2021 Children’s Music Roundup

Welcome to Kids Rhythm and Rock’s fourth annual Children’s Music Roundup! For those of you new to the blog, each year rather than doing a best of list, instead, I compile a list of my favorite albums.

2021 was an amazing year for children’s music with innumerable new artists making their way into the spotlight while more established acts continued to create incredible music and forged new musical partnerships with those they met along the way. Let’s say hello to 2022 by taking a look back at “the year that was” in children’s music. Don’t see your favorites listed below? Add them in the comments!

Be Mindful, Be Kind

Music to guide our everyday lives.

  • A Mind of Your Own performed by The Bright Siders
  • Maybe by Next Year performed by Kid Pan Alley
  • Frogs and Birds performed by Lindsay Munroe with Raffi
  • Yoga Dreamland performed by Putamayo

Beautiful Beats

Fun, fantastic tunes to brighten any day.

  • A Colorful World performed by Falu
  • You Are Magic performed by Allison Faith Levy
  • 28 Days performed by Little Miss Ann
  • Make it Happen! performed by Stacey Peasley
  • I Am performed by Shine and the Moonbeams

Potpourri

This was always my favorite Jeopardy! category. In this case, it’s a fun way to group the jazziest jazz, the quirkiest tunes, and songs on some popular topics together.

  • Seconds performed by Ben Tatar and the Tatar Tots
  • It’s for You performed by Flula Borg and Go Banana Go!
  • What Kind of World? performed by Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats
  • Planetary Promenade performed by Billy Kelly
  • From My Head to My Toes performed by Music with Mandy
  • Ponderosa Bunchgrass & the Golden Rule performed by The Oot N’ Oots

Regional Superstars You Should Know

It’s easy to forget that our talented local performers aren’t well known all across the country. Here’s some from the past year everyone should give a try.

  • All Together Now performed by Esther Crow (New York)
  • Music Makes Me Happy performed by Katie Dwyer (New York)
  • The Grumpytime Club performed by Carrie Ferguson (Massachusetts)
  • Sing Your Song Performed by The Harmonica Pocket (Washington)
  • All Together performed by Kathryn the Grape (California)

Rockin’ Rhythms

I dare you to try and sit still while listening to these albums!

  • Crayon Kids performed by Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band
  • Ready, Set, Go! performed by Divinity Roxx
  • Invisible performed by Father Goose
  • Family Tree performed by Fyütch
  • Slow Clap performed by Koo Koo Kangaroo

Unique Musical Stylings

There was nothing else quite like these albums this year.

  • Young Maestros, Vol. 1 performed by Tracy Bonham (these could be showtunes)
  • Black to the Future performed by Pierce Freelon (Afrofuturism)
  • Folk for Little Folk, Vol.1 performed by Gordie MacKeeman (award-winning fiddling)
  • Okay to Be Different performed by SaulPaul (rap)
  • The Beat Bach Symphonies performed by Secret Agent 23 Skidoo (rap with a symphony orchestra)
  • The Strawberry Band performed by The Story Pirates (music based on children’s stories)

Visiting with Old Friends

  • Let’s Go! performed by Laurie Berkner
  • Love Me for Who I Am: The Remix performed by Brady Rymer
  • Sharon, Lois & Bram Best of the Best Live performed by Sharon, Lois & Bram
  • We’re All Fruit Salad performed by The Wiggles



Wide World of Music

These albums feature music in Spanish, Spanish and English, and music from as far away as New Zealand.

  • Activate performed by 123 Andrés
  • Pachamama performed by Flor Bromley
  • Danilo & Chapis, Vol 1 performed by Danilo & Chapis
  • Esperanza performed by Sonia De Los Santos
  • Sing Through the Year performed by Claudia Robin Gunn
  • A Mi Me Gusta Ser Yo *It’s Ok To Be Me performed by Twinkle Time

With a Little Help From My Friends

2021 was a year of amazing partnerships and collaborations.

  • All One Tribe performed by 1 Tribe Collective
  • Let It Out! performed by Mil’s Trills
  • Let Love Be Your Guide performed by Dan & Claudia Zanes

Be Mindful with These New Albums

There are so many great things about being a kid including the freedom to run, to explore, and let your imagination run wild. But there are lots of hard things about being a kid too, not the least of which is being filled with emotions from the highest highs to the lowest lows and not knowing how to handle them. This can make everyday life difficult under normal circumstances and almost stifling during overwhelming events like a pandemic. That is why I’m highlighting two albums this week – one to help children express how they are feeling and another to help them find a calm, peaceful place inside themselves.

A Mind of Your Own by The Bright Siders is the result of a musical collaboration between child psychiatrist Kari Goff, M.D. and Americana songwriter Kristin Andreassen and released by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. The ten original songs on this album feature a talented group of guest stars including The War and Treaty on the opening track, “The Song About Songs” which explores all the reasons why people sing songs, Oh Pep! on the retro pop “You Do You” about being yourself because you’re cool just the way you are, and Kaia Kater on the country vibe “Forever Friends” that acknowledges how difficult it is to move and make new friends while still holding your old life in your heart. The remaining songs on the album explore what to do with feelings of anger and sadness and how to deal with being bullied. Even though the songs cover a variety of musical genres, they work well together with the exception of “Bully This” which has an aggressive punk feel to it. While this works well as a single and perfectly pairs with the empowering message of standing up to a bully, the tone is jarring when listening to the album in its entirety. Skits are sprinkled throughout the album as lead-ins to many of the songs and follow-up extension activities called “Try this at home…” are included in the liner notes. A Mind of Your Own‘s overarching message of acknowledging your feelings and dealing with them in a constructive manner is one that we all need to hear, no matter what our age.

Follow up the music of The Bright Siders with the nine quiet, gentle tracks of Yoga Dreamland from Putumayo Kids.  Created by musician and yoga instructor Seán Johnson and Putumayo founder Dan Storper, this collection features beautiful music from around the world including songs from India, Senegal, Poland, Japan, and Ireland as well as a Latin American lullaby and a Tibeten meditative piece. With songs ranging in length from 2:oo minutes to 5:30 minutes listeners can pick and choose which tune best fits their needs. A 24-page booklet accompanies the album and showcases children doing a variety of simple yoga poses that will help to prepare their minds and bodies for bed. Yoga Dreamland is set to be released on March 5. Join Yoga Dreamland co-curator Seán Johnson on March 13 at 7:00 pm ET for a special Facebook live yoga event (https://www.facebook.com/Putumayo) for children and their families to celebrate the release of the album.