Once one of the costliest flops in Broadway history, FOLLIES is now highly regarded as a true classic in musical theater canon. The well-reviewed National Theatre revival, which ran through January 3, 2018, is scheduled to return to the West End this spring, and the sumptuously lush FOLLIES (2018 National Theatre Cast Recording) is now available digitally.

In 2010, the musical comedy Band Geeks premiered at Goodspeed, and now, almost nine years later, its score is finally available for listening. The EP of Band Geeks features seven of Mark Allen, Gaby Alter, and Tommy Newman's catchy songs. While it's very clearly a product of its time - that late 2000s/early-Glee era pop sound - every song is funny and earnest with charm to spare.

Our album critics have gone through all of the amazing recordings released this year and painstakingly chosen their favorites. From Broadway to West End, big screen to small, we've got a full list to keep you listening to the best of the best!

With moxie, sequins, and indefatigable whimsy, Sony Masterworks Broadway's THE PROM (Original Broadway Cast Recording) perfectly captures the mirth of the heartwarming Broadway production. Masterfully blending Matthew Sklar's toe-tapping score, Chad Beguelin's rib-tickling and heartfelt lyrics, and the stellar performances of the cast, this album is as charming as it is mesmerizing.

There are few things as difficult as penning a follow-up to a beloved classic. That's the challenge that faced the writers of Disney's Mary Poppins Returns, the next-generation sequel to the iconic 1964 film. Fortunately for us all, veteran songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman were more than up to the task, creating a score that seamlessly blends in with our favorite songs of old while producing some new magical moments of its own.

In celebration of its third year on Broadway, Warner Bros. Records released SCHOOL OF ROCK (Original Broadway Cast Recording) [Deluxe Edition]. This "Deluxe Edition" comes across more as a hackneyed marketing ploy since the only differences are changing the cover art to the current logo design and adding "School of Rock: The Musical (Medley).'

The justification for a rock star to desire or even need the glitz and glamor of being on Broadway simply doesn't translate to an audio only experience. And, the final product feels like an audio book recorded live.

The Tony nominee Christine Andreas has released an album unlike anything else this year. Piaf - No Regrets celebrates the songs made famous by the French singer Edith Piaf, including 'Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien,' 'Hymne a L'Amour," "L'Accordeoniste,' and 'La Vie En Rose.' Piaf - No Regrets started as a one woman show performed by Andreas at Feinstein's/54 Below and other cabaret venues, intended to celebrate Piaf's life and her musical triumphs. The classic 'La Vie En Rose' had been a stable song at Andreas' other cabaret shows and performances for many years.

Last month, Broadway baritone Norm Lewis released his latest album, THE NORM LEWIS CHRISTMAS ALBUM. Don't let the title deceive you though. While there are are great number of classic holiday tracks, there is also a healthy sprinkling of theater classics. The 18-track album reaches far and wide into the catalog of holiday standards. Lewis produced the album with Richard Jay-Alexander, with Jeremy Katz executive producing.

When it comes to sweeping, grand romances, the musicals from the 'golden age' of the mid-20th century can't be beat - including Brigadoon, which most recently received a production at New York City Center in 2017. Starring Kelli O'Hara and Patrick Wilson, the cast album is a lush rendering of the magical musical set in the mists of the Scottish Highlands.

The intersection of Broadway/opera and sacred music seems like a natural fit. Both are often larger than life, both speak to a very specific message, and both use a wide range of instrumentation and vocals. On Sarah Brightman's new album, Hymn, she combines the two genres to mixed effect. While the more traditional sounds are lovely and suit her voice well, the contemporary songs tend to be overwrought.

Lena Hall's ambitious and successful year long EP project - Lena Hall OBSESSED - comes to end this month with her lovely tribute to Chris Cornell, the iconic front man of Soundgarden and Audioslave. The four-track OBSESSED: CHRIS CORNELL stands as a vivid and stirring conclusion to the series, offering listeners the entrancing angst of the grunge era and a delightful reprieve from effusively ebullient holiday music.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but WALLS - Barbra Streisand's thirty-sixth studio album - is the first I have ever listened to by the iconic songstress. But I'm not embarrassed to admit that I love it. Alternating between heartfelt ballads and stirring anthems, Streisand's WALLS proves that the luster hasn't worn off of her star; in fact, it's as vibrant and enchanting as ever.

Of the many traditions and events that occur during Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids' twice yearly collection periods, one of the sweetest and subtlest is the annual Carols For a Cure compilation album. The recent release marks the twentieth anniversary of the tradition, where the casts of a variety of currently running Broadway shows record a special holiday song to be included on the album. This years album the album includes ten bonus tracks of songs from previous Carols For a Cure albums as well as eighteen new songs from current Broadway casts. As with every Broadway Cares/Equity Fight Aids fundraiser, all proceeds from the sales of the album goes to the organization's charitable endeavors.

With his latest album, As Time Goes By, Boe tackles a slightly different genre, covering a variety of mid-century standards with a lounge-style, big-band sound. This branching out is a delightful new avenue for Boe that his fans will be sure to enjoy, although the album is not uniformly excellent.

Last week, Heather Headley released her new album, BROADWAY MY WAY.  This is the latest addition to recorded repertoire for this Grammy and Tony, and it is a welcome one at that. In fact, this is Headley's first solo album that is comprised of songs in the musical theater cannon. Her other albums, outside of various cast recordings, have dabbled more heavily in genres such as Gospel, Pop and R&B. Her skills in crossing genres is not lost on this album, and in fact adds to her style and inventiveness.

Melissa Errico is one of the most reliable theatre divas in contemporary musical theatre. With her fierce belt and a knack for finding the most interesting moments in music, it's no surprise that she's released an album of Sondheim music. The surprise in Sondheim Sublime is which style of Sondheim she chooses: not the sly, sharp, witty Sondheim, but the bittersweet, thoughtful songs that sometimes get lost in the shuffle.

Lena Hall's second to last entry in her ambitious year-long EP series is OBSESSED: NIRVANA. When this project was first announced, I figured the novelty and gimmick of it all would wear thin a few months in; however, almost every title has been met with excitement and Hall has consistently delivered. This is true for November's bewitching treat of an EP, which is replete with soul shaking, gritty grunge vocals, mesmerizing guitars, and masterful artistry.

Today, Atlantic Records digitally dropped DEAR EVAN HANSEN (Original Broadway Cast Recording) [Deluxe Album]. This version of the lauded and critically acclaimed cast album offers four songs cut from the show, an acoustic version of 'Disappear,' and a Katy Perry cover of 'Waving Through A Window.'

Excitement has enveloped the internationally acclaimed stage production, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, since its London opening in July 2016. The show is now playing on Broadway and will soon have productions opening in Melbourne, San Francisco and Hamburg - the latter marking its first non-English production. Last month, it was announced that an album would be released showcasing the music of the show, created by the multi-award-winning British musician, composer and producer Imogen Heap, who has already earned a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music in a Play for her work on Cursed Child.

HEAD OVER HEELS is a neon-hued, cotton candy confection served with infectious cheer. While the cast album has all the polish that a studio recording can offer, Sony Masterworks Broadway's HEAD OVER HEELS (Original Broadway Cast Recording) lacks the effervescence and pizzazz of the live performances. It's a fun listen, but the sense of giddiness that comes from seeing it live is notably missing from the album.

Broadway chanteuse Margo Seibert, star of ROCKY and IN TRANSIT, may be one of the most underappreciated talents treading the boards of the Great White Way. Across the years, I've never seen her in something where I didn't find her to be captivating and stellar. And, those same superlatives can be easily applied to her truly enchanting forthcoming debut solo album, 77TH STREET.

Figure skating and musical theatre feel like perfect partners: both involve heightened drama, intense training, and occasionally questionable costume choices. So it seems incredible that there hasn't really been a musical about figure skating before - until now.

With the October entry in her OBSESSED series, Lena Hall drinks deeply from the fountain of divinity. The coupling of her raw yet controlled vocals and Matt Bellamy's nuanced and complex music and lyrics for OBSESSED: MUSE is the kind of sacred marriage that cover artists can only dream of achieving. No one could top Bellamy at his own game, but if any one is capable of coming close, it's Hall.

As far as wacky titles go Who's Your Baghdaddy? Or, How I Started The Iraq War is a doozy. First-time listeners might be a little wary of this wacky, weird concept, but they'd be missing out. The musical, whose original cast recording is out now, follows a group of intelligence officers who stumble into a series of discoveries that lead the world into the Iraq War. If that doesn't sound like compelling material for a musical - just stay with me for a moment.