My Favorite Disney Channel Original Movie Soundtracks Of All Time, Ranked
The Disney Channel raised me.
Just kidding, my parents raised me. But Disney Channel was a close third. In 2002, a creative and corporate genius working at Disney Channel got the star idea of creating a movie musical. With shows like Even Stevens and That’s So Raven incorporating fun musical episodes, they started to dream of the possibility of an entire movie musical. (Do I need to thank Christy Carlson Romano for giving us High School Musical?) The geniuses saw how popular these musical episodes were amongst teens and tweens, and so, blessed us with The Cheetah Girls in 2003. The success of The Cheetah Girls gave Disney Channel the green light to market to teens and tweens, and in 2006, changed history for the better with the movie musical franchise, High School Musical.
With all the movie musicals that Disney Channel has blessed us with comes the amazing and incredibly put together soundtracks. I remember my chubby, peanut butter-clad fingers clutching my High School Musical soundtrack in 2006. (I was eating a PB&J while listening to High School Musical, duh.) These soundtracks will always be a part of my lore. These are my classics, she said with a shrug. These are the soundtracks that I will play at my wedding, and honestly, I will probably request to play them at my funeral. (Imagine hearing The Party’s Just Begun or Strut at my funeral.)
And of course, because I love (and hate) ranking things, I need to rank the Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) soundtracks.
Please remember that all my opinions are my own! And they constantly change. <3
Hannah Montana The Movie
I initially did not count this as a DCOM soundtrack, since the movie premiered in theaters, but since it was produced by Disney Channel, I think it should be included in this ranking. Listen, you can’t sit there and tell me that the other soundtracks are better than this one. You just can’t. Dare I say, this has Taylor Swift on the soundtrack writing credits for not only one song, but TWO? I will always be obsessed with this soundtrack and nothing will change my mind. (Taylor, if you’re reading this, please put Crazier and You’ll Always Find Your Way Back Home on your version of your debut album! I’m begging you!)
2. The Cheetah Girls 2
The Disney Channel told Raven Symone to “write songs,” and she heard “change lives.” In this blog post, I will argue that this is the most superior Cheetah Girls album—and my personal favorite DCOM soundtrack. It alternates with HSM3 and Hannah Montana The Movie, but honestly, this one will always takes the cake. There’s a reason that Strut has ended up in my Spotify Wrapped’s Top Five Songs—it’s that good. Obviously. This soundtrack will go down in history and be one of the greatest DCOM soundtracks to have ever existed.
3. High School Musical 3
If you want to argue that the first HSM movie has the best soundtrack, go argue with a wall. This one is the clear winner, and that’s just my personal opinion. It also is the only HSM movie to go to theaters. I will never forget the opening shot of a sweaty Zac Efron. Talk about A BUDGET. That image is forever burned into my brain and will probably require a lobotomy to get it out. That entire opening number, Now or Never, happens to be one of the best opening songs on a soundtrack. The beautiful ballad, Can I Have This Dance, sung by the incredible Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron, will be danced to at my wedding. Kenny Ortega had all of these teens (were they in your 20s at this point in the franchise?) in rehearsals all day, every day, especially for that last number—it is the PERFECT way to close not only a movie, but a franchise. No notes. Kenny Ortega snapped and that is why we have one of the best film soundtracks in history.
4. Lemonade Mouth
I mix in songs from this banger of an album in my regular playlists. Determinate? Turn Up The Music? Breakthrough? More Than A Band? This is clearly one of the more iconic DCOM soundtracks. While the movie is not the best DCOM, the soundtrack makes up for it.
5. High School Musical 2
The movie may not be my favorite High School Musical movie in the franchise, but this soundtrack absolutely slaps and I will accept no criticism or slander on it. The kitchen song Work This Out and the jazzy hit I Don’t Dance were some of the best on the soundtrack! Of course, I have to pay tribute to the Gabriella Montez/Vanessa Hudgens ballad that changed our lives—and no, not Everyday or You Are The Music In Me. It’s Gotta Go My Own Way. This is also the first HSM soundtrack that we hear Zac Efron’s voice! As we all know by now, Drew Seeley sang the part of Troy Bolton, and Zac Efron lip synched in the first HSM. But Zac Efron worked hard and dedicated himself to singing for the second movie—and he delivered. I feel for Drew Seeley, who only wanted his time to shine, but he got his flowers too. Hear me out—Zac Efron was (and is) the better singer.
6. High School Musical
With hits like Breaking Free, Getcha Head In the Game, Stick to the Status Quo, and We’re All In This Together, there’s no way you hate on this soundtrack. This movie changed the course of history at the Disney Channel and set the motion for all the movie musicals to come. These actors sang their hearts out and really gave it their all—they deserve their flowers. <3
7. Lizzie McGuire The Movie
Like Hannah Montana The Movie, I initially didn’t count this as a DCOM, but I think it also deserves its recognition. This was one of the first DCOM movies, and it premiered in theaters. I specifically remembering having this on VHS! If we’re talking about best songs on the soundtrack, you can’t go wrong with What Dreams Are Made Of. Who else dreamed of singing at an Italian awards show with a dreamy pop star who can’t sing?
8. Camp Rock
The Jonas Brothers entered the scene and changed lives. They became the boy band of Disney Channel and we all loved them for it. We are also introduced to Demi Lovato and her amazing singing voice, but I can’t ignore the immense talent that the rest of the cast had. Alyson “she’s really good” Stoner and her incredible DJ skills. The Too Cool girls, but also, Ella and her amazing solo at the Final Jam. Hasta La Vista was on permanent repeat in my iPod. Nothing will top the iconic duet between Joe and Mitchie at the end of Final Jam with a mash-up of Gotta Find You and This Is Me. “That’s the song!”
9. Starstruck
I will accept no criticism on this beloved movie and the soundtrack. Sterling Knight hasn’t picked up any singing roles—or any roles, for that matter—after this project because he knew this was the best. Anyone who doesn’t get this movie or its soundtrack just doesn’t get it. You had to be there.
10. Descendants
She sighed heavily as she put Descendants soundtrack above The Cheetah Girls. This was towards the end of my personal Disney Channel era, but I still loved the soundtrack. It paved the way for Dove Cameron’s music career, so that’s definitely a plus. I personally think that this is more superior to the second Descendants soundtrack, and definitely the third. Also, one song features Kristen Chenoweth, a Broadway legend, so you have to like it?
11. The Cheetah Girls
Did I put The Cheetah Girls soundtrack at #11? Yes. Would I do it again? Probably not. Would I put the entire movie at #11? Definitely not. This one paved the way for movie musicals! But other than Cinderella and a couple of other songs, I think the second movie had a far superior soundtrack. I still love the movie, though.
12. Teen Beach Movie
I love this movie and its soundtrack a little too much. The entire premise of the movie remains strong. A DCOM version of West Side Story is exactly what the Disney Channel needed! It needed a little bit of edge. This movie also introduced Ross Lynch, fresh off his Disney Channel show, Austin & Ally, and his music career.
13. Jump In!
For a while, I became obsessed with Corbin Bleu and his song Push It To The Limit. Everyone loves Zac Efron and his singing voice, but no one gives Corbin Bleu his flowers! While this movie wasn’t played a lot, I still love the soundtrack. My favorite songs are: Push It To The Limit, It’s On, It’s My Turn Now, and Jump to the Rhythm.
14. Descendants 2
Following its predecessor’s success, Descendants 2 smashed it out of the park with its excellent soundtrack. I don’t know how they could follow up with the opener to the first movie, Rotten to the Core, but they opened the second movie with a banger of a track, Ways to be Wicked. Sometimes, I keep it on repeat.
15. Teen Beach Movie 2
Just because this movie is last on the list, does not make it the least. I think they realized how much of a hit the first movie was that they had to continue … but the second movie didn’t hit like the first one. However, the soundtrack has some incredible hits. Ross Lynch’s On My Own remains one of my favorites and even led me to some of his band’s music.