Top 24 Best Disney Songs of Each Year (2000-2023)
Disney coming in with another banger! Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the greatest Mouse House songs from each year, starting in 2000 and ending in 2023.
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00:00 "Show yourself, I'm no longer traveling."
00:06 Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the greatest Mouse House songs from each year,
00:11 starting in 2000 and ending in 2023.
00:14 We won't be including television theme songs because this list was already hard enough to rank.
00:19 "We don't talk about Bruno, no, no, no, no."
00:24 2000, Your Heart Will Lead You Home, The Tigger Movie.
00:29 In this animated adventure, the tunes don't stop when the credits roll.
00:32 Instead, The Tigger Movie closes out with the song so indescribably moving,
00:37 it practically forces you to sit and listen to the whole thing.
00:40 "Sunny days and starry nights and lazy afternoons."
00:46 For lack of a better term, the song feels like a warm hug.
00:50 And from Winnie the Pooh, you can't ask for anything better.
00:53 With Kenny Loggins' silky smooth voice bringing it all together,
00:56 Your Heart Will Lead You Home is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
01:00 "With love to share, and your heart will lead you home."
01:08 If you're still looking for more, you can't go wrong with For a Moment from The Little Mermaid 2.
01:13 "For a moment, just a moment, lucky me."
01:18 It may have been a straight-to-DVD release, but there's nothing second-rate about this song.
01:22 2001, If I Didn't Have You, Monsters, Inc.
01:26 Ironically, if we didn't have this song, we wouldn't know what to do either.
01:30 Even though Monsters, Inc. isn't a musical,
01:32 put that thing back where it came from or so help me notwithstanding,
01:35 legendary songwriter Randy Newman pulled out all the stops for the movie's closing theme.
01:40 "And if I were handsome, it could happen, 'cause dreams do come true.
01:45 I wouldn't have nothing if I didn't have you."
01:52 The merits of its composition are plain to hear,
01:54 but rest assured, it's more than just a catchy melody.
01:57 Sung by the voices of Mike and Sully,
01:59 If I Didn't Have You feels like a natural epilogue to the film's main duo.
02:03 By the time the two monsters start amusingly speaking over each other,
02:07 it's clear that there's no other way Monsters, Inc. could have ended.
02:10 "I didn't have you."
02:12 "I know what you mean, Sully, because-"
02:15 "I wouldn't know where to go."
02:16 "Me too, because I-"
02:17 "Wouldn't know what to do."
02:19 "Why you keep singing my part?"
02:21 2002, Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride.
02:24 Lilo & Stitch.
02:25 From the moment the Hawaiian chorus begins to sing,
02:27 it's clear that this track is something special.
02:30 The mix of Hawaiian and English lyrics makes for an irresistible earworm that's easy to hum
02:34 after just one listen.
02:36 "Swing a ring in the ocean blue, I surf 'til the sun sets beyond the horizon."
02:45 What's more, the stirring rhythm effectively captures the spirit of surfing in a way words
02:49 alone never could.
02:50 Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride may not have the same emotional punch as something like
02:55 "I'm Still Here" from Treasure Planet, but it makes up for that with sheer soul.
02:59 While Disney has no shortage of downright iconic songs, there's a very good reason
03:04 that Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride still ranks among their most beloved.
03:07 "I'm still here, I'm still here, I'm still here, I'm still here, I'm still here."
03:17 2003, What Dreams Are Made Of.
03:19 The Lizzie McGuire Movie.
03:21 On a class trip abroad, Lizzie decides to cap off her big screen adventure with an unforgettable
03:26 music performance.
03:27 It's upbeat, it's catchy, and it features two Hilary Duffs.
03:31 When in Rome, right?
03:32 "Cause in my heart I know what this is.
03:36 Hey now, hey now, this is what dreams are made of."
03:42 Amazingly, this isn't the Mouse House's only earworm this year.
03:46 Brother Bear's On My Way is a gripping ballad about growing up.
03:49 "I'm on my way, and I can't keep this smile off my face."
03:56 Meanwhile, Freaky Friday gave Lindsay Lohan the chance to flex her pipes with Ultimate.
04:00 "Light the night city, you're it, you're the ultimate."
04:06 And it'd be a crime not to mention Cheetah Sisters, a song so legendary,
04:10 it pretty much defined a whole franchise.
04:12 "Let's be our sisters, we stand together."
04:17 But despite the steep competition, it's simply impossible to compete with Lizzie
04:21 McGuire showing us what dreams are made of.
04:23 "This is what dreams are made of."
04:29 2004, Digatana, The Lion King 1 1/2.
04:33 Heads up, this song has a real nasty habit of getting stuck in your head.
04:37 We'd say we're sorry, but Digatana is so good, you'll be too busy humming along to complain.
04:42 "Digatana, digatana, dig digatana, dig digatana, dig digatana, what was that?
04:48 Quick before the hyena come dig."
04:52 There's a certain staccato-like rhythm to the beat that just never gets old,
04:56 especially when you have Timon and Pumbaa adding in a few of their classic quips in the reprise.
05:01 Suffice it to say, this mid-quill totally delivered in the sound department,
05:05 and in just its opening number, no less.
05:07 "Digatana, dig digatana, dig digatana, dig digatana, dig digatana, dig digatana, dig digatana."
05:13 Impressively, 2004 also had some great live-action numbers,
05:17 including "You're Crowning Glory" from The Princess Diaries 2. That duet between Julie
05:21 Andrews and Raven Simone is the very definition of a show-stopping number.
05:25 "That will be your crowning glory, your whole life's rule."
05:33 2005, One Little Slip, Chicken Little.
05:37 Despite the name, there's absolutely nothing little about this song. Whether the sky is
05:41 falling or not, the rock-inspired rhythm is a head-banging good time from start to finish.
05:46 That's without even mentioning the addictive chorus.
05:48 "One little slip, one little slip, gives you a confusion with a few confounding things."
06:01 Then again, it isn't too surprising once you learn One Little Slip was written by
06:04 the Barenaked Ladies themselves. However, they weren't the only mainstream musicians
06:08 to work on Disney films that year. Notably, Phil Collins returned to the Tarzan franchise
06:13 to write the music for the straight-to-video sequel, composing tracks such as the emphatic
06:17 "Who Am I". No matter where you got your Disney fix from, your ears were in good hands.
06:31 2006, We're All In This Together, High School Musical.
06:35 What's a musical without a crowd-pleasing final number? Nothing, that's what. Thankfully,
06:40 the first High School Musical completely understood the assignment, and turned in a
06:44 song that sings for itself. If this energetic group number doesn't make you want to get up
06:59 and dance, we don't know what will. We're All In This Together had some tough adversaries too,
07:05 including Friendly Fire from High School Musical's signature duet, Breaking Free.
07:08 Cars revved into the conversation with their homie jingle, "Our Town",
07:17 and the Cheetah Girls sequel gave us the scene-stealing strut.
07:27 And yet, years later, it's obvious that We're All In This Together is simply on another level.
07:32 2007, That's How You Know, Enchanted.
07:40 Right from the get-go, this festive tempo is impossible to resist. Combined with Amy Adams'
07:56 passionate vocals, That's How You Know easily rises above its peers. And there were a lot of
08:01 them. With hits like "Bet On It" and "You Are The Music In Me", High School Musical 2 did not hold
08:06 back. Neither did fellow Disney Channel original movie Jump In, which introduced the infectious
08:18 Push It To The Limit. Disney Animation wasn't any different, and Little Wonders from Meet The
08:27 Robinsons never fails to make us cry. Still, there's something about That's How You Know
08:37 that's just plain enchanting. At least, that's how we know. 2008, This Is Me, Camp Rock.
09:03 It's no wonder a movie named Camp Rock ends with a power ballad. But no one could have expected
09:08 just how much Demi Lovato would own it. Her dedication single-handedly makes This Is Me
09:13 the banner song of the film. That's saying something when Camp Rock already has the
09:18 iconic "Gotta Find You" up its sleeve. Actually, Disney had a total embarrassment of riches in
09:31 general. From Bolt's excellent "I Thought I Lost You" to Phineas and Ferb's "Squirrels In My Pants",
09:36 all the way to High School Musical 3's final number, every song this year has a place in
09:41 our hearts. This Is Me just has a slightly bigger one. 2009, Almost There, The Princess
09:47 and the Frog. You can thank New Orleans for this toe-tapping solo. Thanks to the film's jazzy
09:52 setting, Almost There brims with personality in each and every chord. Of course, the real star
09:57 is Tiana herself. Frog or not, this Disney princess knows how to serve up a song like no other.
10:04 Even if you set aside her impressive vocals, Almost There still works because of how personal
10:20 it feels to Tiana's journey. Fittingly, this came out the same year as The Climb from the
10:24 Hannah Montana movie, an equally great solo about overcoming adversity. For what it's worth,
10:34 when it comes to Tiana's music, she isn't "almost there" anymore. She's made it.
10:38 2010, I See the Light, Tangled. You don't need any glowing lanterns to see why this song is
10:49 something else. Just close your eyes, hit play, and you'll practically hear Flynn and Rapunzel's
10:54 relationship come to life. The chorus is just that moving. To be fair, Tangled doesn't have
11:08 a single bad song to its name, a fact that's clear as day when Donna Murphy steps up for
11:13 Mother Knows Best. But if Mother really does know best, she'll agree that I See the Light
11:23 is beautiful in a way that few other compositions are. As if to prove it, this track still makes us
11:29 misty-eyed each and every time. 2011, Determinate, Lemonade Mouth. You know what they say,
11:46 when life gives you lemons, write a pop rock anthem. Or at least, that's how the saying goes
11:51 in Lemonade Mouth. To coincide with the film's themes of rebellion, Determinate is a high-energy
12:07 chant with both style and substance to spare. After all, what other Disney song has a rap
12:12 section like this? Lemonade Mouth is far from a one-hit wonder, though. She's So Gone is one
12:26 of the best solos from any Disney Channel original movie, period. And nothing on TV can match the
12:40 off-kilter rendition of Man or Muppet from The Muppets. When in doubt, though, Determinate still
12:49 takes the dance floor. 2012, Touch the Sky, Brave. Merida may not sing like other Disney princesses,
12:56 but that doesn't mean Brave's music cuts any corners. On the contrary, these tracks are more
13:01 than worth a listen. Quite a few, actually. The best of them all is Touch the Sky, a grand solo
13:06 full of life, heart, and bagpipes. See, in order to capture the film's Scottish setting, composer
13:22 Patrick Doyle filled the orchestra with all sorts of traditional Celtic instruments. To say it paid
13:26 off would be an understatement. In yet another gamble, Disney Channel bet it all on rhythm and
13:32 rap for Let It Shine's Moment of Truth, creating a high-octane tune to remember. Disney sure covered
13:38 their genres this year. 2013, Let It Go, Frozen. Here it is, the ballad to end all ballads. Elsa
13:53 simply let go, and just like that, a phenomenon was born. Historians really should document the
13:58 absolute stranglehold this song had on public radio. Not that we're upset. We could listen
14:03 to Idina Menzel's belt all day. Actually, the same can be said for Frozen's entire soundtrack.
14:16 You want a cutesy duet? How about an earnest tune about snowmen? Or a
14:28 catchy earworm from Kristen Bell? No matter how you shuffle Frozen's music, you'll end up happy.
14:38 That's a tough bar to reach, but cruising for a bruisin' from Teen Beach Movie comes pretty darn
14:43 close. Even so, nothing beats Let It Go. 2014, Immortals, Big Hero 6. Nothing
14:58 gets you ready to kick some villain butt quite like Fallout Boy. Put them in an action-packed
15:03 Disney movie, and the end result is Immortals. On its own, the song has all the explosive rhythm
15:08 and inspiring lyrics Fallout Boy is known for. But it's the way Immortals seamlessly matches
15:13 the film's bright tone that really makes it fly. That's especially important since the song plays
15:27 over the pivotal montage where this ragtag group officially becomes Big Hero 6. In addition,
15:32 Immortals is a great pick-me-up after you listen to "Lava" from the 2014 short of the same name.
15:37 That song should have come with a box of tissues. 2015, Rotten to the Core, Descendants. Clearly,
15:54 killer music runs in the family. Sung by the offspring of famous Disney villains like Maleficent,
15:59 Jafar, and the Evil Queen, Rotten to the Core adds new meaning to the phrase on the same wavelength.
16:04 Despite featuring four distinct characters each singing their own verses, the song never once
16:18 slows down its pace. Instead, it lets the cast's harmonies go wild. And that's nothing but a good
16:23 thing in our books. The beat itself mixes traditional pop rock with a dubstep flavor
16:27 that's instantly memorable, especially in the bouncy chorus. There's no doubt that this apple
16:43 is rotten all the way through, but it sure goes down sweet either way. 2016, How Far I'll Go,
16:49 Moana. Lin-Manuel Miranda's music has a reputation that precedes itself, and his work on Moana is a
16:55 prime example why. "You're Welcome" is more fun than it has any right to be, and "Shiny" dazzles
17:01 on the merits of its satisfying orchestrations. But this movie's called Moana, and appropriately,
17:11 she gets the best song all to herself. Featuring a rich message and gorgeous vocals,
17:16 How Far I'll Go stands out as a truly breathtaking piece of composition.
17:20 While Miranda was busy writing one of the best "I Want" songs of the generation,
17:32 Shakira brought her own A-game with "Try Everything" from Zootopia. Like its name
17:36 suggests, 2016 is a year where you should just listen to everything.
17:40 2017, Remember Me, Coco. Don't worry, there's not a single chance we're ever forgetting this song.
17:59 While Coco's cheerful offerings like "Un Poco Loco" are easier to revisit,
18:03 the brilliance of Remember Me is simply unmatched. It's rearranged for several key moments in the
18:09 film, and each time it stirs up emotions in a way that only the best music can.
18:13 Keep in mind, Disney fans already had plenty to listen to this year. For example, the Beauty and
18:28 the Beast remake, which finally, other than the musical, gave its male lead a true solo in Evermore.
18:34 Oh, and we can't forget Descendants 2 strutting back into our hearts with "Chillin' Like a Villain."
18:49 No matter what, though, all roads lead back to Remember Me.
18:56 "Each time you hear a sad guitar, know that I'm with you the only way that I can be."
19:08 2018, A Cover Is Not the Book, Mary Poppins Returns. In 2018, Mary Poppins used her umbrella
19:14 to float back down to movie screens, and of course, she came with a bevy of new iconic songs.
19:20 Chief among them, A Cover Is Not the Book. It's big, it's bold, it's brassy, and it's exactly
19:26 what you'd want from a live-action musical. Plus, where else will you hear a duet between
19:30 Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda? Speaking of duets, we have to credit
19:43 Someday from Zombies for crafting one of the most captivating love songs in recent memory.
19:48 "Someday, this could be, this could be ordinary. Someday, could we be something extraordinary."
19:56 But even with love, it's still not as impossibly cute as Vanellope's song in
20:00 Ralph Breaks the Internet. Evidently, this year had spoonfuls of sugar all around.
20:15 2019, Show Yourself, Frozen 2. We know Elsa's the ice queen, but seriously,
20:21 her voice here is downright chill-inducing. Into the Unknown already showed off Idina Menzel's
20:26 pipes, but thanks to the addition of Evan Rachel Wood, Show Yourself has harmonies that are too
20:31 good to be true. "Show yourself, step into your power. Throw yourself into something new."
20:44 However, Elsa wasn't the only one with amazing songs this year.
20:47 Kristoff got his due with Lost in the Woods, and on the live-action side,
20:51 Jasmine finally earned herself a solo for the remake of Aladdin.
20:54 Then, there's All I Want from High School Musical the Musical the Series,
21:02 a song so inspiring, it pretty much put Olivia Rodrigo on the map.
21:06 "All I want is love that lasts, is all I want, too much to ask. Is it something wrong with me?"
21:14 Who knew Elsa had so much competition?
21:17 2020, Bigger Than Us, Soul. Jazz is just as integral to Soul as the animation itself.
21:24 It's much like Carry Me With You, the end credits theme from Pixar's other 2020 feature, Onward.
21:30 "For love and loss until the end, 'cause you carried me with you."
21:37 Without that song's emotional resolution, the movie would feel incomplete. Luckily,
21:42 Soul also has the music to back up its message, most notably with Bigger Than Us. Whether you're
21:47 a jazz fanatic or a total newbie, anyone can appreciate the artistry in this tune.
21:52 Once Joe joins in on the piano, you'll be lost in the beautiful melody right alongside him.
21:57 "I'm so in love with you."
22:06 While the movie is brimming with heart from its first scene,
22:08 it's songs like this that really give Soul, well, Soul.
22:12 2021, We Don't Talk About Bruno, Encanto. We don't talk about Bruno, but at this point,
22:17 we don't have to. He's just that popular. Now, admittedly, Encanto is full of plenty of jaw-
22:23 dropping musical numbers, from Surface Pressure to Waiting on a Miracle.
22:27 "Please, just let me know where do I go? I am waiting on a miracle, a miracle."
22:33 But there's no denying that We Don't Talk About Bruno is the breakout song of the film.
22:38 Do you really need an explanation? The lively tempo will have you tapping your toes,
22:42 then humming along, then all out belting, and then rewinding to listen to it all over again.
22:47 "We should have talked about Bruno." "Why did I talk about Bruno?"
22:53 "Not a word about Bruno." "I never should have brought up Bruno."
22:56 If you need a palate cleanser during your Encanto rewatch, there's always
23:01 Agatha All Along from WandaVision. That spooky chorus is so catchy, it's unfair.
23:06 "I'm so in Agatha." "It's been Agatha all along."
23:11 2022, Nobody Like You, Turning Red. Okay, May, we get why you love 4Town now.
23:16 This fictional boy band has five singers, but only needs one song to make you a fan for life.
23:22 Introducing Nobody Like You. Part loving parody, part swoon-worthy love song, and part pop jingle,
23:28 4Town's signature track is basically the quintessential boy band tune.
23:32 And yes, it's as awesome as it sounds.
23:34 "They don't turn my tummy the way you do. I've never met nobody like you."
23:43 On the other side of Disney+, Disenchanted only needs two singers to make Batter a hit.
23:48 Although, when those two are Amy Adams and Maya Rudolph, it doesn't feel like a fair fight.
23:53 If Giselle gets to come to the real world, fingers crossed, 4Town can make the leap too.
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24:23 2023, This Wish, Wish. There's no need to wish upon a star. Ariana DeBose is already one. She
24:31 masterfully channels Asha's determination into every single lyric. And all the while,
24:35 her pitch is nothing short of flawless.
24:37 "I can take them on one at a time. So I make this wish. To have something more for us than this."
24:49 Of course, it helps that this wish is unshakably empowering. Still, Chris Pine's deliciously evil
24:54 villain song, "This is the Thanks I Get," is a very worthy contender. So is the film's credit
24:59 song, "A Wish Worth Making," which serves as a joyous celebration of the movie's themes.
25:04 "Take it from someone like me. When your hopes harden, despair."
25:12 Don't forget Pixar, either. Elemental nearly takes the cake with its appropriately titled
25:16 closing number, "Steal the Show." By now, our only wish is the time to listen to all of these.
25:22 "Didn't know until I saw your face. I was missing out on every moment.
25:27 You'll be one and baby I'll be two. Would you mind it if I said I'm into you?"
25:32 We know it's tough to pick, but do you have an all-time favorite Disney song?
25:36 Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
25:39 Do you agree with our picks? Check out this other recent clip from Ms. Mojo.
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