It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since the TV show “Hannah Montana” aired on Disney Channel, skyrocketing in popularity. Even if you’ve never watched the series, you’ve most likely heard of the fictional superstar. To honor and celebrate this well-loved series, the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” premiered on Disney+ on March 24, with Miley Cyrus returning as Hannah Montana.
The teen music comedy series didn’t just bring fame to Hannah Montana. This marked the beginning of Miley Cyrus’s successful career, showcasing her talents as a singer, songwriter, and actress. Since “Hannah Montana,” Cyrus went on to release hits like “Party In The U.S.A,” “Wrecking Ball,” and “Flowers,” which won her two Grammys.
Now, Cyrus is back to honor where it all started. From memorable music to outfits to the catchphrase “sweet nibblets,” Hannah Montana remains one of the most iconic faces of Disney Channel. With that said, let’s dive in and celebrate this fun series.
What is Hannah Montana?
“Hannah Montana” is a Disney Channel teen sitcom created by Michael Poryes, Rich Correll, and Barry O’Brien. The series premiered on March 24, 2006, before a rerun of “High School Musical,” earning it about 5.4 million views. The two-part series finale, “Wherever I Go,” aired on January 16, 2011. With four seasons and a total of 101 episodes, “Hannah Montana” became Disney Channel’s most successful TV series. The cast includes Miley Cyrus, Emily Osment, Mitchel Musso, Jason Earles, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Moisés Arias.
The series follows Miley Stewart, an almost normal teenager living in Malibu, California, with her father and older brother, Jackson. What makes Miley different from the typical teenager is that she’s also the famous pop star, Hannah Montana. She keeps this alter ego a secret from everyone except her family and close friends, Lilly Truscott and Oliver Oken. The series follows Miley as she struggles to hide her secret identity and balance her two lives.
Highlights from the series
There are so many highlights from “Hannah Montana” that made it such a fun and unique show. The strong musical focus definitely made the show stand out from previous ones. Many episode titles were a play on familiar and popular song names, such as “I Am Hannah, Hear Me Croak,” which is a twist on Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman (Hear Me Roar).”
Numerous celebrity cameos were featured throughout the series’ run. Singer/songwriter Dolly Parton appeared multiple times, portraying Miley’s godmother, Aunt Dolly. Disney Channel stars Corbin Bleu and Selena Gomez also had appearances, with Gomez playing Miley’s enemy, Mikayla. The Jonas Brothers star in the Season 2 episode, “Me and Mr. Jonas and Mr. Jonas and Mr. Jonas.” This episode became the most-watched and highest-rated episode of the entire series.
Notable episodes include the pilot, “Lilly, Do You Want to Know a Secret?” in which Lilly is the first person outside of Miley’s family to discover her secret. Then, of course, there are fan-favorites such as “He Could Be the One,” and “Get Down, Study-Udy-Udy,” where Miley sings the hit, “Nobody’s Perfect.” And we can’t forget the episode where she reveals her secret to the world — “I’ll Always Remember You.”
TV show crossovers are always fun, and “Hannah Montana” had a couple. “That’s So Suite Life of Hannah Montana” is a crossover between “That’s So Raven” and “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.” Then there’s “Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana,” a crossover special between “Wizards of Waverly Place” and “The Suite Life on Deck.”
Hannah Montana on the big screen
“Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert” is a 2008 concert film. Directed by Bruce Hendricks, it was released theatrically for one week before its Disney Channel premiere. Cyrus performs as both herself and Hannah Montana, and the Jonas Brothers make an appearance as well. The film includes performances from Cyrus’s 2007–2008 North American “Best of Both Worlds Tour.”
“Hannah Montana: The Movie” was released in theaters on April 10, 2009. Directed by Peter Chelsom, it features the TV series’ central cast, along with new characters played by Margo Martindale, Lucas Till, and Melora Hardin. In the film, Miley’s celebrity life as Hannah Montana starts taking over her normal life. To get a break and a fresh change of scenery, her father sends her to their hometown, Crowley Corners, Tennessee. There, Miley visits her grandma (Martindale) and childhood friend, Travis Brody (Till), and connects with the simple, small-town life. She then has to figure out whether she can go on living a double life as both Miley and Hannah.
And of course, it wouldn’t be a Hannah Montana movie without some celebrity cameos. Before she and her father visit Tennessee, Miley, as her alter ego, gets into a fight with actress Tyra Banks. Later on, during a barn party, Taylor Swift goes onstage and performs the song “Crazier,” which she wrote for the film.
A catchy discography
“Hannah Montana” is an incredibly musical TV series. It’s no surprise that each season had a fun soundtrack album to go along with it. Hannah Montana’s discography ranges from country pop to pop rock, and upbeat tunes to romantic ballads. Though sung by Cyrus, Hannah Montana receives credit on the soundtrack albums.
Season 1 featured many fun songs that quickly became fan favorites. The accompanying soundtrack, “Hannah Montana,” includes the show’s theme song, “Best of Both Worlds.” And don’t forget tracks like “Who Said” and “This Is the Life.” Singer Jesse McCartney and groups The Click Five, Everlife, and B5 each have a song in the soundtrack.
“Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus” includes two albums in one. The first is the Season 2 soundtrack, featuring songs like “Nobody’s Perfect.” The second features songs credited to Cyrus, like “See You Again.” The next soundtrack, “Hannah Montana 3,” includes the favorite, “He Could Be the One,” from the episode of the same name. And finally, the Season 4 album, “Hannah Montana Forever,” has songs like “Ordinary Girl.”
“Hannah Montana: The Movie” has an accompanying soundtrack album featuring the songs performed in the film. An acoustic version of Rascal Flatts’ “Bless the Broken Road” is in the soundtrack, as well as “Everything I Want” by Steve Rushton. You can hear Cyrus and her father’s duet, “Butterfly Fly Away.” Favorites “Hoedown Throwdown” and “The Climb” are in the album as well.
Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special
“Hannah Montana” made things really nostalgic with the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” releasing on the same date as the TV show’s debut. Hosted by podcaster Alex Cooper, the special gives fans an hour of nonstop Hannah Montana fun. There are special reunions, behind-the-scenes footage, performances, and even recreated sets from the show.
The world premiere for the special took place at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on March 23, 2026. Cyrus was joined by fellow co-stars, Earles, Arias, Cody Linley, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, and Shanica Knowles. Musso and Osment were not in attendance; however, they posted heartfelt messages about what “Hannah Montana” means to them on their social media.
The special follows Cyrus in an interview with Cooper as they explore all things Hannah Montana and Disney Channel. Reminiscing, Cyrus visits recreated sets of the Stewart kitchen and the famous Hannah Montana walk-in closet. Though it would’ve been super fun to see all of the cast reunite, only Cyrus’ father and Gomez appear in the special. Additionally, Chappel Roan makes an appearance and talks about how she grew up watching “Hannah Montana.”
But don’t worry. Fans do get to see Cyrus return and perform “Best of Both Worlds” as Hannah Montana. Watching her sing in her Hannah Montana-like outfit truly feels as though Hannah never really left. It’s a total throwback to some of Disney Channel’s best days of fun and music. And, if that isn’t enough, Cyrus gives a heartfelt performance of a brand new ballad, “Younger You.”
Final thoughts
There is no doubt that the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” is designed for all fans. Those who grew up watching “Hannah Montana,” listening to her albums, and buying all of her cool, stylish merchandise are in for a perfectly nostalgic treat. Cyrus, with the iconic Hannah Montana hairstyle, takes you back to the 2000s, and seeing her reunite with castmates at the world premiere is enough to give you happy goosebumps.
The drama-filled episode “He Could Be the One” is definitely one of the best and one of my favorites. The teen love triangle is truly unforgettable, and of course, so is the song. This anniversary has made me want to bring out my old Hannah Montana Mall Madness board game and listen to a selection of her best songs. The inescapable hype surrounding Hannah Montana will continue to live on as fans celebrate the legacy of a beloved show.
“Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” is available for streaming on Disney+.
Francine
April 11, 2026 at 9:34 pm
Now I feel like watching the show all over again! He Could Be the One is one of my favorites too!