Ranking Every Single "High School Musical" Song From "Worst" To "First"
Which songs bopped to the top and which made me scream?

I spent my New Year's Eve watching *THE* Zac Efron New Year's Eve movie: High School Musical. And did I then immediately watch the other two movies in the series? You can ~bet on it~. Here is my ranking of all 30 High School Musical songs:
30. "High School Musical"
This song is fun, the drums are great, but it's a little too meta. If you buy into the theory that the entire High School Musical franchise is just one big musical then maybe this song is higher on your list.
Best lyric: "Improvisation without a script, no one's written it/And now we have the chance to"
29. "Walk Away"
Troy got "Scream" as his last solo song, and Gabriella got a song where she just whines about going to Stanford and having an incredible boyfriend. I'm sorry, I have no sympathy for you, girl!
Best lyric: "A Cinderella with no shoe/And a prince that doesn't know he's lost"
28. "All for One"

The highlight of this number is that I voted for Miley Cyrus to be in it. You're welcome. :)
Best lyric: "We're stronger this time/We've been there for each other"
27. "I Want It All"

The production value for this song is unreal. Plus, I love all the other characters being Sharpay's adoring fans, personal assistant, taxi driver, etc! The queen of manifesting!
Best lyric: "It's Oprah calling...again"
26. "You Are the Music in Me (Reprise/Sharpay Version)"
The staging, the wind machine, Sharpay's outfit — all incredible, but not as good as the original!
Best lyric: Troy's "Above the noise" (and the piano solo; sorry Kelsi!)
25. "Humuhumunukunukuapua'a"
Such a random song, but Sharpay's outfit is a 10/10, and Troy's facial expressions are a 10/10!
Best lyric: "Mighty Mount Fufu spit!"
24. "When There Was Me and You"

You were supposed to be different, Troy...smh.
Best lyric: "I swore I knew the melody/That I heard you singing"
23. "What I've Been Looking For (Reprise/Troy and Gabriella Version)"
Cute, but Kelsi and Ms. Darbus have a lot of work to do with these two.
Best lyric: "This feeling's like no other/I want you to know"
22. "Get'cha Head In the Game"
This is an incredible song and definitely has the best editing, but after hearing Zac Efron sing in the second and third movie, I have trouble hearing Drew Seeley sing in the first one. Why didn't they go back and dub Zac's voice in the first movie?!
Best lyric: "My head's in the game/But my heart's in the song"
21. "Bop to the Top"
The epitome of Twinkle Towne, (which everyone in HSM won't stop saying) but we love it!
Best lyric: "Anything it takes to climb/The ladder of success"
20. "We’re All in This Together"

If you don't know the choreography for this dance, then what were you doing in elementary school? Also, my high school didn't have even .01% of the school spirit displayed in this performance, and I'm still mad about it!
Best lyric: "Wildcats everywhere/Wave your hands up in the air"
19. "What Time Is It?"
This number really shows the glow-up of Zac Efron between HSM1 and HSM2, and no one is complaining! Also, if you didn't sing this on the last day of school then I'm sorry, we can't be friends. And, a note from my mother, what kind of high school did they go to if they needed to wake up at 6 a.m.? A great point, especially since the school day doesn't end until 3. I'll forgive my high school's lack of school spirit for the 9 a.m. start time. :)
Best lyric: "What time is it?/It's party time (Party time)/Let's go and have/The time of our lives"
18. "A Night to Remember"
Thank you, Kenny Ortega for *THE* Powder Blue Suit of the Century.
Best lyric: "It's the night of our nightmares/It's the night of our dreams"
17. "Stick to the Status Quo"
Iconic. A masterpiece. Also, Zeke is the most underrated character in the HSM franchise.
Best lyric: "Hip hop is my passion! I love to pop and lock and jam and break/Is that even legal?" or "We can do it!/Crème brûlée"
16. "I Don't Dance"

👋 Goodbye, toxic masculinity. 👋
Best lyric: "You'll never know if you never try/There's just one little thing that stops me every time"
15. "Just Wanna Be With You"
Ahh, to be young and in love and in a musical.
Best lyric: "No matter where life takes us/Nothing can't break us apart"
14. "Start of Something New"
I'm still mad my parents never took me to a ski resort on New Year's Eve.
Best lyric: "I know that something has changed/Never felt this way and right here tonight"
13. "The Boys Are Back"
#FriendshipGoals
Best lyric: "You can tell by the noise that the boys are back again/Together making history"
12. "Fabulous"
Can someone please get me Sharpay's wardrobe and confidence?
Best lyric: "I need my Tiffany hair band/And then I can go for a float."
11. "Can I Have This Dance?"
This set everyone's expectations too high. Also, why didn't my high school have a rooftop garden? Also, wouldn't everyone be on this rooftop garden all the time? How were they always the only ones up there?
Best lyric: "It's like catching lightning/The chances of finding someone like you"
10. "What I’ve Been Looking For (Sharpay and Ryan version)"
Sorry Kelsi, Ryan and Sharpay's composer was better.
Best lyric: *Sharpay's tap solo*
9. "Right Here, Right Now"
While we are on the topic of what I was deprived of as a youth, add tree house to the list.
Best lyric: "Then I would thank that star/That made our wish come true"
8. "Gotta Go My Own Way"
My 8-year-old heart broke when Gabriella gave Troy back the "T" necklace.
Best lyric: "We might find a place in this world someday/But at least for now, I gotta go my own way"
7. "Everyday"
I'm certain this was the moment the Redhawks knew that Troy should be on their team. Plus, his eyes are SO BLUE. Gabriella's dress is perfection. The production designer for High School Musical 2 was not paid enough for doing God's work.
Best lyric: "But if you get lost and lose yourself/What does it really mean?"
6. "Work This Out"
I'm sorry, but I don't need the Ratatouille musical because this is THE kitchen musical number, and nothing will ever top it.
Best lyric: "I needed Benjamins, but/This ain't worth the stress"
5. "Now or Never"

The greatest opening to a film ever!
Best lyric: "The way we play tonight/Is what we leave behind"
4. "Bet on It"
What did we do to deserve this?
Best lyric: "Not gonna stop 'til I get my shot/That's who I am, that is my plan"
3. "Scream"
And where is Zac Efron's Oscar for this performance?
Best lyric: "I want my own dream/So bad I'm gonna scream"
2. "You Are the Music in Me (Gabriella version)"
With this song, Troy and Gabriella solidify themselves as #CoupleGoals. Thank you for this one, Kelsi.
Best lyric: "As I am you understand/And that's more than I've ever known"
1. "Breaking Free"
Everything about this song and scene is *chef's kiss*. The dramatic tension leading up to it, the "just like kindergarten" moment, and Zac Efron's MOON WALK!!!!
Best lyric: "You know the world can see us/In a way that's different than who we are"
Well, there you have it! Feel free to make your own ranking in the comments below!