The High School Musical trilogy along with its spin-offs is one of the most popular musical franchises ever made. Both millennials and Gen Z have grown up watching, listening, and dancing to the songs of the High School Musical movies.
High School Musical Trilogy
- Director: Kenny Ortega
- Writer: Peter Barsocchini
- Music Composer: David Lawrence
- Cast: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Lucas Grabeel, Monique Coleman, and Olesya Rulin
- Average IMDb Rating: 5.1/10
- Average Rotten Tomatoes: 69%
- Streaming Platform: Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video
The movie High School Musical is the first installment of the trilogy where the two protagonists of the series, Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez meet. In spite of having individual priorities and hurdles, they come together through the auditions for a musical in their school.
Consequently, the sequel High School Musical 2 takes place during the summer break, and High School Musical 3: Senior Year takes place during the graduation year of Troy and Gabriella’s high school.
Here is a list of the Top 24 Songs from High School Musical:
1. What I’ve Been Looking For
- Singer: Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel
- Writer and Producer: Andy Dodd and Adam Wyatt
- Movie: High School Musical
- Length: 2:04
- Available On: Spotify, Gaana, Wynk
This is a song from the first movie of the trilogy. This is the first time we see the famous brother-sister duo of East High School, Sharpay, and Ryan.
This good and classic jazz square maybe a musical cliché, but it has us stunned with the confidence, attitude, and airy performance of the two actor-singers. The song also has a reprised version recorded on a slower tempo, sung by Hudgens, Drew Seeley, and Efron.
2. You Are the Music in Me
- Singer: Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens
- Writer and Producer: Jamie Houston
- Movie: High School Musical 2
- Length: 3:27
- Available On: Spotify, Wynk
The song is composed by Kelsi for Troy and Gabriella to perform. But later Sharpay takes the song to perform at the Midsummer Night’s Talent Show. While Troy and Sharpay practice we can hear the reprised rockier version of the song in the voice of Tisdale in place of Hudgens.
This song may not hit at the first instance but over the years fans of the franchise realized the beauty of this hidden gem. The song is more than a love song, it highlights the bond of friendship between the characters in the movie.
3. Start of Something New
- Singer: Hudgens and Efron
- Writer and Producer: Mathew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil
- Movie: High School Musical
- Length: 3:17
- Available On: Spotify, Wynk
This song is the opening number for the first movie which means it’s also the opening number for the entire franchise. To put it in a few words, the weight of the entire franchise lied a lot on this song, because an opening song can sometimes make or break a movie. “Start of Something New” definitely hit that mark with its sweet tune complementing the budding romance of Troy and Gabriella.
The song takes place while Troy and Gabriella are on their winter break in a skiing resort and get together to sing on a karaoke night. This is before Gabriella joined East High School. This a very crucial moment because this is where the protagonists meet for the first time and fall in love. And the actors have nailed the scene, setting the tone for the rest of the movie to unroll.
4. Everyday
- Singer: High School Musical Cast led by Hudgens and Efron
- Writer and Producer: Jamie Houston
- Movie: High School Musical 2
- Length: 4:37
- Available On: Spotify, Hungama, JioSaavn, Wynk
This is the ending number of the second movie. This is a signature song of the trilogy that asserts the group bond and friendship between the characters. What is significant about the song is that it starts with Troy left alone on the stage with nobody on his side hoping Gabriella would forgive him and come back. The song starts on a regretting tone, but as Gabriella returns and joins the song, the tone changes. By the end of the song, it becomes a chorus as the entire cast joins with them.
5. The Boys Are Back
- Singer: Zac Efron and Corbin Bleu
- Writer and Producer: Mathew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil
- Movie: High School Musical 3: Senior Year
- Length: 3:47
- Available On: Spotify, Gaana
The Boys Are Back is a duet between the best boys of High School Musical franchise Troy and Chad who sing his song in Riley’s Auto Salvage Junkyard while contemplating about their future after their final year at East High School. They have not only been Wildcat buddies but best friends since childhood. They talk about how they want to go to college together and be on the same basketball team which has been their dream for a long time.
Apart from the performance of the actor-singers, what is striking in this song is the costume choice of the production designer. The headband and the cool street boy style are very different from what we normally see the characters dress up in. The wardrobe choice probably signifies them growing up and making their own choices.
6. Walk Away
- Singer: Vanessa Hudgens
- Writer and Producer: Jamie Houston
- Movie: High School Musical 3: Senior Year
- Length: 3:50
- Available On: Spotify, Hungama, JioSaavn, Wynk, Gaana
This song is from the third movie of the franchise is a classic sad song that Gabriella sings as she thinks about what lies in the future after high school is over. She contemplates her separation from her boyfriend Troy as they will be different colleges.
This is the most emotional song of the entire franchise. Hudgens who is famous for her emotion-filled voice makes the audience feel that heartbreak and separation when one has to part from their high school friends and entire college.
7. Bop to the Top
- Singer: Tisdale and Grabeel
- Writer and Producer: Randy Peterson and Kevin Quinn
- Movie: High School Musical
- Length: 1:47
- Available On: Spotify, Gaana
Bop to the Top is the song that Sharpay and Ryan perform for their final audition in the first High School Musical movie. The song has a fast tempo and a rocking beat. It makes these high school students look like real stars. Tisdale and Gabriel have definitely done justice to this song with all their vocals, hip-hop dance moves, and flair.
8. Just Wanna Be With You
- Singer: Efron and Hudgens
- Writer and Producer: Andy Dodd and Adam Wyatt
- Movie: High School Musical 3: Senior Year
- Length: 2.38
- Available On: Spotify, Hungama, JioSaavn, Wynk, Gaana
This is the show-down song of the entire franchise and takes place at the climax of the third movie, High School Musical 3: Senior Year. Troy and Gabriella do not want to miss their last big moment on stage at East High School. So, they come back and sing their hearts out as their friends join in at the end of the show and all of them share a happy moment on the stage for the last time.
9. A Night to Remember
- Singer: Efron, Hudgens, Tisdale, Bleu, Grabeel, Monique Coleman, Olesya Rulin, Kaycee Stroh, Chris Warren Jr. and Ryne Sanborn
- Writer and Producer: Mathew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil
- Movie: High School Musical 3: Senior Year
- Length: 3:58
- Available On: Spotify, Hungama, Wynk
A Night to Remember, a song from the third movie has most of the cast members singing to its beats. The final year students of East High have put a little bit of their hearts in this song as they get ready for the prom night. This song also has a small girls verses boys riff off coordinated wonderfully. This song sets in motion the rest of the events in the movie.
10. Gotta Go My Own Way
- Singer: Efron and Hudgens
- Writer and Producer: Andy Dodd and Adam Wyatt
- Movie: High School Musical 2
- Length: 3:42
- Available On: Spotify, YouTubeMusic, JioSaavn, Wynk, Gaana
Taking place beside a swimming pool in a beautiful country club, that sets the romantic tone for a breakup song, Gotta Go My Own Way is a song where Troy and Gabriella pour out their emotions. They have known each other for a year and now Gabriella has to go away, she is also upset with Troy. Hudgens’ sensual voice mixed with Efron’s innocence makes this song more heartbreaking.
11. All For One
- Singer: Efron, Hudgens, Tisdale, Bleu, Grabeel, and Coleman
- Writer and Producer: Mathew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil
- Movie: High School Musical 2
- Length: 4:13
- Available On: Spotify, JioSaavn
All For One, as is in the name of the song includes most cast members of the second installment of the franchise. It is filled with summertime nostalgia as the character are wearing breezy summer clothes and dancing on a beach having the time of their lives.
The actor-singers have as usual done a splendid job of making us feel the vibes of this upbeat pop and taken us back to our teens.
12. Get’cha Head in the Game
- Singer: Zac Efron
- Writer and Producer: David Lawrence, Rey Cham, Greg Cham, and Faye Greenberg
- Movie: High School Musical
- Length: 2:26
- Available On: Spotify, Wynk
Get’cha Head in the Game has become a basketball anthem. It is an intense song that shows Troy’s dedication towards the game and his team Wildcats. The fast tempo powerful beat makes us feel the pressure on the Wildcats and at the same time makes us feel like dancing on the beats. The song may not be very important to the franchise but it has been able to take space in the heart of every basketball-loving teen.
13. Stick to the Status Quo
- Singer: Tisdale, Grabeel, Stroh, Warren Jr. and Whitlock
- Writer and Producer: Mathew Gerrard, David Lawrence, Faye Greenberg, and Robbie Nevil
- Movie: High School Musical
- Length: 4:28
- Available On: Spotify, Wynk
This song is a cafeteria number from the first movie and it might feel a little out of place for a Disney Channel movie. It is one of those songs that kind of mocks the attitude and silliness of the high school students, but at the same time is fun to listen to with all the dance and the flairs thrown in. Especially its always a spectacle to see Tisdale perform in any song.
14. We’re All In This Together
- Singer: Entire High School Musical Cast led by Efron, Hudgens, Tisdale and Grabeel
- Writer and Producer: Mathew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil
- Movie: High School Musical
- Length: 3:51
- Available On: Spotify, Wynk
This is the big ending song of the first movie and can be put in a list of the top 5 songs from the High School Musical movies. This is one of those songs where the entire cast pitches in and have a time of their life, while singing and dancing to celebrate friendship.
15. Breaking Free
- Singer: Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens
- Writer and Producer: Jamie Houston
- Movie: High School Musical
- Length: 3:27
- Available On: Spotify, Wynk
Breaking Free is the heart and soul of the trilogy as the movies focuses on following one’s heart and not be bound by what others tell you to do. Troy and Gabriella come together despite all the obstacles thrown at them to sing their hearts out in the climax scene of the film and the entire East High comes to see these partners shine. It is probably the best song in all three movies.
16. Bet On It – High School Musical 2
- Singer: Zac Efron
- Composer: Antonina Armato
- Length: 3:18 Minutes
- Available On: Jio Saavan
This song, undertaken by Zac Efron in the Disney Channel film High School Musical 2, pertains to a person who made just a few mistakes and has become a person he wasn’t. He’s currently attempting to figure out how to fix everything to get it back to normal.
17. I Don’t Dance – High School Musical 2
- Singer: Corbin Blue, Lucas Brabeel
- Writer: Robbie Nevil
- Length: 3:37 Minutes
- Available On: Spotify
“I Don’t dance moral “is that “you may well not consider you’re decent towards something, but you’ll haven’t ever determined that until you try.” The musical I Don’t Dance is additionally regarded as a metaphor for sexual identity and the suspense between Ryan and Chad, as evidenced by the two changing clothes close to the end of the song.
18. Scream – High School Musical 3: Senior Year
- Singer: Zac Efron
- Writer: Troy Bolton
- Length: 3:49 Minutes
- Available On: Spotify
Scream is a tune from High School Musical 3: Senior Year, as well as the 9th song on the music score and in the film. Troy Bolton sings the song in the film. This song is a heavily modified form of Nelly Furtado’s Say It Right.
19. I Want It All – High School Musical 3: Senior Year
- Singer: Asley Tisdale
- Length: 5:05 Minutes
- Available On: Spotify
On August 22, 2008, two early reviews of the scene in a movie (attributed as the movie’s two official song videos) aired on Disney Channel, even during the grand opening of The Cheetah Girls: One World. Sharpay and Ryan perform moves regarding fame and glitz in various parts of the song. On October 17, 2008, the third sneak peek of the scene in a movie was released. It plays a different section of the melody and demonstrates additional brand footage with Sharpay and Ryan as superstars and a cameo by Zac Efron.
20. Right Here, Right Now – High School Musical 3: Senior Year
- Singer: Vanessa Hudgens
- Length: 3:12 Minutes
- Available On: Spotify
Between the version released on the music score and the versions used in the movie, this song has several different transcriptions. It needs to be clarifiedIt needs to be clarified why multiple variations are used in the film and on the music score.
Hudgens starts singing the line “Then, I would thank that star, that made our wish come true” in the film, and she starts singing with Efron sometimes in parts of the “’cause he understands that what you’re doing is where I ought to be too” line in the initial verse and the “It’s always you and me” line inside the bridge.
21. Now Or Never – High School Musical 3: Senior Year
- Singer: Vanessa Hudgens
- Length: 4:25 Minutes
- Available On: Spotify
The beginning melodic number first and single form of the Walt Disney Pictures film High School Musical 3: Senior Year is “Now or Never.” The music is also the opening track on the film’s soundtrack. The first verse, however, is omitted when the music is conducted in the film.
22. What Time Is It – High School Musical 2
- Length: 3:18 Minutes
- Available On: Spotify
The video clip for the song and the chain of events in the film begins with the entire East High Wildcats in a schoolroom. A photo of Sharpay but rather Ryan Evans able to perform “Bop to the Top” is noticeable on the blackboard within this classroom, next to the words “School’s Out!” A poster for “Twinkle Town,” an East High Winter Musical starring Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez, is also visible.
23. Work This Out – High School Musical 2
- Length: 3:12 Minutes
- Available On: Jio Saavan
Songs must be unlocked to move forward through the levels, and players can select which one to play from the jukebox, causing it to play indefinitely till the player changes the song. Begin with “You Are the Music in Me” and otherwise “You Are the Music in Me.
24. I Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You – High School Musical
- Length: 2: 52 Minutes
- Available On: Spotify
Even though the song does not appear in the film, the performers are credited for their personalities. In the High School Musical DVD edition, a soundtrack film depicting the characters was released. It includes scenes from the film and the cast performing the tune in a studio.
High School Musical is one of the most popular Disney Channel franchises that delivered some of the most listen to songs of that time. It has a huge fan base and always transports one to those school days.
