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Whether you're a Disney fanatic or not, chances are, you have a favorite Disney song. Maybe you're a lover of villain solos like "Be Prepared" from The Lion King or you prefer more classic "I want" ballads like "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid. We considered all the classics — and newer Disney hits — to compile this top 40+ list. From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to the new Encanto, keep reading to find out if your favorites made the list.
"Part of Your World" (The Little Mermaid)
Lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken hit it out of the park with the entire soundtrack of The Little Mermaid — and "Part of Your World" is one of the greatest "I want" songs of all time.
"Let It Go" (Frozen)
Ever wonder why Frozen's Elsa seems to be more popular than Anna, even though Anna has more screen time and is arguably the bigger heroine of the movie? We'd be willing to bet that it's because of the strength of the belt-it-all-out hit "Let It Go."
"Remember Me" (Coco)
This song about departed relatives from Coco is a rare tune that celebrates familial love over romantic love (try to keep it together when you sing it).
"When You Wish Upon a Star" (Pinocchio)
It doesn't matter how old you get, this song from Pinocchio will always make your heart swell with hope.
"Be Prepared" (The Lion King)
A great Disney villain song can really make a movie, and Scar's solo in The Lion King does exactly that. Unlike Gaston from Beauty and the Beast or Ursula from The Little Mermaid, Scar doesn't try to soften his villainy to make himself more likeable — he's straight-up evil and we kind of like him that way.
"You're Welcome" (Moana)
Is there anything The Rock can't do? He wrestles, he acts, and, in Moana, he carries this boastful tune. Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the Broadway musical Hamilton, was one of the songwriters on the music team behind this movie, and this is the song where you can feel his hip-hop-inspired influence the most.
"I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)" (The Jungle Book)
Louis Prima's vocals give this Jungle Book song — about the advantages of being human — a swinging, jazzy vibe.
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"Be Our Guest" (Beauty and the Beast)
Only Disney could turn dinner into a dazzling Busby Berkeley-style production. The lyrics of this Beauty and the Beast showstopper are packed with funny asides and clever rhymes, and Jerry Orbach pulls it all off in a whimsical French accent.
"Baby Mine" (Dumbo)
You might not think of Dumbo's "Baby Mine" when it comes time to do Disney karaoke, but to all the Disney fans who are parents out there, this one pulls at the heart strings.
"A Whole New World" (Aladdin)
Arguably the best Disney duet, this song from Aladdin takes listeners on a magic carpet ride of emotions. It's no wonder this one brought home an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
"A Spoonful of Sugar" (Mary Poppins)
You'd think that a song about how to take the good with the bad would be a downer, but this Mary Poppins classic, written by the famed Sherman brothers, is so peppy you almost don't know that you're learning a lesson.
"I Won't Say I'm in Love" (Hercules)
The songs aren't Hercules' biggest strength — that would be the Al Hirschfeld-esque character designs — but Meg's torchy "I Won't Say I'm in Love" is a sleeper hit. The Muses acting as backup singers gives it some extra heft.
"An Unusual Prince/Once Upon a Dream" (Sleeping Beauty)
Okay, so Disney had a bit of help from Tchaikovsky with this one — the melody was taken from the composer's music for the ballet version of Sleeping Beauty. That's probably why it seems so easy to dance to (even with an owl as a dance partner).
"What's This?" (The Nightmare Before Christmas)
This track from The Nightmare Before Christmas can go on your "favorite Disney songs" playlist and your Christmas music playlist. Written and performed by Danny Elfman of Oingo Boingo, it captures both a childlike innocence and an adult sense of yearning.
"Kiss the Girl" (The Little Mermaid)
You have to hand it to Sebastian from The Little Mermaid: It seems like a swarm of fish and fowl would be a definite turn-off, but he wrangles them until they become the ultimate mood-setters.
"Cruella De Vil" (101 Dalmatians)
Anyone who wants to make a coat out of adorable puppies is pure evil, but, man, is this song about her from 101 Dalmatians catchy.
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"Life's a Happy Song" (The Muppets)
The opening number to The Muppets features a lot of very-specific-to-Muppet humor, and human actors Jason Segal and Amy Adams really commit to it.
"Gaston" (Beauty and the Beast)
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One of the best things about Beauty and the Beast is the way it subverts typical fairy tales. Someone like Gaston would be the hero or prince in most stories; here, he's the villain, and this song does a good job of puncturing the desirability of his manliness.
"Grim Grinning Ghosts" (The Haunted Mansion)
This pick is a bit of a trick, since the song isn't in any of the popular animated movies — it's most famous for being the tune that plays during the Haunted Mansion ride in the Disney parks. But it's spooky fun, and if a voice sounds familiar, it's probably Thurl Ravenscroft (aka, the voice behind "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.")
"Circle of Life" (The Lion King)
The opening song to The Lion King is so epic, you do sort of feel connected to the greater world around you.
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Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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