Alicia Keys’s semiautobiographical musical Hell’s Kitchen and David Adjmi’s music-filled ’70s drama Stereophonic lead the field for this year’s Tony Awards with 13 nominations each. In a season where a whopping 15 new musicals opened, Hell’s Kitchen may be emerging as a front-runner for the top prize with its spirited contemporary R&B/pop sound. And Stereophonic, which picked up five nominations for its ensemble cast in the featured acting categories, also managed to snag nods in categories that are traditionally reserved for musicals: original score and orchestrations, which went to Arcade Fire frontman Will Butler for the ’70s rock pastiches he composed for a Fleetwood Mac-like band at the center of the play.

Here are some other takeaways from this year’s nominations:

1. Cabaret was wilkommened after all
Despite tepid reviews, the U.K. import Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club received a surprising nine nominations — more than the acclaimed Sondheim revival Merrily We Roll Along, which earned seven. In addition to Best Musical Revival, the show picked up nominations for stars Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin as well as featured players Steven Skybell and Bebe Neuwirth (whose category expanded to seven nominees).

2. Cold shoulder for Patriots
Michael Stuhlbarg was the sole nominee for The Crown author Peter Morgan’s timely new drama about the rise of Vladimir Putin — which failed to get a Best Play nomination or recognition for Olivier Award winner Will Keen as Putin. That may hurt the longevity of a show that opened at the end of a very crowded season and has struggled with ticket sales so far.

3. Illinoise makes some noise with late entry
The Sufjan Stevens dance musical Illinoise scored with its surprise decision to sneak into Broadway at the last minute just before the deadline without any preview performances. (The show was even booked too late to be included in the roundup of shows at the back of April Playbills.) The show snagged a crucial Best Musical nomination, along with recognition of Justin Peck’s choreography (plus lighting and orchestrations). It was a savvy move, and that major nomination means a chance to perform on the Tony telecast — a boon for a limited-run show that’s expected to tour when it leaves Broadway in August.

4. Music legends snubbed
Despite the love for Alicia Keys, other music legends fared less well with their Broadway debuts. Barry Manilow’s long-in-the-works WWII-era musical Harmony, the Huey Lewis jukebox musical The Heart of Rock and Roll, and the Britney Spears fairy-tale mashup Once Upon a One More Time all came up empty-handed. Meanwhile, David Byrne and Fatboy Slim’s long-closed Here Lies Love missed out on Best Musical and acting prizes, settling for a nod for their score, Annie-B Parson’s choreography, and the scenic and sound designs.

5. Stars dominate the acting categories
The folks at CBS must be breathing a sigh of relief at all the A-list stars who snagged nominations, which could boost the viewership for the June 16 ceremony. Stuhlbarg is competing against The Good Place alum William Jackson Harper (who took a nom that could have gone to his Uncle Vanya co-star Steve Carell); Leslie Odom Jr. (for the long-closed Purlie Victorious); Liev Schreiber (for Doubt); and Emmy winner Jeremy Strong, who may be the front-runner in the lead actor in a play category for An Enemy of the People. (Strong’s co-star Michael Imperioli did not make the cut in a featured actor category where Stereophonic performers held three of the five slots.)

The lead actress in a play category includes Sarah Paulson, a shoo-in to win for Appropriate; Jessica Lange (Mother Play); Rachel McAdams (Mary Jane); Amy Ryan (Doubt); and veteran stage actress Betsy Aidem (Prayer for the French Republic).

Meanwhile, the musical categories include stars like Eddie Redmayne and Bebe Neuwirth (Cabaret); Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe (Merrily We Roll Along); and a surprising nod for Roger Bart for Back to the Future — a review-proof hit that also picked up a well-deserved nod for Tim Hatley and Tim Ross’s scenic design bringing a flying DeLorean to life on stage. Suffs star Shaina Taub was passed over for an acting nomination, though she did get recognized for her book and score for the fact-based musical about the suffragist movement.

6. The Great Gatsby and The Wiz will have to settle for ticket sales
Tony nominations are a big marketing tool for producers — particularly in the Best Musical and Best Musical Revival categories, which guarantee a performance on the nationally televised awards broadcast that amounts to minutes of free publicity. The pricey new musical The Great Gatsby, which picked up a lone nomination for Linda Cho’s costumes, and a high-profile revival of The Wiz (which was totally snubbed) are selling well at the moment, but may not be able to sustain their current momentum without that Tony boost.

Similarly, the lack of key nominations has done no favors for shows like Lempicka and The Notebook, which each earned three nominations, but not for Best Musical. Ditto The Heart of Rock and Roll, which earned just $371,000 last week and played to a theater only 68% full. (Lempicka only managed $288,000 last week — the least of any Broadway show.)

7. Gone too soon, Days of Wine and Roses
The biggest disappointment for theater fans may be the snub for composer Adam Guettel’s Days of Wine and Roses, which lost a Best Musical nomination to the less-deserving Water for Elephants. While Guettel did pick up a nod for his score, and stars Kelli O’Hara and Brian D’Arcy James earned deserved recognition for their performances as struggling alcoholics, it’s a shame that at-home audiences won’t get to see them perform during the Tonys.