Wicked movie soundtrack vs. Wicked Broadway OST: every song, ranked

The Wicked movie compelled me to do something I never thought I would do: actively choose to listen to the movie-musical versions of certain songs over the original Broadway cast recording. While movie musicals sometimes have one or two songs that stand out, like Reneé Rapp’s sultry cover of “World Burn” in the Mean Girls musical movie, they usually pale in comparison to the Broadway versions. Sometimes it’s a case of the originals being so iconic in people’s minds. Sometimes it’s because musicals usually cast famous actors instead of good singers.

But in 2024’s Wicked, the majority of the songs, largely sung by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, are just as good as the original recordings featuring Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel. Some of the movie tracks, dare I say, are even better than their stage equivalents.

I know, I know — it’s musical theater blasphemy. But I have reasons!

Wicked is now available on VOD for home viewing, so we have a good excuse to compare them all again. Here’s a track-by-track comparison of all the songs in the movie and Broadway versions of Wicked, with my picks for (and defenses of) which ones should be more… popular.

[Ed. note: General spoilers ahead for the plot of Wicked, as told through these songs.]

‘No One Mourns the Wicked’

On the Broadway soundtrack, Glinda (Chenoweth) sounds like she’s processing the news of Elphaba’s death in real time and putting on a face as the PR branch of the Ozian government. But Ariana Grande sings it like she’s mourning an event she already knows about. She brings a depth to this song that kicks me right in the gut. She sings it like she’s grieving the loss of a great love. (And considering everything she’s said about Glinda and Elphaba’s relationship, I’m inclined to believe that was deliberate!)

A friend of mine pointed out one specific difference in line delivery that haunts me. It’s toward the end, when Glinda starts to echo the ensemble. When the ensemble sings “She died alone!”, Glinda repeats it. Chenoweth delivers the line with equal emphasis on each word, but Grande lingers on the “alone,” drawing it out. It comes at roughly 6:34 on the Spotify track above. It’s absolutely heartbreaking!

Winner: Broadway OST version

At just over a minute long, this is one of the shorter, less fun, less meaningful songs. Both versions are solid, but there’s a little more oomph to the harmonies in the original.

Winner: Broadway OST version

I appreciate Cynthia Erivo’s take on Elphaba, which is more reserved and shy than Idina Menzel’s approach. It’s a great take on the character! As such, her version of “The Wizard and I” is more subdued. It’s a fitting choice for this version of the character. But Menzel’s triumphant take on the song is so foundational! It soars! It’s an “I Want” song, but with an added layer of dramatic irony, because we know how this story ends for Elphaba.

‘What Is This Feeling?’

Winner: Broadway OST version

The movie version is really damn good — I love the initial back-and-forth banter in this one so much, especially with the extra emphasis on certain line deliveries to fit the specific situation of the two girls trying and failing to fall asleep in the same room.

But the original has an almost tactile viciousness, especially toward the end, when Elphaba and Glinda are singing along together. Erivo’s and Grande’s voices work a little too well here, blending together seamlessly, whereas Chenoweth’s and Menzel’s vocals clash in a way that gives the song a delicious layered texture.

Winner: Broadway OST version

It comes down to the delivery of “Baaaaaaaaaad,” and the original just does it better.

‘Dancing Through Life’

Winner: movie version — but just barely

More than any other song in this competition, this was a really damn close call. The original is full of fun, snappy moments between characters, and Norbert Leo Butz (the original Fiyero) has a gorgeously rich quality to his voice. But man, Jonathan Bailey in the movie cranks up Fiyero’s sensuality, putting a fun, jazzy spin on the song. The synths in the background also add a wonderfully bubbly quality that really sells the whole “brainless, painless” energy. It feels more like a party song!

“Dancing Through Life” is also heavy on the dialogue exchange, with Boq asking Glinda on a date, and Nessarose telling Elphaba about her exciting plans for the future. The movie enables those interactions to come through more, with heightened focus on how the characters deliver the lines. It works in a subtler way than Broadway theater, where the cast has to project to hit all those balcony seats.

Winner: Broadway OST version

Listen, Ari came through! It’s a fantastic cover! But while her version is fluffy and sweet like cotton candy, Chenoweth’s is the excited sugar rush of a can of Red Bull at 3 a.m. — which is exactly what Glinda is experiencing in that scene.

‘I’m Not That Girl’

Now with this Elphaba song, Erivo’s version shines over Menzel’s. In a movie, the song can be softer and more intimate, and therefore more heartbreaking as Elphaba looks on at Fiyero and Glinda, crooning about the ache she feels, knowing she isn’t ever going to be what she thinks he’s looking for.

The OST version always fell in the middle of the road for me. The movie version, however, soars near the top of my list. It has a fantastic buildup that really feels like we’re seeing the glorious Emerald City unfold in real time. Also! The percussion is just so damn catchy. I can’t listen to this one without nodding along to the drums and cymbals. The movie version also includes Menzel and Chenoweth’s cameo on the expanded Wizomania section, which adds even more fun.

It’s very hard to make this song interesting, but at least Jeff Goldblum’s version didn’t put me to sleep!

Winner: Broadway OST version

It’s not that the movie version is bad. Far from it, actually! Even with the choppy breaks and the extra fluff (which gives inexperienced singers some time to catch their breath during sing-alongs, but really cramps the pacing), it’s still fantastic. I love Erivo’s take on the end riff, and how desperate Grande sounds.

But the original is just pure magic. The back-and-forth between Glinda and Elphaba is tight and tense, and it all escalates with perfect timing, building more and more until that final big note. It’s iconic for a reason, and there’s probably no chance of any cover ever bringing the original down.

We won’t get a chance to evaluate the musical’s second act until Wicked: For Good hits theaters this November, but if part one of the movie is any indication, I just might be swapping out some of the OST versions in my listen-through.