‘Let It Go’ Isn’t Disney’s Biggest Hit Song
“Let It Go” from Frozen is undoubtedly the most well known Disney song of the 2010s. The song is so popular that even people who never saw the movie are familiar with it. Because it became so ubiquitous, many might assume that it was the highest charting Disney song of all time, but this is not the case. Let’s look at the five highest-charting Disney songs on the Billboard Hot 100.
5. ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’
“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” is a song which accomplished everything it set out to do. It works beautifully within the context of The Lion King as well as a stand-alone radio single, and helped to introduce Sir Elton John to a new generation. Who knew that a scene between two talking lions could be so romantic?
4. ‘Colors of the Wind’
“Colors of the Wind” is the most famous song from Pocahontas. Like many other Disney songs from that era such as the title track from Beauty and the Beast or “A Whole New World” from Aladdin, the song combines the sounds of pop and Broadway music with a soaring vocal performance. The original version of the track is the most famous, however, an easy listening cover by Vanessa Williams became a hit song in 1995.
3. ‘The Climb’
When one thinks of Disney movies, Hannah Montana: The Movie is certainly not the first film to come to mind – unless you’re a huge fan of Miley Cyrus’ acting career. Unlike Disney’s most famous movies, Hannah Montana: The Movie is not a fantasy film, but that doesn’t stop it from having a typical Disney power ballad – “The Climb” – at its center. Cyrus has proven herself to be a musical chameleon, and here she takes her own stab at a Kelly Clarkson-style inspirational song. The similarity between this song and Clarkson’s early hits like “A Moment Like This” and “Breakaway” are so strong that Clarkson released her own acoustic cover of the track.
2. ‘A Whole New World’
Some of the songs on this list are surprises. It’s also surprising that this list excludes famous Disney songs like “Part of Your World” and “Circle of Life..” However, most Disney fans would expect “A Whole New World” to be on this list and here it is. The track is primarily remembered thanks to the wonderfully animated magic carpet sequence that it soundtracks. The version that became a major hit was a duet between Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle, however, the remake of Aladdin features a gorgeous cover of the song by Zayn and Zhavia Ward.
1. ‘All for Love’
Do you remember the 1993 film version of The Three Musketeers? Probably not. Then you probably don’t remember “All for Love,” the hit song from the movie. The song is a collaboration between three of the most famous soft rock artists of the day – Rod Stewart, Bryan Adams, and Sting. The star power of those three singers catapulted this song to the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and it became the most successful song in Disney history. This just goes to show that success does not equal longevity.
