2023 - 2024 Broadway Musical Logos: The Heart of Rock and Roll & The Who's Tommy

Logo lovers, here's a two-fer for you! I felt that these simple logos worked well together. Both shows are steeped in nostalgia - one is a revival of a 30 year old musical based on a classic 1969 rock album, the other is a new "jukebox" musical with a score consisting of songs from one of biggest acts from the 1980s.

2023 - 2024 Broadway Musical Logos:

The Heart of Rock and Roll &

The Who's Tommy

Let's start with the newer of the two, the 1987 set musical comedy featuring the music of Huey Lewis and the News, The Heart of Rock and Roll. As a teen in the 80's myself, that band and, more importantly, the style of the decade had a profound effect on me. And so, I can say that the show's period inspired logo is spot-on.

The icons surrounding the show's title are vibrant pastels and remind me of those stickers that used to adorn every surface before and after every major concert in the MTv era. I think it smart that they've included a "sticker" announcing that the show features the songs of the band - a sure way to draw in Gen-X ticket buyers.

The title presentation is also very 80s, with its simple lettering in white, the turquoise heart/guitar pick, and most notable of all, the pink neon "Heart." The only thing missing here is a scrunchie and leg warmers! That said, I'm glad they've moved away from the original logo (above right). Too plain and that much turquoise is... unattractive.

For a start, the current logo is fine. But if the show gains any traction, I'm going to bet they'll go with more photo-based advertising, much like what they've already started with their subway campaign (above).

Grade: B 

   

The Who's Tommy has a logo that both reflects that it is a revival and its current production. Sort of a "if it ain't broke don't fix it!" and "new revival!" hybrid. The 1993 show logo was iconic in its time, with its quirky, repetitive title lettering and "hand scrawled" lettering of the song, "See Me, Feel Me." Bright yellow (and other vivid colors) figured prominently in the design of that production as well. (See above.)

   

Will the lightning of that wildly successful production strike twice? Clearly they hope so, what with the update to the logo, which takes the iconic original title style and makes it yellow against black with a reference to a different song, "Smash the Mirror." The other lettering is sleek and metallic. 

This version, like the other, matches its production, which is decidedly darker, with flashes of color. I haven't seen the new production yet, so I can't speak to the effectiveness of this darker take, but I do appreciate the parallels.

Grade: A