Growing up a theater kid, Broadway cast recordings and bootleg performances have consumed many hours of my life. Over the years, I’ve formed many opinions on the industry’s iconic tenors, or the male performers who land lead roles due to their tall vocal range.

While some of these takes may be controversial, I believe my years of observation qualify me to dictate which of Broadway’s biggest names will go down as the greatest tenors. From the many jukebox musical warriors to the special few who don a newsboy cap and tap shoes, here are the five most iconic tenors of Broadway.

5. Derek Klena

Derek Klena’s buttery vocals as Dimitry on the original cast recording of “Anastasia” are to die for. His credits are undeniably stacked: He originated the role of Nick Healy in “Jagged Little Pill” and served as a replacement for both Christian in “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” and Fiyero in “Wicked.” He fits the bill perfectly, with both the charm and magnetism required for these classic leading roles. While Klena’s voice and acting are stunning, they’re also somewhat unmemorable, so he doesn’t stand out against the rest.

4. Aaron Tveit

Ranking Aaron Tveit this low might get me in trouble, but unfortunately he lacks the charisma that would bump him up. His voice in “Goodbye” from the original cast recording of “Catch Me If You Can” is electric — he’s definitely got the classic tenor sound down-pat. He especially thrives on a poppier soundtrack, which is likely why he was chosen to originate the role of Christian in “Moulin Rouge! The Musical.” Tveit’s portrayal as the original Gabe in the rock musical “Next to Normal” made the role the tenor-magnet it now is, but his acting doesn’t live up to his singing, unlike one of his more notable successors.

3. Jack Wolfe

I’m sorry to all of the Tveit truthers, but Jack Wolfe’s depiction of Gabe in the 2024 West End production of “Next to Normal” is unmatched. His angelic rendition of “I’m Alive” took over my life after the musical’s pro-shot was released in May of this year. Plus, his acting is top-notch, with an overwhelmingly earnest stage presence. His ability to captivate an audience is not going to waste, as he just made his Broadway debut as Orpheus in “Hadestown.” Perhaps it’s recency bias, but Wolfe’s building momentum paired with his talent secures him a spot in the tenor hall of fame.

2. Jordan Fisher

Affectionally known as the replacement go-to within the theater community — he’s taken over leading roles in four shows since his Broadway debut in “Hamilton” in 2016 — Jordan Fisher continues to build his resume. In the past year alone, Fisher starred as the male lead in, you guessed it, “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” and “Hadestown.” It seems as though Fisher is everywhere nowadays. Rather than this surplus coming off as annoying, it’s deserved. The former Disney actor’s vocal range is perhaps the most impressive on this list, as he effortlessly switches between a room-filling belt and a supported falsetto. His authenticity leaps off the stage every time he performs and is a joy to watch.

1. Jeremy Jordan

I did not spend my entire adolescence scouring the internet for every video I could find of Jeremy Jordan performing for him not to be at the top of this list. His talent and allure is unmatched, even in lackluster productions like the recently staged “Floyd Collins” and “The Great Gatsby.” Jordan earned his No. 1 spot on this list the moment he dramatically dragged his newsboy cap down his face while belting the iconic A5 in “Santa Fe” as the original Jack Kelly in “Newsies” in 2012. There’s a reason he’s one of the most sought after Broadway actors of our generation.

Contact Skylar Boilard at [email protected].