Disney has a long and celebrated history with Billboard. This mammoth mass media and entertainment corporation has been making the most coveted music charts ever since the Billboard Hot 100 made its debut on August 4, 1958. Even more amazing is, today’s Disney hits typically hang around the charts for weeks on end, while others have gone on to become the best-selling albums of the year. Can someone say “Let It Go?” Ok, we’re jumping way ahead here, but you get where we’re going with this.
Take a look at 28 of the biggest Disney Billboard hits from yesterday and today (in chronological order), and see if any your favorites made the cut.
1. "When You Wish Upon a Star," Dion & the Belmonts, No. 30 Billboard Hot 100, 1960 (The composition is originally from Disney's 1940 adaptation of "Pinocchio."
2. "Zip-a-Dee Doo-Dah," Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans, No. 8 Billboard Hot 100, 1963 (Originally from the 1946 animated movie "Song of the South")
3. "Super-cali-fragil-istic-exp-iali-docious," Julie Andrews-Dick Van Dyke, No. 66 Hot 100, 1965, "Mary Poppins"
4. "Beauty and the Beast," Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, No. 9 Hot 100, 1992, "Beauty and the Beast"
5. "A Whole New World," Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle, No. 1 (one week) Hot 100, 1993, "Aladdin"
6. "All for Love," Bryan Adams/Rod Stewart/Sting, No. 1 (three weeks) Hot 100, 1994, "The Three Musketeers"
7. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight," Elton John, No. 4 Hot 100, 1994, "The Lion King"
8. "Circle of Life," Elton John, No. 18 Hot 100, 1994, "The Lion King"
9. "Hakuna Matata," Jimmy Cliff featuring Lebo M, No. 26 Adult Contemporary, 1995, "The Lion King"
10. "Colors of the Wind," Vanessa Williams, No. 4 Hot 100, 1995, "Pocahontas"
11. "Someday," All-4-One, No. 30 Hot 100, 1996, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame"
12. "Go the Distance," Michael Bolton, No. 24 Hot 100, 1997, "Hercules"
13. "Reflection," Christina Aguilera, No. 19 Adult Contemporary, 1998, "Mulan" (The song marks Aguilera's first appearance on any Billboard chart.)
14. "You'll Be in My Heart," Phil Collins, No. 1 (19 weeks) Adult Contemporary, 1999, "Tarzan"
15. "Strangers Like Me," Phil Collins, No. 10 Adult Contemporary, 1999, "Tarzan"
16. "My Funny Friend and Me," Sting, No. 24 Adult Contemporary, 2001, "The Emperor's New Clothes"
17. "I'm Still Here (Jim's Theme)," John Rzeznik, No. 10 Adult Pop Songs 2002, "Treasure Planet"
18. "Look Through My Eyes," Phil Collins, No. 5 Adult Contemporary, 2004, "Brother Bear"
19. "Breakaway," Kelly Clarkson, No. 6 Hot 100, 2004, "The Princess Diaries 2"
20. "Life Is a Highway," Rascal Flatts, No. 7 Hot 100, 2006, "Cars"
21. "Little Wonders," Rob Thomas, No. 5 Adult Pop Songs, 2007, "Meet the Robinsons"
22. "Now or Never," High School Musical 3 Cast, No. 68; "Can I Have This Dance," Zac Efron & Vanessa Hudgens, No. 98 Hot 100, 2008, "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" (Of the trilogy, only the third version was released in theaters, following its two Disney Channel TV-movie predecessors.)
23. "The Climb," Miley Cyrus, No. 4 Hot 100, 2009, "Hannah Montana: The Movie" (The song is Cyrus' highest-charting hit released on the Disney imprint. More than half (24) of her 42 Hot 100 charted titles were released on the imprint, encompassing her TV and movie roles as (the late) "Hannah Montana.")
24. "Almost Home," Mariah Carey, No. 20 Adult Contemporary, 2013, "Oz the Great and Powerful"
25. "Let It Go," Idina Menzel, No. 25 Hot 100 (to date), "Frozen" (the “Frozen” soundtrack became the top-selling album of 2014)
26. "Let It Go," Demi Lovato, No. 38 Hot 100 (to date), "Frozen"
27. "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?," Kristin Bell, Agatha Lee Monn & Katie Lopez, No. 60 Hot 100 (to date), "Frozen"
28. "For the First Time in Forever," Kristin Bell & Idina Menzel, No. 64 (to date) Hot 100, "Frozen" (With "Frozen," a Disney soundtrack boasts four Hot 100 hits for the first time.)
The 28 biggest Disney Billboard hits from yesterday and today were provided by Billboard.
Sources
Trust, Gary. "Ask Billboard: Disney's Biggest Billboard Hits." Billboard. Billboard Magazine, 01 Jan. 2014. Web. 26 June 2016.