6 Bops By Former Disney Actors That We Still Love!

A lot of Disney Channel actors have a singing career in addition to their acting credits. Sometimes their musical talent can be overlooked or forgotten, and that is a shame! To remedy this, we’re going to remind you of 6 total bops from former Disney Channel stars we still love!

1. "With Love" by Hilary Duff

Hilary Duff rose to fame on the show “Lizzie McGuire” (2001-2004) and released her debut album Metamorphosis while on the show. In the 10 years following the show’s end, she released 4 more albums. Her 2007 album Dignity features her highest charting song, “With Love”, about communication and learning to ground yourself in a relationship. The song has an electronic dance beat and a fast pace. Duff’s vocals are noticeably more mature in this song than on her debut album, and that lends well to the reflective lyrics.

Favorite lyrics: “I wanna be there for you the way you’ve been there for me / Always help me walk the line...”

2. "Hurricane" by Bridgit Mendler

Brigit Mendler’s time on Disney began when she had a recurring character role on "Wizards of Waverly Place" between 2009 and 2012. She also starred as the main character in “Good Luck Charlie” from 2010 to 2014. Mendler’s variety of acting credits established her as a great actor, and landing the lead role on the Disney Channel Original movie Lemonade Mouth in 2011 established her as a great singer as well. She released her full-length solo album Hello My Name Is… in 2012, and it has been highly regarded by fans. Over a decade later, fans are still hoping for some new music from Mendler, and anyone who has heard this song can understand why.

Favorite lyrics: “Everything is fine when / You’re standing in the eye of the hurricane...”

3. "Tell Me Something I Don't Know" by Selena Gomez & The Scene

Selena Gomez is well known for her time on Disney Channel’s show "Wizards of Waverly Place" from 2007 to 2012. In addition to her acting credits, she also has a successful music career. As a result of her dual talent, it feels right to spotlight a song that combines both worlds. “Tell Me Something I Don't Know” was originally recorded for the Disney Channel original movie Another Cinderella Story (2008). The song served as Gomez’s first single and was re-recorded with her band The Scene for her 2009 album, Kiss & Tell. Gomez is quite the pop star nowadays, but back in her Disney days, her music style had more of a rock kick. This song is sassy, catchy, and exudes the confidence that we’ve seen follow through Gomez’s career.

Favorite lyrics: “I hear it all the time / ‘I’m never gonna amount to much’ / But they’re never gonna change my mind, no...”

4. "Let's Be Friends" by Emily Osment

Emily Osment appeared in a recurring role on “Hannah Montana” during its run from 2006 to 2011. Though her co-star Miley Cyrus is the more musical one on the show, Osment released a dance pop album in 2010. The lead single from her album Fight or Flight is a more mature hit than a lot of other Disney Channel actors have produced. The song “Let’s Be Friends” has a dance-pop beat and features the chorus “Let’s be friends so we can make out”. The song is cheeky, fun, and makes you want to go out to a club to dance. 

Favorite lyrics: “Hey, let me flip through the pages to something outrageous...”

5. "Fly On The Wall" by Miley Cyrus

Speaking of “Hannah Montana”, of course we have to mention a song from Miley Cyrus’s musical career. Cyrus played a pop star on TV, and she became one in her own right outside of her acting career. Her career has produced a lot of hits, so we would like to spotlight one that often gets overlooked. Her 2008 album Breakout features the earworm-inducing song “Fly On The Wall”, which tackles the topic of gossip and the invasion of privacy by the media. It is a song that rings true to this age of social media. Though Cyrus was speaking more to paparazzi, the song can be applied in multiple ways. This song is an impressive show of Cyrus’s vocals, and the electric guitar creates a driving energy that can get anyone pumped. 

Favorite lyrics: “A little communication / Well, that’ll go a long way...”

6. "La La Land" by Demi Lovato

The most prominent roles of Demi Lovato’s Disney Channel career were on the show “Sonny with a Chance” (2009-2011) and in the movie“ Camp Rock (2008). Lovato had quite a musical career during her Disney run, and this in turn led to a successful musical career. She has had many pop hits over the years, but one of the most fun to revisit is from her debut album. “La La Land” is a pop-rock song in which Lovato sings about embracing who she is despite feeling out of place in Hollywood. This song is featured on Lovato’s 2008 album Don't Forget, and a re-recorded version featuring guitarist Nita Strauss is featured on her 2023 rock album Revamped. Whether you’re listening to the original song or the reworked version, it is undeniable that this song still rocks.

Favorite lyrics: “I won’t change anything in my life / I’m staying myself tonight...”

Some things are better left in childhood memories, but these songs still hold up! Disney Channel produced some stars in both the acting and music industries, and we still love them to this day.