In an interview with Disney Channel's commercial-segment, Disney 365, Selena Gomez discussed her interpretations of the songs on the soundtrack saying: "Disappear is more of a romantic song. It's basically talking about how a girl likes a guy and they [she] don't want him to disappear, and then Magical is about casting a spell on a guy and this song, Magic, ties into Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie".[5] Although recorded for the episode of the same name, "Make It Happen" does not appear on the album.
In response to the soundtrack, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic recognized Wizards for its "teen revamps of boomer classics that parents can enjoy too". He also stated that the album is "agreeable" and that Selena Gomez "inevitably stands out from the pack". However, Erlewine said: "the dang-awful version of America's "You Can Do Magic" by Drew Seeley is sunk by its hyper-claustrophobic rhythms, the biggest rearrangement of a tune here and easily the worst cut."[3]
Singles
"Magic" by Selena Gomez was released as a digital single on the iTunes Store. The song was released on July 21, 2009 as part of the Radio Disney iTunes Pass.[6] "Magic" premiered on Radio Disney and a music video to Disney Channel on July 24. The song's music video has Gomez singing into a microphone with bright and flamboyant background, as well as including clips from Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie.[4][7] "Magic" debuted at no. 61 in the Billboard Hot 100 with 42,000 downloads.[8]
Billie Eilish and her record-producer brother, Finneas, acknowledged a connection between her single "Bad Guy" and Gomez's "Everything Is Not What It Seems" in a Rolling Stone interview in December 2019.[9][10]
"Everything Is Not What It Seems[a]" (Series Theme Song)
Bradley Hamilton
John Adair
Ryan Elder
Stephen Hampton
Selena Gomez
0:51
Notes
^[a] Despite the printed track listing included on the previously released compilation Disney Channel Playlist, and the performed lyrics matching to the track name, physical and digital editions of the Wizards of Waverly Place soundtrack label "Everything Is Not What It Seems" as "Everything Is Not as It Seems."[11][12] The 2013 Disney Classics CD box set and digital compilation also uses the "Everything Is Not as It Seems" title.[13][14]
Bonus enchanted content included on the physical CD for Wizards of Waverly Place includes exclusive behind-the-scenes interviews with Gomez and also the music video for "Magic".[1]
Charts and sales
The album debuted at #24 on the Billboard 200, selling 18,000 units in its first week. It has sold 106,000 copies in the U.S. to date.[15]
