In February 2026, Moulin Rouge! on Broadway announced that Megan Thee Stallion would be joining its cast for a limited run of shows, portraying the role of Zidler starting March 24 — but she’s just one of dozens of musicians who have taken a turn on the Great White Way.

From modern hitmakers to iconic legends of generations past, Broadway has hosted chart-topping artists of all kinds. After dominating stages all over the world with their original music, the allure of using their platinum voices to belt out show tunes in beloved musicals and/or original productions somewhere on the circuit of stages in New York City’s theater district has pulled in everyone from David Bowie to Sting, Madonna and Usher.

There’s also the rare performer who finds global fame as a pop star only after conquering the big leagues of professional theater. Those include Ariana Grande, who got her start originating a role in one Broadway show years before she ever starred on Victorious or scored numerous No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100.

So in honor of music’s longstanding love affair with Broadway, Billboard has rounded up a number of musicians who have at some point traded their concert outfits for character costumes, and who have swapped sporadic touring schedules for a steady eight shows a week on the same stage each night. This list spans decades as well as numerous different productions, and it doesn’t even take into account singer-songwriters like Bruce Springsteen and Cyndi Lauper, who’ve either had residencies in the landmark area of NYC or have composed the music to an original show.

Check out 40 artists who have acted in a Broadway production below.