In under a year, Hamilton has become one of the biggest Broadway hits of all time.  The show has received superb reviews, and people now have to book tickets months in advance.  Prices have skyrocketed, and many who can’t get a spot in the theater are experiencing Hamilton vicariously through the music.  Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote a score like no other due to its historical significance, emotional appeal and catchy tunes.  For those who have seen Hamilton and those who have not, learning all of the words to every song has become a hobby and a passion for people of all ages.

“I love how all of my friends and I know all of the words to every song.  It makes our hangouts loud, but really fun,” said junior Sally Fried.

The popularity of Hamilton and its music is unparalleled.  Because of its huge success, on Dec. 2, Lin-Manuel Miranda, the genius behind the show and the original score, came out with a Hamilton Mixtape, including the most popular Hamilton songs performed by various famous artists.

Since the opening night of Hamilton on Broadway, Lin-Manuel Miranda had been planning on creating a pop-smash remix of the songs in the show.  Miranda wanted to let famous artists play with the songs themselves, in order to finally complete a modernized version of the music.  But, Miranda knew he had to “wait for it” because if people did not know the songs, the mixtape would not be a hit.

Finally, Lin-Manuel Miranda released the track list for this mixtape on Nov. 3.

“I had been anxiously awaiting this mixtape for what feels like forever, so I was really excited when Lin-Manuel Miranda tweeted the songs that would be on it,” said senior Ivy Denham.

A rage of excitement and anticipation surrounded the release of this mixtape because of the caliber of the artists that participated in the recording.  The mixtape features famous singers including Usher, Kelly Clarkson, Sia, Chance the Rapper, and even comedian Jimmy Fallon.

Lin-Manuel Miranda wanted those who may not be Hamilton fans to be drawn into the music because of the star power on the mixtape.  For example, Kelly Clarkson’s rendition of “It’s Quiet Uptown,” was redone to create a more general meaning, instead of the original lyrics that discuss history.

“I’m not the biggest Hamilton fan, but I still really like the mixtape.  The songs are more general instead of having to do with the plot of the show, so it makes it enjoyable for me to listen to without knowing much about Hamilton,” said junior Sierra Robinson.

The mixtape also includes songs that didn’t make it to the Broadway production, but that Miranda had written for the show.  One of these songs being “Valley Forge,” which Lin-Manuel Miranda wanted to show his fans a glimpse of since he wasn’t able to put it in the musical itself.

Lin-Manuel Miranda specifically chose some of the most popular and famous songs to remix.  This includes “Dear Theodosia,” “Wait for It,” “My Shot,” and “Satisfied,” which were all ranked in the top ten Hamilton songs by broadway.com’s survey.

Even with the famous singers and well-written remixes on the mixtape, the reviews were not all positive.  Some feel that this mixtape takes away from the original score and the themes of those songs.

“I love Hamilton, but listening to the songs with different words and different voices is weird to me.  I think the concept had a lot of potential, but personally, I think I’m going to stick to the original soundtrack,” said junior Natasha Klein.

By and large, most people love the mixtape.  The mixtape sold 187,000 copies within a week of its release.  It’s top trending on social media and a hot topic in news stations across America.  Clearly, Hamilton’s popularity is “nonstop”.