One hallmark of the modern era of Disney animation is the use of musical end-credit sequences. These end credits always feature either: an original pop song that ties directly into the movie or a cover version of the movie’s main musical theme performed by a prominent pop artist. Disney’s tradition of closing out their movies in song officially began in 1991 when Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson‘s duet version of “Beauty and the Beast” from Beauty and the Beast reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

More than thirty years later, that same tradition of musical-narrative closure remains consistent across the Disney canon. A new Disney movie always promises a new end credits sequence, and thus, another addition to the studio’s ever-expanding catalog of original songs. The following are the best Disney end credits songs of all time, ranked according to a combination of their cultural impact, historical significance, and pure enjoyment factor.

15 “Your Heart Will Lead You Home”

‘The Tigger Movie’ (2000)

The Tigger Movie bounced into audiences’ hearts with an endearing original song, “Your Heart Will Lead You Home,” performed by Kenny Loggins, who is no stranger to providing his vocals for feature films. The song sets the tone with an acoustic guitar accompanied by Loggins’ smooth, calming voice as he paints a vivid picture in audiences’ minds of sunny days and starry nights, taking us all back to our childhood when he all first loved Tigger and his memorable friends.

As the song builds, more instruments begin to join in and erupt into an all-out ballad of emotions that effortlessly tugs at the heartstrings. The song is a deep, meaningful tribute to Tigger’s journey of finding his family only to learn that his friends are the only family he needs in life. Loggins’ dream-like song captures the original imagination of the Hundred Acre Woods and adds a heartfelt, sentimental touch to a great movie about the love of family and friends. – Andrea Ciriaco

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14 “Something That I Want”

‘Tangled’ (2010)

Tangled has several toe-tapping musical numbers, but the end credit song, “Something That I Want,” by Grace Potter is a fitting finale for such a music-filled film. The song is played out against traditional Disney animated sketches of the film’s events and, of course, the unforgettable characters, portraying almost a storybook-like image that keeps audiences seated until the last names roll.

The catchy instrumental and lyrics accurately fit the film’s overall hopeful, bubbly tone and also speak to Rapunzel’s epic journey of self-discovery and a newfound love for life. Tangled is a magical piece of animation that encompasses everything of a classic Disney film and “Something That I Want” is easily one of the most underrated Disney movie end credits songs that deserves more recognition than it typically receives. – Andrea Ciriaco

13 “Go the Distance”

‘Hercules’ (1997)

Hercules is another Disney musical masterpiece that features several unforgettable songs, but “Go the Distance,” is one of the most beautiful and inspiring songs to ever grace a Disney film. The song is initially performed during the film by Roger Bart and sets the tone for our hero’s journey to find out who and where he came from. In the tradition of 90s Disney animated films, the song is reprised at the end by Michael Bolton, who gives a stellar performance.

“Go the Distance” is a Disney song that typically incites some waterworks but in a hopeful, optimistic way that essentially resonates deeply with audiences. While Bart’s rendition is superb, Bolton brings the song to life with his crisp, baritone voice, conveying a genuine emotion with every single lyric which effortlessly echoes through audiences’ hearts and minds with an overwhelming sense of inspiration that embodies the core message of Hercules. – Andrea Ciriaco

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12 “Under the Sea”

‘The Little Mermaid’ (1989)

The Little Mermaid has been credited as the Disney animated feature that not only saved Disney’s animation department, but also laid the foundation for future animated films with its Broadway-like formula. Thanks to the incomparable talents of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, The Little Mermaid gave Disney fans several iconic songs, but one of the most unique tunes is hands down “Under the Sea.”

“Under the Sea” is initially performed by Samuel E. Wright and, unlike other reprises for the ending credits, Wright’s version is also played at the end. Compared to the other songs in the film, “Under the Sea” has a one-of-a-kind and exciting sound paired with catchy lyrics that are simply contagious for audiences. The song is just one of Ashman and Menken’s signature songs that set the bar for music in Disney films and is an essential piece of music that brings a variety of sounds and emotion to audiences not once, but twice, making it difficult for the song not to get stuck in audiences’ heads. – Andrea Ciriaco

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11 “Why Should I Worry?”

‘Oliver & Company’ (1988)

There are countless big names who provide their musical talents to Disney films, but the iconic Billy Joel‘s piano rockin’ tune in Oliver & Company, “Why Should I Worry?,” is one that hits audiences with pure electricity. While the song is performed in the film by Joel’s character, Dodger, providing it as the final song for audiences just adds to the happily ever ending for Oliver and his friends.

There are a few select Disney songs that fans rock out to on a regular basis and Joel’s contribution is easily one of these daily tracks. Providing Joel’s signature piano and eccentric, recognizable vocals, “Why Should I Worry?” has the same memorable effect as any of the Piano Man’s other hit songs. Oliver & Company may feature the voice talents of Bette Midler and several others, but Joel’s toe-tapping jam hands down takes the cake as one of the best Disney end credit songs to date. – Andrea Ciriaco

10 “Never Knew I Needed”

‘The Princess and the Frog’ (2009)

Ne-yo‘s pop-soul ballad “Never Knew I Needed” serenaded audiences back in 2009 as the credits rolled over Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, a jazzy and enchanting modern retelling of the classic fairytale. No stranger to the wide world of Disney, Ne-yo went on to record a version of “Friend Like Me” from the Aladdin soundtrack for a 2015 Disney covers album called, We Love Disney.

While the movie’s score and lyrics were written by legendary Oscar-winning composer Randy Newman, “Never Knew I Needed” is a Ne-yo original. The song’s inclusion in the closing credits gives the movie a very specific and nostalgic sense of the time and place that was 2009.

9 “Lead the Way”

‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ (2021)

Jhené Aiko‘s “Lead the Way” is the perfect musical sendoff for Raya and the Last Dragon. Her purifying lead vocals dance across a blissful instrumental that sonically evokes the movie’s two central elements (air and water), which shape Raya’s and Sisu’s journey, and define the spiritual essence of the land of Kumandra.

Aiko’s lyrics encapsulate the movie’s defining message about the importance of unity, the preservation of nature, and the true meaning of family. The artwork used in the closing credits is deeply informed by Southeast Asian culture and folklore, and it summarizes the movie’s visual palette in a colorful closing collage.

8 “True to Your Heart”

‘Mulan’ (1998)

The end-credits song for Disney’s Mulan, “True to Your Heart,” resulted from an unlikely collaboration between the 1990s boy band 98 Degrees and the immortal musical icon himself, Stevie Wonder. Funnily enough, the Mulan song was originally written for another ’90s pop sensation, Hanson, but the song was subsequently rewritten to fit a pop-soul musical pocket more akin to Wonder’s classic sound.

The music video for “True to Your Heart” may be a hilariously dated product of its time, but the song’s irresistibly sweet and celebratory vibe, its infectious chorus, and the instant credibility that Wonder brings to any track that he appears on makes this end-credits tune a stone-cold ’90s Disney classic.

7 “You’ll Be in My Heart”

‘Tarzan’ (1999)

Phil Collins won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 1999 Oscars for “You’ll Be in My Heart” from Disney’s Tarzan. Along with stampeding jams like “Two Worlds” and inspiring anthems of self-discovery like “Son of Man,” Collins’ music for Tarzan is used so much it legitimately becomes one of the movie’s main characters.

The Genesis singer/songwriter may have been hired to compose songs for this Jungle adventure based on his background as a Rock ‘n Roll drummer, but the song that ultimately won him his Oscar was a heartfelt tear-jerker about parental love, set to a mostly subdued orchestral piece of music.

6 “How Far I’ll Go”

‘Moana’ (2016)

Not since Frozen‘s “Let it Go” in 2013 had Disney experienced a global smash phenomenon in the form of an original song like they had with “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana. Canadian singer-songwriter Alessia Cara lent her talents to this end-credits sequence by belting out a soaring, chills-inducing pop version of Moana’s signature power ballad.

In 2017 Cara and the voice of Moana herself, Auli’i Cravalho, brought the house down together by performing “How Far I’ll Go” live on stage at the Radio Disney Music Awards. Lin-Manuel Miranda may have lost the Oscar to “City of Stars” from La La Land in 2017, but Cara’s version reached #56 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “How Far I’ll Go” won the Grammy for best song written for visual media the same year.

5 “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”

‘The Lion King’ (1994)

Hans Zimmer’s triumphant score glides The Lion King to a joyous and cathartic close. But as the credits begin to roll, Zimmer’s score soon fades away, making room for Elton John‘s piano ballad version of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?” to take center stage. The song won the Oscar for Best Original Song at the 1995 Academy Awards, and John performed his version of the song live with his piano that same night.

The Kristle Murden version may be slightly better known as it provides the soundtrack for Nala and Simba’s romantic evening scene in the movie, but the Rocket Man’s end credits rendition of the song contains a stronger sense of finality. This entire closing credits sequence will elicit a warm feeling that is deeply ’90s to its core.

4 “Remember Me (Dúo)”

‘Coco’ (2017)

As if the ending of Coco wasn’t emotional enough, the end credits see singers Miguel and Natalia Lafourcade forming a musical match made in Mexico and laying down a soothing duet version of the movie’s heartbreaking lullaby of love, “Remember Me (Dúo).” Beautiful hand-drawn images of colorful papel picado decorations accented by golden Marigold petals floating in the evening breeze set the perfect visual backdrop for both singers to melt the aching hearts of the movie’s audience.

Miguel and Laforcade performed their wonderful duet of “Remember Me (Dúo)” live at the 2018 Academy Awards, while the original song won Robert Lopez and Kristin Anderson Lopez their second Oscar for best original song. Both versions are incredibly emotionally potent, but the choice to include Laforcade’s native Spanish verses in “Remember Me (Dúo)” makes the end credits version of the song remarkably special.

3 “Let It Go”

‘Frozen’ (2013)

It’s mind-blowing to consider the fact that Demi Lovato‘s smash-hit version of “Let It Go” has over 800 million views on YouTube, and yet it still trails behind both the original Idina Menzel theatrical version and the Disney UK sing-along version by several hundred-million views apiece.

Lovato has said that she deeply identified with the journey that Elsa embarks on in Frozen, recognizing her struggles with self-identity within the underlying internal conflict that motivates Elsa’s big musical number, growing into who she truly is and finally embracing her power instead of shielding it from the world. “Let It Go” predictably took home the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2014, and parents everywhere heard their children sing along to it approximately five-trillion times.

2 “A Whole New World”

‘Aladdin’ (1992)

Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle‘s version of “A Whole New World” (also known as “Aladdin’s Theme”), which plays over the end credits of Aladdin, spent a week at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1992, making it the first song from a Disney animated movie to do so.

The definition of an anthem, “A Whole New World,” has become such a ubiquitous piece of pop culture that the song transcends the movie’s legacy. The Bryson/Belle version is just as swooning and uplifting as the original but elevated to an even higher degree of vocal power and emotional range. This quintessential ’90s Disney pop ballad will still provide the soundtrack for countless Karaoke sessions, late-night cruises, and romantic first dances at weddings long after we are all gone.

1 “Beauty and the Beast”

‘Beauty and the Beast’ (1991)

The one song that started it all; in 1991, supreme vocalist Celine Dion and Disney musical all-star Peabo Bryson combined their titanic vocal chops and dramatic gravitas to deliver a Disney duet for the ages. Built around the transcendent harmonies of the track’s two powerhouse lead vocalists, “Beauty and the Beast” is the sonic equivalent of Belle’s iconic yellow ball gown: a shimmering, swirling, cascading river of elegant golden light.

The song was a critical and commercial game changer for Disney, earning a Golden Globe, several Grammy Awards, and an Oscar for Best Original Song. Dion and Bryson included the song on subsequent solo records and performed it live at the 1992 Academy Awards. “Beauty and the Beast” helped to carve out a truly enduring cultural legacy for Disney animation. It not only set the template for all future Disney end credits songs, but it remains the most iconic and beloved of the bunch to this day.

NEXT: The Highest-Grossing Disney Animated Movies of All Time