"Hannah" Debuts at #1

Much to the chagrin of Kelly Clarkson fans, “Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus” debuted at #1 after selling 326,000 copies (Kelly sold 291,000).

Two singles from the CD cracked the top 30 of the Billboard Hot 100: “Life’s What You Make It” at #25 and “Nobody’s Perfect” at #27.

It was very smart for Disney to release Miley’s debut CD along with the second “Hannah” soundtrack, allowing them to introduce a new artist while satisfying an already established fan base. It’s also good for Miley since she’ll actually get some credit for the album’s success. The other album was credited to Hannah Montana.

Miley’s CD, which she co-wrote much of, is a perfect example of a Disney star CD—lots of dance songs with not much depth. The exception to that is “I Miss You,” which Miley wrote after the death of her beloved “Pappy,” which shows us Miley’s promise as a songwriter.

That’s not to say, however, that Miley’s CD is bad, it just pales in comparison to the surprising maturity of the “Hannah Montana” CD.

Since the CD is supposed to be from Hannah’s point of view, there are several songs about knowing the real her, including the relentlessly catchy “Rock Star.” But Miley/Hannah is at her best, when she gets to belt out a ballad (which is why I’m a little surprised there aren’t more ballads on Miley’s CD). The girl power anthem “Make Some Noise” is a great song for kids and adults alike and would be perfect for a Lifetime movie-of-the-week (and I mean that as a compliment). “One In a Million” with its catchy lyrics (“They say that good things take time/But really great things happen in the blink of an eye”) would be perfect for a romantic movie.

If you’re a parent looking for something decent for your tween daughter to listen to that you can actually handle yourself, “Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus” is exactly what you’re looking for.

And Miley Cyrus could be the role model you’re looking for as well. Check out her three family rules (from her “People” cover story):

1) Don’t behave like Lindsay. Miley’s parents give her news clippings of the antics of Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears to show Miley what not to do.
2) Spend wisely. Miley gets a $300 monthly allowance and no credit cards. Miley uses her allowance to go shopping with her friends Ashley Tisdale and Vanessa Hudgens (both of “High School Musical” fame).
3) Thou shalt attend church. Miley and her family go to church every Sunday.

By the way, Miley does have a boyfriend. He’s 14-year-old Nick Jonas of the Disney act, The Jonas Brothers. However, Billy Ray told “People” that Miley has only been on “group dates.”

As for what’s next for Miley, AOL reports that she will have a small role in “High School Musical 2”…