‘Anastasia’ (1997)

Directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman

During the Russian Revolution, Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov (Kirsten Dunce and Meg Ryan), survives the murder of the rest of her family but suffers amnesia. As a young woman named Anya, she meets a pair of artists named Dimitri (John Cusack) and Vladimir (Kelsey Grammer), who convince her to pose as Anastasia so they can claim a reward from Dowager Empress Maria Romanov (Angela Lansbury), who hopes that her granddaughter is still alive. Meanwhile, Anya is being watched by Grigori Rasputin (Christopher Lloyd), an undead monk who uses dark magic to ensure that the Romanovs will die with her.

Anastasia is perhaps the most successful of the Disney clones of the 1990s, thanks in large part to its directors having previously worked at Disney. The songs were written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, and do a wonderful job mimicking Disney’s formula while carving out their own identity through the film’s tone and narrative progression. Some of the best include the catchy “A Rumor in St. Petersburg,” which introduces Dimitri, Vladimir, and the Dowager Empress’ promised reward through chatty townsfolk, and “In the Dark of the Night,” an epic villain song sung by one of the greatest voice actors of all time, Jim Cummings.

7 ‘Coco’ (2017)

Directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina

Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) is a young boy who longs to be a musician, but music is forbidden in his family due to his great-great-grandfather abandoning his wife and their daughter, Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguía), to pursue a music career. When Miguel finds a clue that his great-great-grandfather might be famous musician Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt), he sneaks into his mausoleum to acquire his guitar. Unfortunately, this curses Miguel and transports him to the Land of the Dead, and the only way he can go back to the living is to receive the blessing of a family member.

Coco is easily among Pixar’s best movies thanks to its beautiful depiction of Mexican culture and its strong story regarding family, generational trauma, and the power of memory. The music helps to facilitate these themes, especially through the film’s main song, “Remember Me,” which takes on different meanings depending on who is singing it and why. It also features a gorgeous rendition of the traditional song “La Llorona” sung by Antonio Sol and Alanna Ubach.

6 ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ (1996)

Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise

Quasimodo (Tom Hulce) is a huncback living in the bell tower of Notre Dame cathedral who wishes to live among the people of Paris. Defying the order of his adoptive father, Judge Claud Frollo (Tony Jay), he sneaks into the Festival of Fools, and when the crowd turns on him, he is helped by a Romani woman named Esmerelda (Demi Moore). This earns her Frollo’s wrath, and after Quasimodo helps her evade him, Frollo becomes obsessed with finding her, even if he has to burn Paris down.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame is a very tonally inconsistent film, going between scenes of sin, oppression, and corruption, to silly comic relief gargoyles making anachronistic jokes. However, one aspect that people can agree on is the quality of the songs, which does everything you want from a musical: it tells the story through epic visuals and sweeping music. The two best songs are “The Bells of Notre Dame,” which uses church bells and a Latin Quire to give exposition, and “Hellfire,” which dives into the psychology of Disney’s most evil villain.

5 ‘South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut’ (1999)

Directed by Trey Parker

Stan (Trey Parker), Kyle (Matt Stone), Cartman (Trey Parker), and Kenny (Matt Stone) sneak into a movie theater to see the latest Terrance and Phillip (Matt Stone and Trey Parker) film, which is rated R for excessive swearing. When the boys begin to swear excessively, their parents, led by Kyle’s mother, convince the army to capture Terrance and Philips, which leads to the United States declaring war on Canada. Meanwhile, after dying in an attempt to imitate a prank from the film, Kenny learns that Satan (Trey Parker) and his abusive boyfriend, Saddam Hussein (Matt Stone), plan to use the war to bring about the apocalypse.

South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut is a wild ride from beginning to end, with a strong message regarding censorship that remains just as relevant today as when the film came out. The decision to make the film a musical also serves as a hilarious spoof of Disney’s Renaissance period, which saw them dominate the box office with animated musicals. The most iconic song has to be “Blame Canada,” which sees Kyle’s mother rally fellow outraged parents against Canada rather than accept that they should parent their kids better, but another favourite is “What Would Brian Boitano Do?,” where the boys compare Olympic figure skater Brian Boitano to a superhero.

4 ‘The Lion King’ (1994)

Directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff

Simba (Johnathan Taylor Thomas and Matthew Broderick), is the son of King Mufasa (James Earl Jones) and thus next in line to inherit rulership of the Pride Lands. Unfortunately, his uncle, Scar (Jeremy Irons), covets the throne and plots with a nearby hyena colony to kill Simba. Unfortunately, Mufasa is always there to save him, so Scar changes his plan to kill both father and son.

The Lion King was originally made to tide audiences over until the release ofPocahontas, but thanks to the crew’s hard work and dedication, it eclipsed its sister film and holds the title of highest-grossing traditionally animated film. If its Shakespearean levels of drama and epic depiction of the African Savannah weren’t enough of a reason, there is the beloved songs by Sir Elton John and Sir Tim Rice. Among the songs that stand out the most are “Circle of Life,” for its stellar visuals and background lyrics by Lebo M, and “Be Prepared,” one of Disney’s best villain songs.

3 ‘The Little Mermaid’ (1989)

Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements

Ariel (Jodi Benson) is the youngest daughter of the sea king, Triton (Kenneth Mars), but is facinated with the human world despite Triton’s efforts to keep her beneath the waves. One night, she rescues Prince Eric (Christopher Daniel Barnes) from drowning and falls hopelessly in love with him. When Triton takes drastic measures to forbid their romance, Ariel accepts an offer from the sea witch, Ursula (Pat Carroll), to become human for three days to woo Eric at the cost of her voice.

The Little Mermaid is the movie that pulled Disney out of their Dark Age and kicked off their beloved Renaissance. It was also the first Disney film to feature the music of legendary composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman. A selection of their amazing songs include “Under the Sea,” which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, “Part of Your World,” which began Disney’s recurring trend of “I Want” songs, and “Poor Unfortunate Souls,” which beautifully showcases Ursula’s unique blend of villainy.

2 ‘The Prince of Egypt’ (1998)

Directed by Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner, and Simon Wells

After being sent down the Nile River to avoid being killed, a Hebrew infant is found by Queen Tuya (Helen Mirren), who adopts him and names him Moses (Val Kilmer). As a young man, Moses learns the truth about his origins, and after accidentally killing an Egyptian taskmaster, flees into the desert. He eventually returns to Egypt when commanded by God (Val Kilmer) to free the Hebrew slaves, which brings him into conflict with his adoptive brother, Rameses (Ralph Fiennes).

The Prince of Egypt is one of the most epic animated films ever made thanks to its impressive cinematography, its story of literal biblical proportions, and the human conflict between Moses and Rameses. The songs are equally grand and are used by the filmmakers to depict moments of intense emotion. This is best scene in the first song, “Deliver Us,” which sees the Hebrew slaves praying for deliverance while Moses’ mother, Yocheved (Ofra Haza), does what she can to give him a chance at life.

1 ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (1991)

Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise

When a selfish prince (Robby Benson) refuses to shelter an old woman from a storm, she reveals herself as an enchantress and curses him and his castle. Now transformed into a beast, the prince must learn to love and be loved in return before the last petal falls from an enchanted rose, or the spell will never be broken. Initially, he resigns himself to his fate, but hope appears when he imprisons an inventor named Maurice (Rex Everhart) for trespassing, prompting Maurice’s daughter, Belle (Paige O’Hara), to take his place.

Beauty and the Beast captivated audiences, becoming the first animated film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Feature. In addition to its beautiful story and lovable characters, the film also contains some of Disney’s biggest, grandest, and most iconic musical numbers, once again provided by Menken and Ashman. Some of the most beloved are “Be Our Guest,” where the servants sing to Belle during dinner, “Gaston,” which is a hilarious tribute to how manly local hero Gaston (Richard White) is, and “Beauty and the Beast,” a love ballet made more powerful by Angela Lansbury’s singing voice.

NEXT: 10 Most Bizarre Musical Sequences in Animated Movies