10 Best Music Singles From Ex-Nickelodeon Stars

Several child actors from Nickelodeon sitcoms and animated shows went on to sustain a career in the world of music, the most famous examples being Ariana Grande, Nat Wolff, and Emma Roberts. While Grande has turned into a global pop sensation, Wolff and Roberts balance their occasional music careers along with acting roles in several small and big-budget productions.

Just like Disney Channel’s stars, Nickelodeon offered these singers/actors a good-enough platform to create a fanbase, as they went on to charter territories beyond the family-friendly spaces of children’s TV. Others like Jerry Trainor and Drake Bell, both of whom appeared on Drake and Josh, have had comparatively modest trysts with music and acting.

10 Positions By Ariana Grande

The Victorious star has had several chart-topping and award-winning hits in her discography, with her latest success being her sixth studio album Positions. The lead single of the same name is a breezy number bearing overtones of pop and R&B.

Accompanied by a video starring the pop star as the President of the United States, “Positions” builds upon Ariana Grande’s usual exploration of romantic themes like commitment and the efforts that one makes to sustain a relationship. The song was placed on several year-end lists in 2020 and went on to become her third number-one single in that year.

9 Crazy Car By The Naked Brothers Band

Before their current feature film roles, siblings Alex and Nat Wolff were a part of a band called The Naked Brothers Band. A Nickelodeon show of the same name starred the brothers as rockers in a mockumentary-like setting.

Naturally, the show’s soundtrack yielded several songs, most of which were aiming for a younger demographic. “Crazy Car” was one such single from their second album. In this simple, merry song with almost-nonsensical lyrics, the band refers to life as one ‘crazy car,’ as it has its ups and downs. “Crazy Car” eventually even found a spot on the Billboard Hot 100.

8 Dummy By Emma Roberts

The teen sitcom Unfabulous was a major hit in the early 2000s, starring Emma Roberts as the middle-school teenager Adie Singer who narrates most of the show in flashbacks. Roberts sang several songs for the show’s original soundtrack, with “Dummy” being one of them.

Resonating the bubble-gum-pop sound of its time, “Dummy” finds the songstress wishing to never be under anyone else’s control, to never be one’s dummy.’ In the decade after Unfabulous, Roberts abandoned her music for a more mature acting career, starring in a slew of films and recurring roles in American Horror Story.

7 Stuck On The Ground (Stripped) By Devon Werkheiser

Devon Werkheiser, the lead actor of the Nick sitcom Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide as well as the network’s TV movie Shredderman Rules, went on to have a decent music career in pop-rock. In fact, he released his third EP Chapter One around last year.

The stripped-down version of his 2016 single “Stuck On The Ground” presents Werkheiser’s familiar acoustic sound as he croons about him having it all and flying up in the air only to be stuck on the ground later on. The song seems to evoke his newfound state of humility with a sense of acceptance.

6 Dancing Crazy By Miranda Cosgrove

Miranda Cosgrove is one of Nickelodeon’s most beloved teen stars, having starred as Megan in Drake and Josh and Carly Shaw in iCarly. The latter marked her musical debut with her several contributions to the soundtrack album. Her second EP High Maintenance increased her fame as a musical artist, with the single “Dancing Crazy” debuting at #40 on the US Billboard Adult Top 40.

“Dancing Crazy” was written by pop heartthrob Avril Lavigne along with Swedish producer-songwriter Max Martin. The lyrical and sonic elements of the song are instantly feel-good, talking about a carefree night of partying, and ‘dancing crazy,’ of course.

5 Who Are Those Mystery Men By Kel Mitchell

Singer, actor, rapper, and comedian Kel Mitchell began his career with Nickelodeon’s sketch comedy series All That followed by Kenan & Kel that launched both Mitchell and Kenan Thompson’s careers. One of Mitchell’s major film roles in 1999 was the Ben Stiller-starred Mystery Men.

A meta-satire on the superhero genre, the film featured him as The Invisible Boy. He also provided vocals for a promotional single on the OST called “Who Are Those Mystery Men.” Set against a haunting beat, the song drops references to the film and features rap crew M.A.F.T Emcees.

4 I Know By Drake Bell

In his post-Drake and Josh career, Drake Bell has been associated with the band Drake 24/7, along with a solo career. “I Know” was Bell’s debut single that fell under the genre of pop-rock, much like many other entries on this list.

The song is written from a perspective of an insecure artist who feels that his partner is with him only for the fame and riches. The music video brims with 2000s nostalgia, with Bell starring in a double role. Bell stars as a popular rockstar whose girlfriend loses interest in him and falls for a less famous musician, instead, who is also played by Bell.

3 How Could I Want More By Jamie Lynn Spears

The younger sister of Britney Spears, Jamie Lynn Spears achieved fame as a main cast member on Zoey 101. Her debut single, “How Could I Want More,” is a country-pop ballad incorporating acoustic and pedal steel guitars. The intimate lyrics cover a relationship that seems perfect but still keeps the artist wanting for more.

The single was accompanied by a music video directed by Spears’ Zoey 101 co-star Matthew Underwood, who appeared on the sitcom as Logan Reese. Despite gaining positive reviews, Spears follow-up efforts failed to make a mark. Her last major credit has been a lead role in the Netflix romantic drama series Sweet Magnolias.

2 Enemiez By Keke Palmer

Before her lead role in Nick’s True Jackson, VP, Keke Palmer had already garnered a following as an actor thanks to her star-turning act in Akeelah and the Bee. Arguably one of the most successful Nickelodeon stars, she released a studio album, three EPs, a memoir, a talk show, along with a slew of other acting roles.

Her 2016 single “Enemiez” is one of her most well-known tracks that pairs her with modern R&B icon Jeremih. The duet explores a mature notion of love with a subtle raunchiness to the lyrics, and a remix featuring rapper Rich Homie Quan was released soon after.

1 Gold By Victoria Justice

Appearing in the aforementioned shows Victorious and Zoey 101, Victoria Justice has had several songs to her credit as a part of the Victorious ensemble. Her solo single “Gold” allowed the actress to launch a music career breaking away from Nickelodeon’s shadow.

Intentionally written as a mainstream pop song, Justice joined forces with Swedish artist Tove Lo and British glam hard rock band The Struts, who wrote and produced “Gold,” respectively. Teen Wolf and Arrow alumn Colton Haynes also appears in the music video for the track. All this star power along with Victoria Justice’s own popularity ensured the single’s success. As of 2021, she’s set to release a new single called “Stay.”

About The Author

Shaurya Thapa
(730 Articles Published)

Shaurya Thapa is an Indian freelance journalist who mostly dabbles in writings on cinema, music, and human interest features. When it comes to Screen Rant, he writes lists on a wide array of subjects ranging from international films to mainstream Netflix series and comic book trivia. He also hosts a podcast called ‘BhindiWire’, an Indian parody of IndieWire.

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