*full reflections on each song coming soon!(:
Welcome Back to Disney!🎉😊 I hope you enjoyed my last post on A Definitive Ranking of EVERY Song from Miley Cyrus’ Breakout Album, because today, for the Month of Miley, we’re going back to some Hannah songs and talking all about another ICONIC and UNFORGETTABLE soundtrack, Hannah Montana: The Movie.💿🎶🎸🎹🎻🥁But, as per usual, before we get into my ranking of the songs from this soundtrack, I’m just gonna give a brief history about it, along with some of my memories associated with it.😊💜💛
Hannah Montana: The Movie was a soundtrack for the 2009 film of the same name.🎶💿📺 Of course, the film itself was an adaptation of the popular Disney Channel original series Hannah Montana.💛💜 On the soundtrack, Miley performs twelve out of the eighteen songs.👏Seven of which are credited to her character Hannah Montana. Billy Ray Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts, and English singer Steve Rushton also have songs on the soundtrack. The soundtrack was recorded in 2008 and released on March 24, 2009 by Walt Disney Records.🎉
Several producers worked on the soundtrack, mainly Matthew Gerrard and John Shanks. But, Shanks was more involved with Miley than with any of the other artists. Gerrard produced Miley’s songs as Hannah Montana. As he previously wrote her hit and ICONIC 2006 song “The Best of Both Worlds”. For which a remix of “The Best of Both Worlds” is featured at the very beginning of the film, but also as the closing song on the soundtrack.🎶 All of the songs on the soundtrack were approved by the film’s director Peter Chelsom, because he felt that the film needed music that was tightly woven into the film’s plot as well as the character’s background.
Musically, the soundtrack merges heavy influences from pop and country. With Miley Cyrus, Matthew Gerrard, Taylor Swift being songwriters, among others. Lyrically, the songs primarily discuss the film’s themes of family, fame, and love. According to sources, contemporary critics were pleased with the soundtrack at the time. The soundtrack even received nominations for “Choice Music: Album Soundtrack” and “Favorite Soundtrack” at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards and the 2009 American Music Awards, but it unfortunately lost to the Twilight soundtrack.👎😔🧛🩸Which I would have definitely voted for this soundtrack (Hannah Montana: The Movie) over the Twilight one any day, because it is far better.😊💜💛 Even though I’ve never listened to the full Twilight soundtrack. I’ve just seen the movie many times. And don't get me wrong, because I do LOVE the movie, but anything Hannah Montana related will beat anything that's not majority of the time for me.😊🏆 Five other songs from the soundtrack, “Butterfly Fly Away”, “You’ll Always Find Your Way Back Home”, “Don’t Walk Away”, “Hoedown Throwdown”, and “Back to Tennessee” were also included on the short list for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards.👏🏆
Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack also reached the TOP 10 in many nations, and topped the charts in countries like Canada, New Zealand, and Austria.👏👏🌎🌏🌍 It also peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200 in the U.S., as well as on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums Chart.👏👏 And by 2009, the soundtrack was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). When it came to promotion for the soundtrack, it was promoted through exclusive releases to Radio Disney and live performances at numerous venues. Miley also performed four songs from the soundtrack on her first worldwide concert tour, the Wonder World Tour. “The Climb”, which was performed by Miley in the film and on the soundtrack, was released as the lead single on March 5, 2009 on iTunes and later on a CD single.💿🎶The song “Hoedown Throwdown” also served as a promotional single released on March 10, 2009.💿🎶While, “Let’s Get Crazy”, performed by Miley as Hannah Montana in the film and on the soundtrack, was released as the soundtrack’s second and final single on May 29, 2009 in Italy.💿🎶
Like I briefly mentioned before, most of the songs on the soundtrack were offered to the film’s director, Peter Chelsom, for inclusion on the film. As producer Alfred Gough once said, “Peter Chelsom describes the Stewart family [Cyrus’ character’s family in the film] as a bilingual family whose second language is music, and that’s very true in this movie.” According to sources, Peter Chelsom also once said that the film’s numerous songs are tightly woven into the fabric of the story and the characters, which is why he believes the film will feel like a musical without being one. Which is exactly what it feels like, in my opinion, having watched the movie MANY TIMES throughout my life.👍😊💛💜 As Peter Chelsom was quoted saying, “We continuously dance very close to the convention of a musical but are more integrated. Songs are going to sit within the film, not apart from the film. At times, you won’t notice the music is happening; it’ll just move the story along.” Which again, I think, definitely describes the musical aspect of the film perfectly.👏💜💛😊
In regards to Miley’s songs on the soundtrack, Peter Chelsom once said, “We realized this was an opportunity to move forward with the music, to update it and make it more sophisticated, to move with Miley’s age. I’ve never had a better musical experience on any film.” Miley also once noted that most songs included on the soundtrack were inspired by the return of her character, Miley Stewart/Hannah Montana, to her Nashville roots. As she once explained, “The soundtrack is all about Nashville, and that’s where I’m from, that’s my roots. I think that’s a lot of the reason I am who I am.” Which, you definitely get all of that too, when listening to this soundtrack.💿🎶
Like I also mentioned briefly before, musically, this is a pop and country soundtrack. Each of Miley’s songs incorporate her thick Tennessee twang. While the more up-tempo songs are performed by Miley as her character Hannah Montana, and ballads are kept at a minimum, but just as impactful. The songs like “Let’s Get Crazy”, “You’ll Always Find Your Way Back Home”, and “Spotlight” are the most true to pop. While Miley Cyrus’ songs on the soundtrack are more mid-tempo. “Hoedown Throwdown” is an instructional dance song that mixes country and hip-hop. “The Climb” is a standard-issue power ballad with solid, clear vocals that places piano solos between chiming electric guitars. And Taylor Swift’s “Crazier” is a more waltzing ballad with her singing in relaxed soprano vocals. So, this soundtrack is literally the BEST of ALL worlds really. Well, the BEST of ALL musical genres.😊💛💜💿🎶
Lyrically, the soundtrack explores a variety of concepts. Hannah’s songs describe the “glitzy-world” and privileges of being a celebrity. With the exception of “You’ll Always Find Your Way Back Home”, which is about staying grounded and relying on family.💜💛 While “Let’s Get Crazy” is just all about having fun at a party.🎉“The Good Life” is a sugar-coated celebration of Prada shoes and Gucci handbags.👠👜 And, of course, “The Best of Both Worlds (Movie Mix)” explicitly alludes to Miley’s character’s double life as Hannah Montana; regular high school girl by day and pop star by night.🏫🎒📚🌞🎶🎤🌙 Whereas, “Hoedown Throwdown” is a tribute to down-home, country dancing fun💃🤠, and “The Climb” is all about life being a difficult but rewarding journey⛰, and the importance of keeping the faith through the ups and downs, and appreciating the journey as you arrive at your destination.💛💜 And ”Butterfly Fly Away” is a coming-of-age father-daughter duet by Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus.🦋👧👨 So, in other words, the songs that Miley performs as herself in the film and on the soundtrack are more reflective, relatable, personal, and sentimental. Then there’s also “Back to Tennessee” performed by Billy Ray Cyrus in the film and on the soundtrack, which is about, as the title suggest, longing to return to the South where he grew up after spending several years somewhere else. And country music band,, Rascal Flatts, also provide an acoustic version of “Backwards” and “God Bless the Broken Road” in the film and on the soundtrack.💛💜💿🎶
As mentioned briefly before, “The Climb” was released as the lead single from the soundtrack on February 21, 2009, through digital distribution. The song was critically appreciated for Miley’s strong vocals and its lyrical content.👏 It achieved commercial success and reached the TOP 10 charts in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Norway.👏🌎🌏 It also reached the TOP 20 in many other countries, too.👏🌍In the U.S., “The Climb” topped Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks for fifteen consecutive weeks.👏 “Let’s Get Crazy” was then released as the second single from the soundtrack on May 29, 2009.
Disney then sent promotional songs after the release of the soundtrack. With “Hoedown Throwdown” being released as a Radio Disney Exclusive single on March 10, 2009. That song also managed to make commercial success by reaching the TOP 10 on the Irish Singles Chart and TOP 20 in numerous regions.👏👏 Taylor Swift’s “Crazier” also premiered on Radio Disney and on Disney Channel, the latter to promote the home release of the film. And that song charted at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100, #67 on the Canadian Hot 100, #64 on the Australian Singles Chart, and #100 on the UK Singles Chart.👏👏👏👏“You’ll Always Find Your Way Back Home” also peaked at #76 on the Canadian Hot 100 and at #81 on the Billboard Hot 100.👏👏 And all in all, the soundtrack received generally positive reviews from critics at the time of its release. But, what do the critics really know? ‘Cause I, as a life-long Hannah Montana fan, I have always found this soundtrack (and film) to be 10/10 GREAT. Okay, maybe 9/10, because not ALL of the songs are great but MAJORITY are.😊 And that’s why I’m here to talk about it any chance I can.👍
Other promotion for this album included Miley performing “Let’s Get Crazy”, “Let’s Do This”, and the 2009 Movie Mix of “The Best of Both Worlds” as Hannah Montana for the taping of the third season of Hannah Montana on October 10, 2008, at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, California.🎶💿🎉On January 19, 2009, Miley performed “The Climb” at the Kids’ Inaugural “We Are the Future” event. Miley also performed with her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, in London at an Apple Store. In which that performance was taped and sold exclusively by the UK iTunes Store as an extended play titled iTunes: Live from London. She (Miley) also performed songs from the soundtrack on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, American Idol, Good Morning America, the Academy of Country Music, Live with Regis and Kelly, the AOL Sessions, the 20th annual A Time for Heroes Celebrity Carnival, Today, and at the FIRST D23 Expo.
As briefly mentioned earlier, promotional songs from Hannah Montana: The Movie also premiered on Radio Disney and Disney Channel. “Let’s Do This” was the first song to premiere on Radio Disney and Disney Channel on December 13, 2008. With the video being taken from the taping in Irvine. That song, due to digital downloads, peaked at #23 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles Chart (Hot 100-123); the song failed to reach the Canadian Hot 100, but it did chart at #69 on the Hot Canadian Digital Singles.👏👏 “Let’s Get Crazy” then premiered on Disney Channel on January 19, 2009. With the music video being an excerpt from the film when Miley’s character is forced to enter Lilly’s Sweet 16 as Hannah. That song peaked at #57 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #26 on the Canadian Hot 100, becoming Hannah Montana’s highest chart effort in Canada.👏👏
“Back to Tennessee” premiered only on Disney Channel with a video that intermixed scenes from the film. To which that song peaked at #47 on Hot Country Songs.👏 And on March 21, 2009, Radio Disney premiered the entire soundtrack with a rebroadcast the next day. Also in March of 2009, The Miley Sessions, which was a series of promotional music videos that featured Miley singing in a recording studio, were released on Disney.com. Disney Channel then aired a series of commercial segments entitled Hannah Montana: The Movie Playback, in which Miley is in the same recording studio setting describing the music of the soundtrack. That same year, Miley also embarked on a five-city acoustic radio promo tour that reached over 250 for six days to promote the soundtrack. And as mentioned before, in addition to all of that promo, Miley also performed four songs from the soundtrack on her first worldwide concert tour, the Wonder World Tour in 2009.
On April 11, 2009, Hannah Montana: The Movie debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 with 139,000 copies sold.👏 After four weeks of ascending and descending the chart, the soundtrack finally reached the #1 spot, becoming the FIRST soundtrack of the year to top the Billboard 200.👏 The soundtrack also topped Billboard’s Top Country Albums for nine non-consecutive weeks and Top Soundtracks for nineteen non-consecutive weeks.👏👏 The soundtrack became certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) after two months, for shipments of one million copies. And by April 2014 the soundtrack had sold 2,085,000 copies in the U.S. and 3 million worldwide.👏👏 Which, I’m sure those numbers have just increased even more by now (2025).😊
The soundtrack also debuted at #2 in Canada and peaked at #1 for two consecutive weeks.👏👏 It made its debut on the New Zealand RIANZ Album Chart at #11, and eventually topped the chart for a week.👏👏 It was also certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) for the shipment of 15,000 copies.👏 The soundtrack peaked at #6 in Australia and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), having sold more than 70,000 copies.👏👏 The soundtrack also debuted at #18 in Spain and peaked at the top spot for four weeks.👏👏 And was later certified platinum by the Productores de Musica de Espana for the shipment of 80,000 copies.👏 The soundtrack peaked at #1 for one week in Austria, and was eventually certified gold for sales above 10,000.👏👏 Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack also topped the Portuguese chart and reached the Top 20 charts in Norway, Mexico, Denmark, Belgium, Sweden, Poland, and Switzerland.👏👏
Yeah, so, I don’t really know what all that chart stuff and numbers really mean, either. But I just thought I'd throw all those facts out there because they were a little interesting to me and worth noting here.😊However, those facts did not make me like and/or enjoy this soundtrack any more or less than I already did. Nor did it affect my ranking of the songs on this list. Also, having said that, no matter where this soundtrack or the songs themselves ranked on the charts back then, I didn’t know or care about any of that stuff either when I was a kid, hearing these songs for the first time and listening to the soundtrack and/or watching the movie. ‘Cause I just LOVED the movie and LOVED the songs no matter what anyone else said.💜💛 As I've said many times before, I was a BIG FAN of Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana at the time, and like with all of Miley's/Hannah’s Disney music discography, ALL of the songs on this soundtrack still hold up today. Well, again, MOST of them. Basically, I still LOVE this soundtrack a lot. That’s why I wanted to create this post in the first place to share my LOVE and APPRECIATION for it. As well as some of my memories associated with it. Which I’ll do now before we officially get into my ranking of the songs.😊
Well, I know I said in my last post that I didn’t remember exactly how or when I was given Miley Cyrus’ Breakout album on CD, and that that album was the only Miley/Hannah album that I didn’t have a vivid memory of when I first got it on CD…but now that I’m trying to remember things about this Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack, I actually also don’t remember how or when I got the CD of it either.🤔 For some reason, I have no clear memory of when I first received the CD of this soundtrack, like I do with a lot of the other Miley/Hannah albums and merch I had gotten as a kid. I just know somehow I did get the CD of this soundtrack as a kid, and I did love listening to it a lot. Though, I'm sure I had to have gotten the CD of this soundtrack as a late birthday gift in 2009, because it came out literally the month of my birthday.🥳🎂🎈💿🎶 But, I actually have more fond memories of listening to this CD and watching the movie a lot when I was a teenager, too. Way after it was released.💜💛
Speaking of the movie, I also have no memory of when I first saw the movie, either. Which really kind of bums me out, too.😔 It's just so interesting to me that I don’t remember such an ICONIC thing coming out in theaters and not remembering if I went to see it or not. Especially considering, I was such a HUGE Hannah Montana fan. Although, I do have a vivid memory of seeing the commercial for the movie on Disney Channel at the time before it was going to be released in theaters. I remember I was just hanging out in my parents room during the day, by myself, and I had the TV on in their room and the commercial for the movie popped up and I remember showing my mom when she walked by at one point, and telling her I wanted to see it. I just have no memory of when or how I FIRST watched the movie.🤔 Which again, is kind of odd. ‘Cause I feel like with something as ICONIC as this, I would have remembered if my family and I went to go see it in theaters. And yet, I remember nothing.😔 I guess we just waited for it to come out on DVD to watch it, because I also did own the DVD of the movie as a kid.📀📺
Anyway, so my memory is a little unclear and fuzzy when it comes to Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack and seeing the movie for the FIRST time. Which again, is a bummer.😔 But I do have some other vivid, special, fond memories when it comes to some of the individual songs on this soundtrack. Memories I’ll probably talk more about when we get to each song. So, I guess that means it’s definitely time to get into the ranking. So, DON'T WALK AWAY, LET'S GET CRAZY, LET'S DO THIS, because we're going BACK TO TENNESSEE, to SPOTLIGHT an ICONIC soundtrack, it’s the BEST OF BOTH WORLDS, EVERYTHING YOU WANT, it’s THE GOOD LIFE…okay, sorry again. I’m not good at that.🤣😊For real though, let’s get into A Definitive Ranking of EVERY Song from Hannah Montana: The Movie Soundtrack!💛💜💿🎶
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Well, that concludes A Definitive Ranking of EVERY Song from Hannah Montana: The Movie Soundtrack!🎉😊🎶💿 I really enjoyed getting to go back and listen to these songs once again, and be taken back to some country vibes, because this soundtrack is definitely the most country music I’ve listened to in a long time. 'Cause I’m not a country music fan these days, but when I was a kid my family and I definitely did listen to a lot of country music, along with basically every other genre of music. Now I just listen to anything, pretty much everything, other than country music. But I'm always down to listen to country music if it’s Hannah or Miley-fied. And this soundtrack is just that.😊💜💛
So, I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did creating it. It was actually surprisingly a little harder than I thought it would be ranking the songs from this soundtrack, but this is my ranking of them as of now, and I’m pretty solid on it. In other words, I feel good about it. Especially about my TOP 4, because my TOP 4 have always been my most favorites from this soundtrack and movie. Now, I definitely suggest anyone reading this, even though I just kind of made you re-listen to these songs through this post, to still go give this soundtrack another listen. If for nothing else, at least for nostalgia sake, because it’s definitely worth it. Hit that follow button so that you get notified when my next post goes up, and come Back to Disney tomorrow for more GREAT MUSIC from Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana!!! And always remember, life’s a climb but the view’s great.✌🎉😊🎶💿👋💛💜
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