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From Disney star to pop queen, her hits have defined generations! Join us as we count down our picks for the best Hilary Duff songs that defined the 2000s and beyond. Our list celebrates her transformation from teen idol to mature artist through her catchiest, most iconic tracks that we'll never tire of hearing.
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00:00She looks like all of you girls, but wonder a little like me.
00:07Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best Hilary Duff songs
00:13that we'll never tire of listening to.
00:15Tomorrow I'll see so yesterday, so yesterday.
00:20Number 20. Someone's Watching Over Me.
00:24Written for the 2004 movie Raise Your Voice, this song hits especially hard
00:29because Duff's character sings it for her late brother Paul, who always believed in her.
00:42It becomes this really moving reminder to chase your dreams no matter what.
00:47What makes it stand out is how stripped back it is.
00:50There's no big production to hide behind, just her voice carrying all that emotion.
00:59It might be her most vulnerable and controlled vocal moment, building so naturally as the song goes on.
01:13Since the film centers on her finding the strength to sing again after loss,
01:18this track marks the climactic centerpiece of the story, and it captures it beautifully.
01:22Someone's watching over, someone's watching over, someone's watching over me.
01:33Number 19. Sweet Sixteen.
01:36This album title was aptly chosen for the era Duff was in at the time.
01:40I'm gonna spread my wings.
01:42Sweet Sixteen.
01:44It's my chance to shine.
01:46Sweet Sixteen.
01:47One of her most solid constants back then was her relationship with her big sister Haley.
01:52who co-wrote several songs.
01:54They went back to a poem the older Duff had written about Sweet Sixteen and decided to turn it into a song.
02:01After all, who can't relate to that feeling of turning 16 and feeling the world open up for you?
02:06Feel the sun, feel all my hair, find me free to be who I wanna be.
02:14For Duff's young fan base, it became something to look forward to,
02:18and an anthem that carried them through that age.
02:21It's the kind of song you imagine blasting in your car as you ride off with the sun through your hair.
02:33Number 18.
02:34Anywhere But Here.
02:36Sticking with the whole metamorphosis theme,
02:38this one really gets that restless feeling of wanting to be anywhere but where you are
02:43until something shows up and completely shifts your world.
02:53It's spot on the A Cinderella Story soundtrack cemented it in the early 2000s teen culture.
02:59The song mixes clean pop hooks with that slightly edgy pop rock sound that was all the rage back then.
03:05It's the kind of track you throw on while staring out a car window and pretending you're in your own movie.
03:15And we absolutely did.
03:16With all the romance, hope, and transformation running through it,
03:20it turned into a core memory for an entire generation of Duff fans.
03:23Crazy as it seems, I don't wanna be anywhere but here.
03:29If Duff wanted to make sure we knew her Disney days were behind her,
03:36she left absolutely no shadow of doubt with this song.
03:39Gentle vision had I'm locked down in my sight
03:42On a mission for position by the end of the night
03:46By sampling Dipesh Mode's Personal Jesus,
03:49she takes a bold swing,
03:51pulling from a classic new wave and alternative rock track
03:54and transforming it into a fully dance-pop bop.
03:57She took risks everywhere here.
04:00In the lyrics, in the sound, and definitely in the music video.
04:09At this point, it's practically a rite of passage
04:12for anyone breaking out of that Disney Channel shell.
04:15Critics were split, as always, but we loved it.
04:18And the fans who pushed it to number one on the US Dance Club Songs chart
04:22clearly agreed.
04:24Number 16, Gypsy Woman.
04:32Dignity marked a pretty rough stretch in Duff's personal life,
04:36including her split from Joel Madden after two years together.
04:39If you're gone away with the gypsy woman,
04:44it's a day they're gone for good.
04:47So when this song came out,
04:49many assumed it was about his new partner, Nicole Richie.
04:52The short answer is no.
04:53It's actually about her dad, who'd had an affair.
05:02It's not the only track on the album that touches on that.
05:05We'll get to that later.
05:07The song has a sharper, more mature electropop sound.
05:10Released in 2007, the whole album's darker, synth-heavy style fit right into the electropop era,
05:25and even feels a little ahead of it.
05:27It cemented her participation in the new wave of mature, club-ready pop.
05:31Can't go, can't go with her, can't go with her, can't go with her.
05:38Number 15, Play With Fire.
05:41As the first track on the album,
05:42this marked the moment Hillary stepped into a more confident, grown-up version of herself.
05:47The song's dark, electronic atmosphere has an instant pull.
05:58Moody, a little dangerous, and completely hypnotic.
06:02What really draws you in is the confidence in the lyrics.
06:05It's not a woe-is-me breakup,
06:06but a defiant realization of self-worth and the strength to walk away.
06:10It feels sharp, stylish, and ahead of its time.
06:21Every time we hear it, it brings this rush of nostalgia,
06:25mixed with, wow, she really did that.
06:27It's one of those songs that almost makes you yearn for heartbreak,
06:30just to dance out your best post-breakup life.
06:40Number 14, What Dreams Are Made Of.
06:43Hey now, we all knew this one was coming,
06:46so we figured, why not give everyone the moment they've been waiting for?
06:49It might take a little, and it might take a lot, but why not?
06:55The Lizzie McGuire movie defined an entire childhood,
06:58and for many of us, it was the exact reason we begged our parents to take us to Rome.
07:03Have you ever seen such a beautiful night?
07:10Yes, there's the slower ballad version,
07:18but it's the climactic performance of the Coliseum that lives rent-free in our hearts.
07:22It's an upbeat pop anthem built to get you on your feet.
07:26Even now, you can find your people singing,
07:28Hey now, hey now, and waiting for the response.
07:32Ask anyone who grew up on Lizzie McGuire.
07:34This song is truly what dreams are made of.
07:37This is what dreams are made of.
07:41Number 13, Mature.
07:43Christmas came early in 2025 when Duff dropped new music,
07:47almost 10 years after her last album.
07:50And yes, 2000s kids everywhere lost their freaking minds.
07:54She's me, I'm her in a different pond.
07:58Just a few years younger, a new haircut.
08:01She described the song as a chat between her past and present selves,
08:05meeting yourself where you landed.
08:08Hillary had grown up alongside her fans,
08:10and once again, she tapped into something personal and relatable.
08:14She looks like all of your girls could wander.
08:19There's even a wink to her metamorphosis days,
08:21both in the composition and visuals.
08:23It shows her ability to stay grounded in the present while staying true to herself.
08:28Catchy and upbeat, it's the kind of song that will have everyone dancing into the new year and beyond.
08:42Number 12, All About You.
08:45We'd all been breathing in with anticipation since Duff's last album,
08:49and now, about six years later,
08:51we could finally breathe out again because we'd gotten what we'd been waiting for.
08:54And it was fire.
08:56Think you're all about me, but I'm all about you.
08:59Turn the lights down, let me show you it's true.
09:02This time, she'd added a little folk to her pop rock sound,
09:06sending the message that she wasn't playing around when it came to this comeback.
09:10It's playful and catchy,
09:12yet still feels way more grown up than her previous tracks.
09:15I can't wait until the next time.
09:18Gonna kiss you in the daylight out on the beach.
09:21Lyrically, it's cheeky, bold, and fun.
09:24Showing just how much she'd grown in confidence while still being charmingly relatable.
09:29It's definitely one of those songs that will make you want to get up and act out your inner pop star.
09:33Get a little taste of what I'm into
09:36Think you're all about me, but I'm all about you
09:39Number 11.
09:40With Love
09:41With Love felt like the moment Duff completely stepped away from her old teen pop rock phase.
09:46Sometimes I can be all wrapped up and into me
09:50I can be in such a rush
09:52You could just tell she'd grown up emotionally
09:55and wanted people to see her for who she was now.
09:58The song is such an earworm,
10:00and it proved just how versatile she could be.
10:02It didn't just show off her voice,
10:05but also her confidence,
10:06her performance skills,
10:07and her ability to tell a whole story in her music.
10:18We've talked about her transformation a lot,
10:20but this felt like the big defining moment
10:22where she finally shook off everyone else's expectations
10:25and showed the world the woman she'd become.
10:28And she did it all with love.
10:32Love, love, love, love, just come with love
10:36Number 10.
10:38Sparks
10:38After a multi-year musical hiatus,
10:41Hilary Duff re-established herself among the ranks of pop starlets
10:45with this catchy single.
10:46You can promise castles, treasures, babies, I don't care
10:49Cause for now you're just enough for me
10:52I want you near
10:53Written by Swedish songwriter and producer Christian Carlson
10:57with the help from electro-pop singer Tuve Lu,
11:00Sparks was the third single released off of Duff's fifth album,
11:04Breathe In, Breathe Out.
11:05A pure dance track that's a whole lot of fun to listen to,
11:16especially if you're cruising around town with your friends
11:18or losing yourself on the dance floor.
11:20Sparks peaked at number six on the U.S. dance club songs chart.
11:24Cause when you're touching me, baby, it seems fine
11:29Number 9.
11:31Stranger
11:31With the release of this song in 2007,
11:34Hilary Duff shed her Lizzie McGuire good girl image once and for all.
11:38Nobody believes me when I tell them there's so much to hide
11:42Stranger coincided with the Texas native's transition from,
11:48as Maxim put it,
11:49The Queen of Teen to break out sex symbol.
11:52And it's easy to understand why.
12:01The song's lyrics make reference to a promiscuous boyfriend.
12:05However, Duff later revealed that the song was actually written
12:08about her father's infidelity,
12:09told from the perspective of her mother.
12:12She made it seem like it was about her own love life
12:14to avoid airing her family's struggles to the world.
12:17The song wound up being a hit,
12:18peaking at number one on the dance club's songs chart.
12:28Number 8.
12:30Chasing the Sun
12:30The first single released off of her fifth studio album,
12:41Breathe In, Breathe Out,
12:43Chasing the Sun is,
12:44and please excuse the rhyming,
12:46a whole lot of fun.
12:47Seriously, it's the ultimate summer jam.
12:58With its catchy beat,
12:59playful lyrics,
13:00and laissez-faire attitude,
13:01the song is folk pop at its best.
13:04Chasing the Sun was Duff's first to crack the music chart since 2008,
13:08the same year she left Hollywood Records.
13:10We think she made the right choice selecting this as her comeback single,
13:21as it's loaded with feel-good vibes that just won't quit.
13:25Number 7.
13:26My Kind
13:27As is the case with most of the songs of her 2015 comeback album,
13:31My Kind is catchy and mature,
13:33and yet still functions as a nice throwback to Duff's pop roots.
13:37I'm with you for the night.
13:40You're taking me, taking me high.
13:43You're loving me, loving me right.
13:45The song and its accompanying music video are nothing but fun,
13:48and getting to watch Duff in what is essentially a behind-the-scenes viewing of her dance class is awesome.
13:54Standing out from the crowd,
13:57strobe lights on your body.
13:59It's great songs like this that make us realize just how sorely we missed her while she was focusing on other things.
14:05Regardless, we were just happy to have her back,
14:08and delivering the sort of material that makes up for lost time.
14:11I promise I won't get enough,
14:14think you're one of my kind,
14:15you're one of my kind.
14:17Number 6.
14:18Our Lips Are Sealed featuring Hayley Duff
14:20Two Duffs for the price of one?
14:22Yes, please.
14:24If I hear them,
14:26they talk about us,
14:28telling lies,
14:29well, that's no surprise.
14:31In 2004,
14:32Hilary teamed up with big sister Hayley to cover the Go-Go's classic 80s pop song,
14:37Our Lips Are Sealed.
14:38Doesn't matter what they say,
14:41in the jealous games people play.
14:44Hilary and Hayley had long expressed a desire to cut a track together,
14:48and while their rendition might not have lived up to the success of the original,
14:52it's safe to say that it landed with its tween-aged audience,
14:55and was a perfect fit for the film it was accompanying,
14:58A Cinderella Story.
15:01It certainly looks like they had fun shooting the video,
15:08which borrows elements from the Go-Go's version,
15:10and follows the Duff sisters as they cruise around town in a convertible.
15:15Number 5.
15:16Beat of My Heart
15:17The second single released off of her 2005 compilation album,
15:27Most Wanted,
15:28Beat of My Heart's electropop sound drew comparisons to the work of 80s pop acts,
15:33Debbie Gibson,
15:34and Bananarama.
15:35Beat of my heart
15:37Beat of my heart
15:38Beat of my heart
15:40Beat of my heart
15:42The song's music video features Duff in retro Bond girl attire,
15:46a look she pulls off with ease.
15:48While the song was met with mixed reviews and failed to chart in the U.S.,
15:52it's continued to pop up on lists of Duff's greatest hits,
15:55and we agree with that retrospective evaluation.
16:03Beat of my heart doesn't take itself too seriously.
16:07It's Duff being Duff,
16:08Uptempo, poppy, and carefree.
16:11Number 4. Wake Up
16:13Upon its 2005 release, Wake Up cracked the top 40 charts around the world
16:25and was certified gold later that year,
16:28ultimately making it one of the most successful songs Hilary Duff has ever released.
16:38The lead single off of Most Wanted, Wake Up was seen by Duff as a big step forward in her career,
16:46as she wanted something that would offer up a fresh and different sound from her previous work.
16:57The result was a track with a strong electronic influence
17:01that still managed to retain its dance pop sound.
17:05Number 3. Fly
17:06In a moment, everything can change.
17:12Whereas most of her work falls squarely into either the pop or electropop genres,
17:17Fly is a rock song masquerading as a pop song, and it's all about empowerment.
17:21You're calling, can you feel it in your soul, can you trust this longing?
17:29The music video sees Duff drop the catchy beat and bubblegum lyrics
17:33in favor of a full band and some Avril Lavigne-inspired duds.
17:38And it totally works.
17:39Fly
17:40Open up the world of you that wants to hide away
17:46Writer-producer John Shanks earned a Grammy for his work on the song,
17:51and it performed admirably on music charts around the world.
17:55If you're looking for an inspirational Hilary Duff song
17:57that isn't afraid to take chances, then Fly is for you.
18:01It's time for a walk down memory lane.
18:15So Yesterday is the track you and your friends couldn't get enough of back in 2003.
18:20The lead single off of her sophomore album, Metamorphosis,
18:23which was one of the year's bestsellers,
18:26So Yesterday is prototypical Duff, pop with a tinge of rock,
18:30lyrics lamenting a breakup, and catchy as all hell.
18:41While most critics were quick to point out that the song strongly resembled the work of Avril Lavigne,
18:45we prefer to think of them as two sides of the same coin,
18:49both of which are worth listening to.
18:56Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
19:00Dignity
19:00We still can't believe this was never released as a single.
19:11Breathe In, Breathe Out
19:12A song that may or may not have inspired Taylor Swift.
19:15X marks a spot where we left our hearts
19:17And X marks a spot where we fell apart
19:19And X marks a spot where we left our hearts
19:22Any Other Day
19:24The opening track on the movie's soundtrack perfectly sets up the tone.
19:27Down, down
19:29Into some outer space
19:33Tattoo
19:35This song has stayed with us like a tattoo on our skin.
19:38I guess that you
19:40Had to leave a tattoo
19:42To remind me
19:44Metamorphosis
19:46Proof that we're always ready for the next stage of her metamorphosis.
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20:12And here it is, the song that pops into most people's minds when they hear the name Hillary Duff.
20:28Both the song and the album it appeared on helped Duff's musical career as she moved away from Lizzie McGuire.
20:34Picking at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100, the song's accompanying music video earned a nomination for Best Pop Video at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards and later served as the theme song for both Laguna Beach, The Real Orange County, and Newport Harbor, The Real Orange County.
20:58Of course, most will remember Come Clean for its iconic chorus, which will forever be rooted in the psyche of mid-2000s teens.
21:13What's your favorite Hillary Duff song? Why not tell us in the comments?
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