High School Musical Song Ranking

The High School Musical movies have been influential to our generation. They have made us laugh, cry, and dance all throughout our childhood. They are all delightfully cheesy and campy in all the best ways. One of the best things about the series is the songs. These iconic song and dance numbers are the heart and soul of the movies, but one must stop and ask: which songs are the best ones? Today I’ll be ranking and reviewing all 32 songs from the High School Musical movies (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series is not eligible for this list) and determining which songs are the cream of the crop. Each song will be given a ranking based on vocals, instrumentation, style, and overall how iconic it is. It should be noted that this is purely my opinion, and you are free to disagree. In fact, tell me what your number one is in the comments! Without further ado, let’s get into it.

#32: When There Was Me and You – High School Musical

The plot stops to hear Gabriella’s autotuned whines and I am not a fan.

#31: What I’ve Been Looking For (Reprise) – High School Musical

I don’t understand how the characters can think that this is the best version of this song. It is way too boring.

#30: We’re All In This Together (Graduation Mix) – High School Musical 3

The best thing going for this one is the fact that it is We’re All In This Together. The problem is that it is a worse version of the song.

#29: Humuhumunukunukuapua’a – High School Musical 2

I have literally no memory of this song being in the movie.

#28: Senior Year Spring Musical – High School Musical 3

Similarly to the Graduation Mix, this song just feels like a greatest hits album that is worse than the real songs.

#27: All For One – High School Musical 2

As an ending song, it is a massive downgrade from the first movie. The best part is when Chad drops his microphone at the beginning (go back and watch; you won’t regret it).

#26: You Are the Music in Me (Reprise) – High School Musical 2

Troy’s bizarre vocals and snazzy dancing can’t save this one. It’s way worse than the original, and Sharpay should’ve left it alone.

#25: Walk Away – High School Musical 3

It’s just kind of forgettable, honestly. Gabriella’s voice is pretty good here, and the high note she has at the end is great, but this song doesn’t do much for me.

#24: Everyday – High School Musical 2

Again, it’s pretty forgettable and a massive downgrade from the Troy/Gabriella duet from the first movie. It’s fine, but it really doesn’t affect me the way I think it’s supposed to.

#23: Work This Out – High School Musical 2

The way this song uses pots and pans to create its beat is pretty great, but this is definitely one of the weaker ensemble numbers in the trilogy.

#22: Right Here, Right Now – High School Musical 3

Cute, but it isn’t much else.

#21: The Boys Are Back – High School Musical 3

This song has no plot relevance at all, but it’s pretty catchy. It gets points for the Mad Max background dancers.

#20: A Night To Remember – High School Musical 3

I love the back and forth between the girls and the guys in this song. Very fun, but the verses are better than the chorus.

#19: Bop to the Top – High School Musical

A true bop, but sadly not good enough for the top. If it wasn’t cut up so much during the movie it would be higher on the list.

#18: What Time Is It – High School Musical 2

A classic and one of the first songs I ever heard from these movies. Nostalgia gives this one a bit of an edge, but it is still not my favorite.

#17: High School Musical – High School Musical 3

A somewhat forgettable finale, but not the worst finale in the trilogy. But I do love all the characters getting solos, and the jump at the end of it is iconic.

#16: Start of Something New – High School Musical

The song that started it all. It’s really adorable, but I cannot stand the drastic changes in Troy’s voice as it goes from Zac Efron to Drew Seely then back to Zac Efron. I still love it though!

#15: You Are the Music in Me – High School Musical 2

This song is great, but I find it a little repetitive for my tastes. One of the better Troy/Gabriella duets.

#14: Just Wanna Be With You – High School Musical 3

I really enjoy this one. I’m not quite sure why. I just really like it.

#13: Fabulous – High School Musical 2

THE Sharpay song. It is catchy and sassy, but it is still not her best work. Ryan playing piano in the pool and singing the high harmonies is iconic.

#12: We’re All in This Together – High School Musical

Okay hear me out: I love this song, but I love the other songs more. It is amazing and famous for a reason (I can do the dance by heart), but it is just not my favorite song in the movies.

#11: Gotta Go My Own Way – High School Musical 2

This is the perfect song to belt painfully after a tough breakup. Gabriella is still a tad whiny, but the catchy chorus helps a lot. Troy’s part gives me goosebumps every single time.

#10: Get’cha Head in the Game – High School Musical

The beat with the basketballs is one of the most iconic moments in all of cinematic history and you can fight me on this.

#9: Can I Have This Dance – High School Musical 3

This song is the best Gabriella has sounded in any of the movies. The song is sweet and charming, and I find myself humming (or belting) it all the time.

#8: Scream – High School Musical 3

Troy has some great breakdown songs, and this is no exception. The spinning walls are amazing, and the final “scream” that he does makes me giggle every time I hear it.

#7: Stick to the Status Quo – High School Musical

If you look in the dictionary for “powerful key changes”, it’ll just be the end of this song. This song is like a punch to your ears, but in a good way. An underrated gem of a number.

#6: Now or Never – High School Musical 3

As a basketball player, I always appreciated how much actual “basketball talk” they have in these movies, and this song is the epitome of that. I jam out to this one all the time when I am working out.

#5: What I’ve Been Looking For – High School Musical

The first Ryan and Sharpay song is still one of my favorites. They improved the original tenfold, and I still don’t understand why everybody else thought it was inferior to the snoozefest that Kelsi wrote.

#4: I Don’t Dance – High School Musical 2

This song is amazing. Ryan, the baseball game, Ryan, Chad angrily dancing about how he won’t dance, RYAN. It’s all iconic. The jazzy sound it has elevates it to a whole other level.

#3: Bet On It – High School Musical 2

Troy’s dramatic breakdown on a golf course continues to be the biggest mood of our generation. It somehow takes itself way too seriously while simultaneously is in on the joke. Iconic is an understatement.

#2: I Want It All – High School Musical 3

A hot take, I know, but this is the best Sharpay song. Every single verse and chorus is unique and bombastic. I love the scene itself, with Ryan and Sharpay imagining all their classmates working for them. Ryan’s voice is just perfect and I could listen to his harmonies all day long.

#1: Breaking Free – High School Musical

This is definitively the best Troy/Gabriella duet in the entire series. The way the song starts quiet and slow before Troy’s big “We’re breaking free” is absolutely amazing. I get chills every single time and sometimes I even tear up. This song is the best of the best.