The original Broadway cast album was announced on November 16, 2016,[5][6] with pre-orders for the album beginning from December 9, 2016.[7] The track "Waving Through a Window" was released as a special early download on the same date, for those who had pre-ordered the album.[7] Additionally, the tracks "Requiem" and "You Will Be Found" were released as bonus pre-order singles on January 19 and 23, 2017.[8][9]Atlantic Records released the soundtrack through digital formats on January 27,[10][11] followed by a CD release on February 17.[12] An exclusive vinyl album of the cast recording launched on July 21.[13][14]
A deluxe album was announced on September 26, 2018,[15] which contained all the songs from the Broadway cast recording, in addition to cut songs and covers. Three days prior, on September 23, Billboard exclusively released the track "Part of Me" as a single, performed by the cast from the U.S. Tour.[16] The album was scheduled for release on October 19, but eventually released on November 2.[17] The cut songs were performed by Taylor Trensch, Mallory Bechtel and Alex Boniello, who replaced the principal characters during the Broadway schedule. A cover version of "Waving Through a Window" was performed by Katy Perry to promote the show's national tour in North America,[18] with her version being included in the deluxe edition.
Commercial response
The album debuted at number eight on Billboard 200, registering the highest debut for a cast album after 1961's Camelot, which debuted at the fourth position.[19] It also had surpassed 2015's Hamilton to top the Billboard 200 charts.[20] In addition, the album was featured at number one in Top Broadway Albums and at number two in Top Pop Albums.[21] After its win at the 71st Tony Awards, the album again peaked at number five in Billboard 200.[22] In the first week, the album sold over 29,000 copies, with 25,000 coming from traditional sales.[2] Over 123,000 copies were sold in the year of its release, and an additional 305,000 copies in 2018, to become one of the best-selling albums of the year.[23] The album was certified Gold by RIAA on March 6, 2019.[24][25] As of March 2021, the album sold over 640,000 copies.
In her review for The Northern Light, Abby Seeber wrote, "The music is incredibly universal and will no doubt stand the test of time".[26]Gramophone's Edward Seckerson wrote, "what really sets Pasek and Paul’s work apart is the emotional resonance of their melodies. The pop-rock nowness is painted in a contemporary funkiness, keyboards and guitars, acoustic and electric, dominating – but the soul of these songs is personal and timeless."[27]
A critic for The Diamondback wrote that "Dear Evan Hansen vocalizes another timeless struggle: a dorky teenager both desperate and terrified of fitting in. This time social media plays a central role, one that heightens and elevates the stakes. The original cast album, sounds like inside of a teenager’s mind: frantic, immediate, life-or-death, now-or-never. Songs build and explode and then fall to a hush in the same way a teenagers panic, jump to conclusions and incorrectly assume their complete isolation."[28]
Additionally, Taylor Trensch, Mallory Bechtel and Alex Boniello (characters who replaces the original Broadway cast) playing Evan Hansen, Zoe Murphy and Connor Murphy, also recorded the musical numbers, which were included in the extended version. Few cast from the Original U.S. Tour ensemble also performed on a track.
