It’s been 5 years since the release of the soundtrack to Hamilton, the musical written by Lin-Manuel Miranda that’s become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon. Hamilton hit the Broadway stage in July 2015 after a successful Off-Broadway run and the soundtrack followed in September the same year. It has continued to take the world of theatre by storm ever since.
The story of America’s Founding Fathers changed the game for musicals. The musical is heavily influenced by R&B, hip-hop and rap, including references to The Notorious B.I.G and Beyonce and the way Miranda is able to intertwine the modern hip-hop sound with a historical story is a testament to his brilliance. Also, the Hamilton soundtrack won a Grammy award for Best Musical Theatre Album, has been streamed over 100 million times and is currently x7 platinum; and once you’ve immersed yourself, it’s easy to understand why.
Miranda’s genius clearly knew no bounds when writing Hamilton – his lyricism is so refined and his ability to tell a story through the medium of song and rap is thoughtful and meaningful. Not only that, Miranda proves he has an extraordinary way with words – his lyrics are so meticulous, complex and intuitive. Hamilton even boasts one of Broadway’s fastest numbers in history with the rap in ‘Guns and Ships’, performed by Daveed Diggs, rapping at 6.3 words per second.
5 years on, Hamilton continues to thrive. Its arrival on Disney+ in July 2020 is definitely responsible for reigniting its success. Due to COVID, Hamilton will be back on the stage in 2021 so the brilliant soundtrack will have to suffice.
Check out the trailer fo Hamilton on Disney+ below:
