Well, you may not need to look any further than last year’s Dear Evan Hansen.
“You Will Be Found” in context of the show has a more layered meaning, but out of context it has already been appropriated as an uplifting feel-good anthem.
We might also consider “For Good” from Wicked (which has proliferated high school graduations and the like).
Today, though, I think it takes a blockbuster musical that crosses over to the general public’s consciousness to have an anthem that breaks through. Post-“Rent”, there have not been many major “popular” musicals with an that kind of song - “Hamilton,” “The Book of Mormon,” “Jersey Boys,” “Spamalot,” “Spring Awakening,” “Avenue Q” and even “Newsies” did not have major, inspiring anthems that caught on beyond their show’s life. “Seasons of Love” is still probably the closest thing to a recent equivalent to “You’ll Never Walk Alone” in pop culture. |
