After 6 seasons, Glee has come to an end. While it fluctuated in quality over time, Glee always provided with top-notch musical performances. I was originally just going to do a Top 30, but I found that too difficult while wading through the songs, so then I decided on a Top 40.....but came up with the same problem. Finally, I came up with a Top 50. Now of course, this list is subjective, and if you have a favorite that I left out, feel free to comment or reply to me on twitter. I feel like every season has a fairly balanced number of performances....so here we go.
50) "Don't Speak" (Season 4, Ep.4)
By: No Doubt, Performed: Cory Monteith/Darren Criss/Chris Colfer/Lea Michele
This was part of that heartbreaking Season 4 episode "The Breakup". Among the first 4 seasons, this episode provided with some of the most moving performances.
49) "Vogue" (Season 1, Ep. 15)
By: Madonna, Performed: Jane Lynch
Part of a music video project during the Season 1 Madonna episode, this was well done.
48) "Some Nights" (Season 4, Ep. 7)
By: fun, Performed: New Directions
This was a good look at some of the new members of Glee
47) "Uninvited" (Season 6, Ep. 1)
By: Alanis Morissette, Performed: Lea Michele
Kicking off the final season, this is one of the edgier performances by Lea.
46) "Bad Romance" (Season 1, Ep. 20)
By: Lady Gaga, Performed: New Direction females ft/Chris Colfer
A theatrical performance.....in the Season 1 episode "Theatricality", this was just fun, led by Chris Colfer.
45) "Thriller/Heads Will Roll" (Season 2, Ep. 11)
By: Michael Jackson/Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Performed: Naya Rivera/Cory Monteith/Kevin McHale, w/New Directions & Mckinley High Titans
The 1st mash-up on this list, this was worthy of a Post- Super Bowl episode (and better than most actual halftime shows)
44) "Keep Holding On" (Season 1, Ep. 7)
By: Avril Lavigne, Performed: New Directions
On its face, this wouldn't make the list, but with Quinn' pregnancy storyline, it provides depth.
43) "Singin' In The Rain/Umbrella" (Season 2, Ep. 7)
By: Gene Kelly/Rihanna ft. Jay-Z, Performed: Gwyneth Paltrow/Matthew Morrison & New Directions
Another mash-up, the production value of this was great.
42) "Songbird" (Season 2, Ep. 19)
By:Eva Cassidy, Performed: Naya Rivera
A superb solo from Naya Rivera. She was always able to convey the emotion of any performance.
41) "How Will I Know" (Season 3, Ep. 17)
By: Whitney Houston, Performed: Amber Riley/Naya Rivera/Chris Colfer/Lea Michele
Done a capella in remembrance of Whitney Houston, this was a worthy tribute
40) "Roots Before Branches" (Season 3, Ep. 22)
By: Room For Two, Performed: Cory Monteith/Lea Michele
This was an emotional farewell between Rachel and Finn as she went off to NYC.
39) "All You Need Is Love" (Season 5, Ep. 1)
By: The Beatles, Performed: Darren Criss w/New Directions, Warblers, Vocal Adrenaline, Haverbrook School for the Deaf, Lea Michele, Chris Colfer, Mike O'Malley, Amber Riley, Naya Rivera, Matthew Morrison
This was performed as Blaine was proposing to Kurt. While it would take over a year, and a break-up; given the results of the series finale, this is still incredibly moving
38) "Something's Coming" (Season 3, Ep. 2)
By: West Side Story, Performed: Darren Criss
A very underrated solo, this is Criss at his best.
37) "The Scientist" (Season 4, Ep. 4)
By: Coldplay, Performed: Cory Monteith/Darren Criss/Naya Rivera/Chris Colfer/Heather Morris/Matthew Morrison/Lea Michele/Jayma Mays
Another performance from "The Breakup", this performance really put into perspective the fractured status of these particular relationships during this time.
36) "Defying Gravity" (Season 1, Ep. 9)
By: Wicked, Performed: Chris Colfer/Lea Michele
This really gave us one of our first glimpses into the rivalry between Kurt & Rachel.
35) "All Of Me" (Season 5, Ep. 20)
By: John Legend, Performed: Darren Criss
Just another terrific solo by Criss.
34) "This Is The New Year" (Season 4, Ep. 12)
By: A Great Big World, Performed: New Directions
This performance showed the sense of transition that the characters were going through.
33) "Pompeii" (Season 5, Ep. 20)
By: Bastille, Performed: Lea Michele/Chris Colfer/Amber Riley/Darren Criss/Chord Overstreet/Kevin McHale/Heather Morris w/ NYC Citizens
The last performance of the Season 5 finale, Rachel finally seemed to be moving on here since losing Finn.
32) "Let It Go" (Season 6, Ep.1)
By: Frozen, Performed: Lea Michele
This was a perfectly timed cover. Here, Rachel was moving on from her disaster in Hollywood, coming back to find her roots.
31) "At Last" (Season 6, Ep.8)
By: Etta James, Performed: Amber Riley/Kevin McHale
This was performed during the "double" wedding. McHale was at his best here, finally able to really show off his soulful voice along with Riley.
30) "We Found Love" (Season 3, Ep.10)
By: Rihanna ft/Calvin Harris, Performed: Lea Michele/Naya Rivera w/New Directions
This performance led into Will's proposal to Emma, an important moment.
29) "Just The Way You Are" (Season 2, Ep.8)
By: Bruno Mars, Performed: Cory Monteith & New Directions
This song happened during the wedding between Burt & Carole. Finn dedicated it to his new stepbrother, Kurt, a touching moment.
28) "Next To Me" (Season 4, Ep.19)
By: Emeli Sande, Performed: Idina Menzel/Lea Michele
A powerful duet with Rachel and her biological mother (Shelby), these 2 big voices mesh well.
27) "Rumor Has It/Someone Like You" (Season 3, Ep.6)
By: Adele, Performed: Amber Riley/Naya Rivera/Heather Morris w/ The Troubletones
One of the top performances of the 1 off-shoot Glee club, The Troubletones.
26) "Raise Your Glass" (Season 2, Ep.16)
By: Pink, Performed: Dalton Academy Warblers
This was the regionals debut of Kurt with the Warblers, this performance just gives off a sense of joy.
25) "Tightrope" (Season 6, Ep.2)
By: Janelle Monae ft/Big Boi, Performed: Samantha Marie Ware w/The Warblers
This was the audition that Samantha's character (Jane) used to try to audition for the all-male Warblers. There's such a liveliness to this performance, it felt like old-school Glee.
24) "Seasons Of Love" (Season 5, Ep.3)
By: Rent, Performed: Amber Riley/Naya Rivera/Chris Colfer/Mark Salling/Jenna Ushkowitz with the New Directions
The opening number for "The Quarterback", this set the tone for the dramatic episode
23) "Take Me To Church" (Season 6, Ep.11)
By: Hozier, Performed: Noah Guthrie/Becca Tobin/Samantha Marie Ware & New Directions
One of the last sectional numbers, Guthrie's vocals here are sublime. He had one of the best male voices on Glee, but its a shame that he (along with Samantha) were just introduced in the last season.
22) "Starships" (Season 3, Ep.21)
By: Nicki Minaj, Performed: Alex Newell & Vocal Adrenaline
This was our intro to "Unique". This brought a whole new element to Glee as Unique would later join New Directions.
21) "Someday We'll Be Together" (Season 6, Ep.13)
By: Diana Ross & The Temptations, Performed: Amber Riley with a Gospel choir
This was Amber's farewell performance, as her character (Mercedes) was setting off for a long tour. This was just one of many moving performances in the finale.
20) "Smooth Criminal" (Season 3, Ep.11)
By: Michael Jackson, Performed: Grant Gustin/Naya Rivera w/Dalton Cellists (2Cellos)
A duel between Santana and the antagonist leader of the Warblers (Sebastian), this certainly was a battle of a duet.
19) "Home" (Season 6, Ep.2)
By: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Performed: New Directions alumni, New Directions & Marshall Williams
This whole "Homecoming" episode was just classic Glee.
18) "Come What May" (Season 4, Ep.15)
By: Moulin Rouge!, Performed: Darren Criss/Chris Colfer
A big duet that occurred with Kurt fantasizing about Blaine, they really tackled this big song.
17) "Valerie" (Season 2, Ep.9)
By: Mark Ronson ft/Amy Winehouse, Performed: Naya Rivera w/ New Directions
This was Rivera at her best; one of the first times that she really shined.
(This video is the Season 5 version, from "100")
16) "Losing My Religion" (Season 2, Ep.3)
By: R.E.M, Performed: Cory Monteith
A Monteith solo, he may not have had the best overall vocals, but he really displayed the emotion behind this performance.
15) "This Time" (Season 6, Ep.13)
By: Original Composition (Darren Criss), Performed: Lea Michele
Lea's farewell solo performance in the series finale, this was the top original song from Glee.
14) "If I Die Young" (Season 5, Ep.3)
By: The Band Perry, Performed: Naya Rivera w/ New Directions
Naya's tribute performance to Cory Monteith, you can sense the real and raw emotion.
13) "Baby, It's Cold Outside" (Season 2, Ep.10)
By: Frank Loesser & Lynn Garland, Performed: Chris Colfer/Darren Criss
One of the top Colfer/Criss numbers, Kurt would profess his feelings to Blaine after this song.
12) "Landslide" (Season 2, Ep.15)
By: Dixie Chicks (version), Performed: Gwyneth Paltrow/Naya Rivera/Heather Morris
Much like the previous Colfer/Criss duet, this Rivera/Morris piece was moving, as amidst confusion, Santana confessed her feelings to Brittany.
11) "Maybe This Time" (Season 1, Ep.5)
By: Cabaret, Performed: Kristin Chenoweth/Lea Michele
A split-screen duet, this was just a grandmaster performance.
10) "I Know Where I've Been" (Season 6, Ep. 7)
By: Hairspray, Performed: Alex Newell, Transgender Choir & Dot-Marie Jones
A powerful moment as Coach Beiste was going through his transition, with support from Unique.
9) "River Deep - Mountain High" (Season 2, Ep.4)
By: Ike & Tina Turner, Performed: Amber Riley/Naya Rivera
As part of a duets competition, this duet by Mercedes and Santana should have come out on top.
8) "Faithfully" (Season 1, Ep.22)
By: Journey, Performed: Lea Michele/Cory Monteith & New Directions
Performed right after Finn had professed his love for Rachel, you could sense their connection.
7) "Make You Feel My Love" (Season 5, Ep.3)
By: Adele, Performed: Lea Michele
The most heartfelt performance by Lea, it's impossible to be dry-eyed while hearing this beautiful tribute to Cory Monteith.
6) "If I Were A Boy" (Season 5, Ep.5)
By: Beyonce, Performed: Alex Newell
Bullied in the boy's bathrooms, Unique lets out her frustration here.
5) "Don't Rain On My Parade" (Season 1, Ep.13)
By: Funny Girl, Performed: Lea Michele
The opening number for New Directions during sectionals, Rachel really sets the tone with this masterful solo. (I've also included Naya Rivera's version from Season 5 Ep. 9)
4) "Somebody To Love" (Season 1, Ep.5)
By: Queen, Performed: New Directions
Performed during a showcase, Rachel had just re-joined after initially quitting to join the school musical. You could really sense New Directions starting to come together.
3) "I Lived" (Season 6, Ep.13)
By: One Republic, Performed: All New Directions alumni/faculty
The last performance of the series finale as the auditorium was being dedicated to Finn, this was a fitting final performance. Literally every former student (no matter their time spent), was there.
2) "Teenage Dream" (Season 2, Ep.6)
By: Katy Perry, Performed: Dalton Academy Warblers
This was our intro to Darren Criss's "Blaine". "Teenage Dream" was a groundbreaking performance, as it was the beginning of Kurt & Blaine.
1) "Don't Stop Believing" (Season 1, Ep.1)
By: Journey, Performed: Lea Michele/Cory Monteith w/ New Directions
Glee had a lot of fantastic and groundbreaking performances, but "Don't Stop Believing" stands above the rest. This was our first look at New Directions, and their long ascent on this journey.
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