High School Musical Songs – Kid-Friendly Soundtrack Reviews For Parents

The High School Musical series of movies have become an enormous hit among young kids and tweens. And of course, the franchise is full of upbeat music that both kids and parents can enjoy. High School Musical songs are kid-friendly, and contain lots of positive messages that make them ideal listening for tweens. In this article, I’ll review each of the three soundtracks from the films and explain why they are not only suitable for kids, but should almost be required listening!

High School Musical Songs: The First Movie
This first film in the franchise was a huge surprise hit, bigger than expected. It was actually the most successful Disney Channel original movie ever, as well as the first to ever have a sequel released in theatres. The soundtrack from this movie was the best-selling American album of 2006.

The main message running through this soundtrack is about individuality and respecting differences between people. The characters have to overcome the peer pressure from their respective cliques, and learn to accept one another rather that divide along clique lines. They learn to not worry so much about what their  friends think, and to follow their own individual wishes and desires instead of just keeping the status quo. They sing sweet, fun songs about following your dreams, love and doing the right thing.

There is plenty of opportunity to open a discussion with your kids about peer pressure, and about being brave enough to follow your heart rather than following the crowd. Plus, the music is fun and catchy, with sings that range from poppy to Broadway style.

High School Musical Songs: The Second Movie
This soundtrack is extremely upbeat and fun, with lots of danceable tunes. It is full of anthems to personal responsibility, sticking up for yourself and the people you care about, and stepping up to solve problems in a positive way when they arise. This soundtrack didn’t have as many hits as the others, but there are plenty of good tracks that make it worth owning, especially the duet ‘You Are The Music In Me’ and the summer fun song ‘What Time Is It.’

There is on song, ‘Fabulous’, that is about buying expensive clothes and mentions brand names. This offers a great opportunity to talk to your kids about brand names and what, if anything, they mean…and to discuss whether the characters singing really mean what they say, or are they just making a point about being superficial?

High School Musical Songs: The Third Movie
In this installment, the kids of East High are in their senior year and getting ready to graduate. This soundtrack is bursting with great tunes, some funny and some thoughtful…and some just plain fun.

This soundtrack is a great opportunity to talk with your own kids about change. Many of the songs deal with hard issues, like being unsure about the future, leaving friends behind, and finding your own path in life. There’s a cute, funny song about getting ready for the prom from a he-said, she-said perspective (‘a Night To Remember’) that could form the basis of some good talks about expectations, being nervous about what other people think, and that everyone feels nervous and unsure sometimes(it’s not just you!)

All in all, High School Musical songs are not only fun for kids to listen to, but teach them positive messages about self esteem and acceptance…without being preachy. and chances are, you’ll end up liking them too!