Let’s be real: Disney Channel blessed us with tons of iconic bops for our DCOM marathons then, our Friday night solo dance parties now, and for those “Back when I was your age” times to come. Here are just a few:
1. “La La Land” by Demi Lovato
This song was perfect for my angsty 10-year-old self then, and even better now. Though I was never sure whether Demi Lovato was eating at McDonald’s or Ronald’s (and I’ll probably never know), I was always sure to belt out: “I’m not gonna change, in the la-la land machine, I will stay the same, in the la-la land machine” at the top of my lungs. Whether you’re young or old, focus less on fitting the mold and more on being true to yourself.
2. “Fabulous” from High School Musical 2
From the queen of knowing her worth and adding tax herself, Sharpay Evans taught us to never settle for anything that isn’t “bigger and better and best.” Whether it’s in your career, academics or relationships – get what you deserve! And if you can’t, search elsewhere until you can. Is that so wrong? Absolutely… NOT!
3. “Girl Power” from The Cheetah Girls
At nine or 19, this female-empowered anthem by the Cheetah Girls shows us that there are two rules to successfully being the HBIC:
Rule 1: “Never give up, never stay down”
Rule 2: Believe in yourself, even when the Jackal Johnson’s of the world don’t.
4. “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus
This Miley Cyrus banger got me through the time I got grounded for spelling “zebra” wrong on my fifth grade vocabulary test. Let’s be honest: it’s probably going to get me through finals week as well. What’s the moral of the story? Life’s going to make us and break us – we’ve just “got to be strong, just keep pushing on.”
5. “Nobody’s Perfect” from Hannah Montana
To me, this song is the embodiment of the moment when you bomb a test that’s worth 60% of your grade, but then you find out the entire class did too and you don’t feel as bad. Because as the iconic Hannah Montana once said, “Everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days.” The most important lessons to take away from messing up are to “figure something else out,” “don’t stay down,” and always “try again.”