SpongeBob SquarePants, the new Broadway musical based on the popular Nickelodeon cartoon series, doesn’t officially arrive on Broadway until November 6, but fans can get a first listen to the show’s cast album starting today.
NPR is streaming the album that will be released September 22 from Masterworks Broadway. Click here to listen to SpongeBob SquarePants — The New Musical.
The show’s score comprises original songs by a roster of pop and rock hit-makers, including Yolanda Adams, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith, Sara Bareilles, Jonathan Coulton, Alexander Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, The Flaming Lips, John Legend, Lady Antebellum, Cyndi Lauper, Panic! At the Disco, Plain White T’s, They Might Be Giants and T.I., and a song by David Bowie. Additional lyrics are by Jonathan Coulton.
Orchestrations, arrangements, and music supervision are by Tom Kitt.
Read: WESLEY TAYLOR AND MORE JOIN BROADWAY’S SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MUSICAL; FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED
Each song in the musical was written specifically for a moment in the plot. “All of the musicians got a brief on where their song fits in the story, so they weren’t randomly writing songs on the topic of SpongeBob,” book writer Kyle Jarrow previously told Playbill.com. “They knew where it fit in the story.”
The track listing follows:
“Prologue”
“Bikini Bottom Day” – by Jonathan Coulton
“No Control” – by David Bowie
“BFF” – by Plain White T’s
“When the Going Gets Tough – by T.I.
“(Just a) Simple Sponge” – by Panic! At the Disco
“Daddy Knows Best” – by Alex Ebert of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
“Hero is My Middle Name” – by Cyndi Lauper
“Super Sea Star Savior” – by Yolanda Adams
“Tomorrow Is” – by The Flaming Lips
“Poor Pirates” – by Sara Bareilles
“Bikini Bottom Boogi”e – by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith
“Chop to the Top” – by Lady Antebellum
“(I Guess I) Miss You” – by John Legend
“I'm Not a Loser” – by They Might Be Giants
“Best Day Ever” – by Tom Kenny & Andy Paley
“Finale: Bikini Bottom Day Reprise”
“SpongeBob SquarePants Theme”
The album, which was recorded shortly after the show’s Chicago out-of-town tryout, reflects the show’s original world-premiere cast, including Nick Blaemire as Plankton.
SpongeBob SquarePants will begin Broadway previews November 6 at the Palace Theatre, with an official opening night set for December 4. For tickets, visit Ticketmaster.com.
