The Definitive Ranking of Every Song From Moana
We believe that every song on the Moana soundtrack is a perfect gem—but which songs are the absolute best?
We ranked every song, from pretty good to the very best. Scroll down to find out if you agree with our picks.
6. "You're Welcome"
The fact that "You're Welcome" comes in dead last speaks to the strength of the entire Moana soundtrack. This track is bubbly and upbeat, deftly revealing both Maui's importance in Polynesian mythology and his narcissism. It also exposes the fact Maui is kind of a jerk, as he's totally willing to steal Moana's boat and leave her in a cave to rot. Plus, it's sung by The Rock. Mostly, we don't like that Maui uses the song to try to justify his wicked actions.
5. "Shiny"
We never expected a David Bowie tribute would perfectly complement the rest of the Moana soundtrack, but "Shiny" just works. Jemaine Clement is excellent as the greedy, self-obsessed Tamatoa, who essentially allows Moana and Maui to get away because he's so busy monologuing about how great he is. It's a fun track, but it falls short of anthem territory.
4. "Where You Are"
"Where You Are" is a gorgeous song about community and what it means to be one with the land. In the song, Moana's father explains that the island's people can get everything they need from the land and that you can create happiness anywhere with the people you care about. It could rank higher, but while it's sweet, there's also something insidious about the track. Essentially the song is telling Moana to deny her calling to the sea. When Moana goes against everything this song tells her, she's able to save the island she loves from blight.
3. "I Am Moana"
Here's where things start getting really good. After discovering that her tribe consisted of seafaring voyagers before settling on her island, Moana shares a touching moment with her departed Gramma Tala and makes some important decisions regarding her own identity and destiny. Moana's new understanding of who she is is completely empowering, and make us want to change our fates, too.
2. "We Know the Way"
We love the vocals from the first half of this song, sung in Samoan and Tokelauan, and how they connect Moana with the identity of her people. Moana discovers herself in uncovering the past—and that really gets to us. Like Moana, we feel inspired to sail the seas after hearing its powerful message. On top of all that, you really can't go wrong with Lin-Manuel Miranda.
1. "How Far I'll Go"
"How Far I'll Go" is our favorite Moana song, by far. The song encompasses feelings of self-doubt and guilt as Moana tries to dismiss her yearning for navigating the sea. Auli'i Cravalho's voice soars when Moana sings about what it would be like to finally indulge her destiny and set sail, revealing her true feelings. It's impossible for us to listen to this song without it rustling up powerful emotions in our souls.
If these tracks are inspiring you, click HERE for Moana quotes that make flawless Instagram captions.