Here’s Some Kids Music That Doesn’t Suck
If you are a parent and suddenly find yourself in the world of children’s music, I’m sorry. Most things are terribly bad. Nobody wants to hear Alvin and the chipmunks sing “Hot body, rock the party,” or another rendition of “Finger Family,” or a tune about a kid who brought a bumblebee home and then ate it (why?). And after five years and roughly a billion repetitions in my home, can we finally let go of Let It Go ?
I know this is for kids . But moms and dads shouldn’t suffer. Luckily, you can find some truly great family music if you know where to look. Here are five fantastic bands and artists to try in the film industry. (This adult woman can add her songs to her playlist – they are so good.)
Caspar Kids Pants
Chris Ballyw, once the lead singer of the Presidents of the United States of America, has re-emerged as the movie star Caspar Baby Pants . He writes super simple acoustic songs for the youngest listeners and their parents, such as the catchy tunes“Googly Eyes”,“Pretty Crabby” and “Run Baby, Run.”
Andrew and Polly
Andrew Barkan and Polly Hall, aka Andrew and Polly , host the delightfully quirky children’s podcast Ear Snacks , which my daughter always asks for when she travels by car. Listeners may not know that the music albums of the husband-wife duo are just as adorable. “Grapes,” their ode to fruits that are easy to eat, is a song that may never get off my head.
Pop-ups
Jason Rabinowitz of Brooklyn and Jacob Stein, aka The Pop Ups , are masters of making catchy experimental songs for a lunch box set. Don’t miss the 30-Minute Promotion on Amazon Prime, the Grand Challengers Club Rock and Roll Puppet Show. On On Air, Stein imagines what it would be like to have his own radio show, adding references to Duran Duran and Toto.
Lucky Diaz and the family jam band
The Grammy-winning group, led by husband and wife duo Lucky Diaz and Alisha Gaddis, has been making energetic and compelling pop hits for eight years. Their latest album ” Made in LA” is their best so far. See Paletero Man, a tribute to Mexican popsicle sellers who line the sidewalks of Los Angeles’s beloved Diaz.
Justin Roberts
The New York Times named Justin Roberts the “Judy Bloom of Childhood Rock” for his rare ability to write songs on complex topics such as death, cancer and moving from home in a completely understandable and age-appropriate manner. He just gets children, as again evidenced by such tracks as « the Rolling Down The Hill the » and «Must be This Tall» from his latest album, Lemonade. I can’t get enough of the classic Roberts song “Recess” that we could probably all use right now.