Disney Channel is home to some of the best cartoons and most iconic teen sitcoms of the 1990s and 2000s. Starting in 1997, the network began producing its own set of original movies with lower budgets than Disney's theatrical releases that were exclusive to the channel.
After the skyrocketing success of its musical films The Cheetah Girls and High School Musical, which received millions of viewers during their individual premieres, Disney Channel resorted to keeping them in their regular production roster. Since then, Disney's musicals have become their most popular releases every year.
10 Camp Rock 2 Introduces A Formidable Rival For The Main Characters
Two years after the success of Camp Rock, most of the original cast returned for the sequel, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. Camp Rock 2 follows Demi Lovato's character, Mitchie Torres, as she returns to Camp Rock for a second year only to find out that a rival camp has opened nearby.
Camp Rock 2 was the highest-rated television movie of 2010 and won a People's Choice Award for Favorite Family TV Movie in 2011. The film's most popular song, Nick Jonas' Introducing Me, also managed to debut in the American Billboard Hot 100 list in the ninety-second position.
9 Teen Beach Movie Is A Modern Musical With A Retro Twist
Following his breakout role in Disney Channel's Austin & Ally, Ross Lynch starred in the network's only 2013 release, Teen Beach Movie. Also starring Australian actress Maia Mitchell, Teen Beach Movie centers around Brady and Mack, two teenagers who get transported into the world of a 1960s musical called Wet Side Story.
After interfering with Wet Side Story's original plot, Brady and Mack must find a way to right their wrong before it's too late. Teen Beach Movie received high ratings during its premiere, leading to the production of the 2015 sequel, Teen Beach Movie 2.
8 Let It Shine Is A Loose Adaptation Of A Literary Classic
In 2012, Disney Channel loosely adapted the 1897 play, Cyrano de Bergerac, into the teen musical: Let It Shine. Let It Shine follows Tyler James Williams as fifteen-year-old Cyrus, a high schooler who wins a songwriting competition. Tyler's best friend takes the credit for his songwriting to impress teen popstar, Roxie.
Trevor Jackson, who played Cyrus' friend Kris, was nominated for a Young Artist Award for his performance in the film. The Let It Shine soundtrack stands out for its abundance of rap and other urban genres, and for its star-studded crew of producers like Toby Gad and Rock Mafia.
7 Camp Rock Introduces Demi Lovato In Their First Film Role
An edgier alternative to High School Musical, Camp Rock starred Demi Lovato in their first film role as Mitchie Torres, an aspiring musician who joins Camp Rock during the summer. While practicing by herself, the lead of popular band Connect 3 hears Mitchie singing and falls in love with her voice.
Camp Rock was the Jonas Brothers' second project with Disney, having previously appeared in a Hannah Montana episode in 2007. The Camp Rock soundtrack was highly successful, selling over one million units and being certified Platinum in multiple countries - including the USA, Spain, and Brazil.
6 Descendants Follows The Next Generation Of Disney Villains
In 2015, Disney Channel debuted one of its best and most original franchises to date. Descendants follows the children of famous Disney villains who attend the prestigious Auradon Prep. Disney stars Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Booboo Stewart, and Cameron Boyce are the protagonists of Descendants.
Descendants was a hit, spawning two live-action sequels and an animated spin-off. Descendants was also nominated for several awards, including a Primetime Emmy for its original score and a Teen Choice Award for Shawn Mendes' Believe, which was used as a promotional single and played during the credits.
5 Lemonade Mouth Shows Teens Dealing With Their Struggles Through Music
One of the most underrated Disney Channel movies, Lemonade Mouth was based on the novel of the same name by Mark Peter Hughes and premiered in 2011. Lemonade Mouth follows a group of high school students who meet in detention, bond over their struggles and form a band.
Unlike previous Disney musicals, which are more lighthearted and campy, Lemonade Mouth took a realistic and serious tone. Lemonade Mouth was highly praised for its writing and its ensemble cast, which included singers Bridgit Mendler, Hayley Kiyoko, and Naomi Scott.
4 The Cheetah Girls 2 Takes The Popular Quartet To Barcelona
Still harboring dreams of stardom, the Cheetah Girls travel to Spain and participate in a Barcelonian festival in The Cheetah Girls 2. The sequel to the 2003 film saw the return of the entire main cast but would be the last to include That's So Raven star Raven-Symoné as Galleria.
The Cheetah Girls 2 was the most-viewed Disney Channel original movie at the time of its broadcast, with over eight million viewers. Spanish-Mexican singer Belinda made her debut film role as Marisol Duran, a pop singer that befriends the girls during their stay and performs with them.
3 High School Musical Was A Cultural Phenomenon Unlike No Other
The release of High School Musical was a cultural phenomenon. High School Musical launched the careers of many of its stars, including Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, and popularized teen musicals in the 2000s. It follows juniors Troy and Gabriella as they discover a passion for music that seems to interfere with their different social cliques in school.
Despite not being a favorite of the critics, High School Musical has achieved classic status with fans. High School Musical won several fan-voted awards, two Primetime Emmys and a Golden Reel Award. The High School Musical soundtrack was named the Soundtrack Of The Year at the 2006 Billboard Music Awards.
2 The Cheetah Girls Has One Of Disney Records' Best-Selling Albums
Based on Deborah Gregory's book series of the same name, The Cheetah Girls is the story of four freshmen. The girls compete at a talent show and get a record deal to promote as a girl group. The Cheetah Girls was produced by award-winning singer Whitney Houston and starred Raven-Symoné, Adrienne Bailon, Kiely Williams, and Sabrina Bryan.
The Cheetah Girls received two sequels, 2006's The Cheetah Girls 2, which was set in Spain, and 2008's The Cheetah Girls: One World, which took the girls, without Raven-Symoné, to India. The film's original soundtrack is one of Walt Disney Records' best-selling albums ever.
1 High School Musical 2 Is Disney Channel's Most-Viewed Original Movie
The unprecedented success of High School Musical led Disney Channel to produce a summer sequel that premiered in mid-2017 to even higher ratings than its predecessor. This time, Troy, Gabriella, and friends have landed summer jobs at the Lava Springs country club, which, unbeknownst to them, is managed by Sharpay's family.
High School Musical 2 broke multiple viewership records, with more than seventeen million viewers tuning in during its first broadcast. The High School Musical 2 soundtrack also peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and has been certified triple platinum after selling over three million copies.
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