2022 Children’s Music Round Up

Welcome to Kids Rhythm and Rock’s annual Children’s Music Round Up! For those of you new to the site, at the end of each year, rather than doing a “Top 10” or a “Best of” list, I compile a list of albums that have come to my attention during the last 12 months and separate them into fun categories. The total number of albums that are included varies from year-to-year. This year 45 albums make an appearance in the list below.

The richness and depth that is family music just keeps growing. 2022 saw the introduction of new artists, established acts returning after creative hiatuses, and veteran performers taking risks and trying something new. Let’s say hello to 2023 by taking a look back at the “year that was” in children’s music. All albums are available online. Don’t see your favorites? Please add them in the comments.

Be Mindful, Be Kind

Music to guide our everyday lives.

  • For Children of All Ages performed by You and Us
  • Happy Day performed by Jenn Cleary
  • Just a Minute performed by Jesse Jukebox
  • Mosaic performed by Jumpin’ Jamie
  • Nursery Rhymes for Kinder Times performed by Raffi and Lindsay Monroe
  • Your Voice is Magic performed by Again Again

Dynamic Duos

Sometimes it’s just more fun to sing with a friend.

  • Best Day Ever performed by Stacey & Athena
  • Dear Heart performed by Martin and Rose
  • The Greats performed by Louis & Dan and the Invisible Band
  • Smith & Yarn performed by Aaron Nigel Smith and Red Yarn

Festival de Música

Music in Spanish and English for the whole family to enjoy.

  • Los Fabulosos performed by Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band
  • Mi Colores performed by Nathalia
  • Musiquita performed by Musiquita

Oh, to be Young

Perfect tunes for the preschool crowd

  • Let’s Move performed by Katie Dwyer
  • Echo Songs, Vol. 2 performed by Noodle Loaf
  • Forgot My Oars performed by Tim Seston
  • Rain Rain Go Away performed by Adam Steele
  • Wondering performed by Music with Gina

Our Friends to the South

2022 was the year when music from Australia and New Zealand arrived on the scene.

Potpourri

This was always my favorite category on Jeopardy! 

Rockin’ Rhythms

I’m a little bit rock ‘n’ roll!

Sweet Home, Chicago

All of these artists call Chicagoland home.

The Children Are Our Future

These groups put young people front and center in creating and performing music that educates, entertains, and uplifts all those who listen to it.

  • The Movement performed by Alphabet Rockers
  • Multiply performed by The Wise Channel

Unique Musical Stylings

There was nothing else quite like these albums this year.

  • Adults These Days performed by Greg Lato
  • Dark Side of the Banana performed by Go Banana Go!
  • Dinosaurs and Monsters performed by Howdytoons
  • Mammal Music performed by Marko Polo

Unstoppable Beats

Music to get you moving and grooving.

Jukebox performed by Street Corner Symphony

For the last decade, I worked in a community where the majority of families had at least four children, which meant at any given time they were struggling to find music that would appeal to a range of ages and musical tastes. Often the solution to this dilemma was musical or movie soundtracks. Now there’s a new option – Street Corner Symphony. What began in 2010 as an a capella group created to compete on the second season of NBC’s The Sing Off (they were the runners up) has developed over the years into a deeply talented quintet who recently released Jukebox, their first album of family music,

From the first note to the last, this collection entertains while lifting the spirits. The title song is signature Street Corner Symphony, capturing that doo-wop sound and pairing it with clever lyrics with a child inquiring, “hey daddy, what is a jukebox?” followed by asking about a boom box, and finally an iPod. This track along with “Ode 2 Phone” which is a fantastic 90s power ballad about losing phone privileges (and the fear of losing everything on the phone during that down time) will have great tween and parent appeal. Street Corner Symphony keeps things moving with a version of “Atomic Dog” that would make George Clinton proud, and a groovy beach party tune all about “Swimming.” And move over “Cha Cha Slide” – there’s a new dance in town that’s going to get everybody moving and it’s called the “Street Corner Shuffle!” 

Jukebox isn’t just good for getting you moving. As the band said, “We wanted to write about simple truths on this album. Being able to express yourself is such an important practice for the whole spectrum of life so we wanted to encourage expressing love and gratitude.” And that is exactly what they have done. From the second track which gleefully encourages children to “Be Brave” when confronting big and little things in life to the techno-esque “Kindness is Timeless” and the good advice in “Attitude of Gratitude,” that message comes through loud and clear. And nowhere is that love more evident than on “You Make Me Love,” a beautiful duet between father and son Maurice and Matthew Staple, whose love for one another and those around them can be felt in every single word.

Jukebox is a real triumph. Welcome to family music, Street Corner Symphony! We’re glad you’re here.