Fictional Bands Who Reached Billboard’s Charts: The Wonders, August Moon, 4*TOWN, Spinal Tap & More
Written by djfrosty on June 17, 2024
Miley Cyrus has a legendary history on Billboard‘s charts under her own name, but she’s also charted with two of her fictional characters.
Her classic Hannah Montana character charted 20 songs on the Hot 100 in 2006-10, including the No. 10-peaking “He Could Be the One” in 2009.
Hannah Montana also charted eight albums on the Billboard 200 (some were billed to Hannah Montana, while others are billed as a soundtrack or to Cyrus herself), including three No. 1s: Hannah Montana in 2006, Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus in 2007, and Hannah Montana: The Movie in 2009.
Hannah Montana aired four seasons on Disney Channel from 2006-2011. The character also starred in the films Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert (2008), Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009), and the TV film Wizards on Deck with Hannah Montana (2009). She also starred in multiple video games.
In the Hannah Montana universe, Hannah Montana is the musical alter ego of Miley Stewart, a middle schooler who has a secret identity as a pop star. Cyrus’ real dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, also played her TV father, as Robby Ray Stewart.
Over a decade later, in 2019, Cyrus charted with her Ashley O character from Black Mirror. Ashley O appears in the third and final episode from the show’s fifth season, “Rachel, Jack and Ashley Too.” The episode follows Ashley O, a pop singer, whose career is stifled by her controlling aunt and cousins. Ashley O performs her song “On A Roll,” an adaptation of Nine Inch Nails’ 1989 song “Head Like A Hole,” in the episode, which later reached Billboard‘s charts.
“On A Roll” peaked at No. 3 on Dance Club Songs and No. 39 on the Digital Song Sales chart.
After launching her solo career, Cyrus charted 40 additional songs under her own name (as of June 2024), including the No. 1s “Wrecking Ball” and “Flowers.”