Walt Disney Records will help celebrate the 70th anniversary of Disneyland with a new album, Music From Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration, featuring new music from Jonas Brothers, Boyz II Men, FITZ, Pentatonix’s Scott Hoying and more. The seven-song set hits streaming services and the Disneyland Official Playlist on May 13. (See the tracklist, and album cover, below.)
While Disneyland’s actual 70th birthday is July 17 (the park opened that day in 1955), the Anaheim, Calif. resort begins its 70th anniversary festivities on May 16 with an array of new music-enhanced experiences, shows and additions to the park – and resort guests will be able to hear the album’s songs in the parks starting that day.
Jonas Brothers’ “Celebrate Happy,” the theme song for the 70th anniversary celebration, leads off the album. It’s fitting that they are part of the set, as the trio (Joe, Kevin and Nick Jonas) have a long history for the Disney company. Among their Mouse-related endeavors, they released albums via Disney Music Group’s Hollywood Records label between 2007-10 (including two No. 1s on the Billboard 200), starred in the 2009 Walt Disney Pictures’ concert film Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience, and had their own Disney Channel series, Jonas (and later Jonas L.A.) between 2009-10.
“Celebrate Happy” will also be heard in a new show at Disneyland during the 70th celebration, Tapestry of Happiness, which will feature projection effects on the It’s a Small World attraction building. In the show, the new tune will mingle with favorite music from Disneyland, such as “The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room” and the “Fantasmic! Main Theme” and even the vocal harmonies of the park’s own barbershop quartet The Dapper Dans.
The remaining songs on the Music From Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration album are all featured in the new World of Color Happiness! show at Disney California Adventure Park (next door to Disneyland), which premieres on May 16. Among them are two new original songs, “Makes Me Wanna Move” from FITZ (frontman and namesake of Fitz and The Tantrums) and “Great Rainbow” by Hoying.
Music From Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration Tracklist:
1. “Celebrate Happy,” performed by Jonas Brothers
2. “Makes Me Wanna Move,” performed by FITZ, Fitz and The Tantrums
3. “Rainbow Connection,” performed by Boyz II Men
4. “Nobody Like U,” performed by Anthony Gargiula, Scott Hoying, Grayson Villanueva, Topher Ngo
5. “I 2 I,” performed by performed by Anthony Gargiula, Scott Hoying, Grayson Villanueva, Topher Ngo
6. “Surface Pressure,” performed by Flor de Toloache
7. “Great Rainbow,” performed by Scott Hoying
While three new original tunes are on the set, there are also four covers of familiar Disney favorites on the collection. “Rainbow Connection” is a cover of the Academy Award-nominated The Muppet Movie song by Kermit the Frog (also a No. 25-peaking Billboard Hot 100 hit in 1979). “Nobody Like U” revisits the Turning Red song (a No. 49-peaking Hot 100 hit in 2022) from the animated boy band 4*TOWN. “I 2 I” is a cover of the A Goofy Movie song, first performed by Tevin Campbell and Rosie Gaines. And “Surface Pressure” is a cover of the Jessica Darrow song from Encanto, which also reached No. 8 on the Hot 100 in 2022.
Music From Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration will only be available as a streaming album at the present. No news has been announced on any future availability to purchase the set as a stand-alone album either as a digital download or through any physical format.
The album is produced by Stef Fink, and executive-produced by Tricia Holloway, Walt Disney Imagineering Global Executive.
Billboard asked Holloway what feeling they want fans and park guests to take away after hearing this music – both on the album and in the parks – considering the 70-year legacy of Disneyland.
Holloway shares with Billboard: “70 years ago in 1955, in his dedication speech to Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney said ‘To all who come to this happy place: Welcome!’ Disneyland has been a favorite place guests have been coming to celebrate happy ever since – for anniversaries, reunions, birthdays, to take time out to have fun, to connect with their friends and loved ones, and experience the joy, magic and wonder of Disneyland Resort. We wanted to celebrate the music that underscored all those special moments and memories for them.
“We’re always creating something new to delight our guests. This album showcases those new songs they can’t find anywhere else except on this album or in the park, as part of the Disneyland Resort 70th Anniversary offerings. Guests and Disney fans alike, can listen to invoke the joyful and wondrous feeling you get when visiting Disneyland. We look forward to welcoming guests at Disneyland Resort 70th Anniversary, starting May 16th, to hear all this new music and to Celebrate Happy!”
