Who Wrote the Moana Songs
The music for Moana was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foa'i, and Mark Mancina, with the soundtrack released by Walt Disney Records in 2016. The team combined Polynesian musical traditions with Broadway-style storytelling to support the film's global box office performance and subsequent streaming rankings. Forbes coverage of the Moana soundtrack highlights the commercial strategy behind the songwriters' choices.
Lin-Manuel Miranda contributed lyrics and co-compositions, Opetaia Foa'i brought Tokelauan and Pacific Island influences, and Mark Mancina arranged the score and additional songs. Together, they created a slate of tracks that topped multiple international charts and supported Disney's cross-platform marketing campaigns. Billboard soundtrack chart data shows how Moana's music performed relative to other animated features.
Moana Composer Credits and Studio Roles
Walt Disney Animation Studios produced the film, with Walt Disney Records handling the soundtrack release and distribution. The composers worked under Disney's music division, which manages synchronization rights, licensing, and global marketing for theatrical and digital platforms. Disney's SEC filings reference music segment revenue tied to soundtrack sales and streaming performance.
Individual credits list Lin-Manuel Miranda as co-lyricist and composer, Opetaia Foa'i as co-composer and performer, and Mark Mancina as score composer and arranger. Additional orchestration and production support came from teams within Disney's in-house music infrastructure and external session musicians recorded in Los Angeles and New Zealand. IMDb Moana full music credits detail the specific roles for each track.
Moana Music Streaming and Commercial Performance
As of the latest public data, Moana soundtrack tracks continue to rank on major streaming platforms, with "How Far I'll Go" and "You're Welcome" among the most-listened songs from the film. Disney's music catalog benefits from repeat licensing in theme parks, television broadcasts, and digital advertising, reinforcing long-term revenue streams. Forbes analysis of Disney streaming music trends contextualizes Moana's ongoing performance.
Key Tracks and Songwriter Breakdown
"How Far I'll Go" was written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and performed by Auli'i Cravalho, while "You're Welcome" was co-written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Opetaia Foa'i and performed by Dwayne Johnson. Other tracks such as "We Know the Way" feature Opetaia Foa'i and Lin-Manuel Miranda, with arrangements that integrate traditional Pacific instruments and modern production. Billboard Global 200 chart tracks the enduring streaming numbers for these songs.
Revenue and Licensing Context
Disney's music licensing model generates income from soundtrack sales, streaming royalties, synchronization fees for commercials and trailers, and live-performance rights. The Moana catalog supports merchandise,