Tag: mega ran

2025 Children’s Music Roundup

Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

Welcome to Kids Rhythm and Rock’s annual Children’s Music Roundup! 2025 got away from me a little bit so this is coming to you a tad later than usual. Luckily, it’s never too late to celebrate great children’s music!

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. While the total number of albums that are included varies from year-to-year, the richness and depth that is family music just keeps growing and this past year was no different.

Let’s kickoff 2026 by taking a look back at the “year that was” in children’s music. Don’t see your favorites? Please add them in the comments.

Introducing…

Debut albums you should know

Hang Out with Raven from City Birds

I Like the Sounds You Make from Eeme and Shan

Tunezies Vol. 1 from Jesse Palter

Alphabops from Bug Friend

Be Mindful, Be Kind

Empathy, inclusion, and loving one another (as kids and parents) are at the heart of these albums.

Together from Heather Feather

I Am Enough from Hopscotch Songs

Change is Inevitable from Mama Nous

Fun Machine Dream Vol. One from You & Us

Oh to Be Young

Music with the littles in mind. Many of the songs would be great for storytime.

My Voice from Andy Z

Imagine Shine Play from Miss Jessica

Family Friendly Songs, Vol. 5 from Tom Foote

Go Go Stop: Music and Movement for Kids from Shawny

Super Duper Awesome Day from Ashley Mills Monaghan

Warm Fuzzies from Katie Dwyer Music

Funky Fun

Silly, thoughtful fun for everyone!

Big Kid Stuff from Mr. Jeff

The Color Weasel from Todd ‘n’ Tina

Jesse Jukebox Sells Out from Jesse Jukebox

Slippery When Peeled from Go Banana Go and Flula Borg

Sweet Home Chicago

These artists all call Chicago home.

Get Your Sunny Side Up from Wendy and DB

After We Roam from Little Miss Ann

Brain Freeze from Justin Roberts

Keeping It Real

These albums all feature stories and experiences from real people.

Dandelion Songs: Inspired by Military Kids and Families from Greg Lato

The Story of U.S. Vol. 1 from Griot B

Herstory from Flor Bromley

Arise & Shine: Piano Music by Black Composers for Kids

Naturally

These albums celebrate the Earth, the animals, and the plants, and how we all fit together on this planet we call home.

Belong from Musiquita (bilingual)

Tree Sounds from Marko Polo

Pop Jams

The title says it all!

Wonder FULL from Dana

M.Y. F.A.M.I.L.Y. from Scott & Mark Hoying

Oopsie Daisy from Teacher Peter (bilingual)

Carry On! from Princess Backpack and Benjamin

Our Friends to the South

Just a sampling of the vibrant children’s music scene in New Zealand

Little Wild Singable Songs: Play, Help, Wonder from Claudia Robin Gunn

The Prose and Cons from Captain Festus McBoyle

BeetBite vol. 3 and 4 from BeetBite

Unstoppable Beats

Glam pop, hip hop, space folk and more!

Micro Party from Electric Blue Yonder

On the Stoop from Rolie Polie Guacamole

Buddy’s Magic Tree House from Mega Ran

A Non Fiction Fairytale from Twinkle Time

We Are Family

This year’s top duets were provided by two children’s music artists and their young daughters.

Ageless: 100 Years Young from Joanie Leeds & Joya

Harmony from Fyütch & Aura V

Potpourri

As in my favorite Jeopardy category, not the dried flowers.

Arise Together: Songs to Inspire from various artists

Sunny Side Up from Brady Rymer and the Little Band That Could

Dinosaur Spaghetti from City Love

Try Try Again from Mike Bryden

Hooray for the World! from Red Grammer

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2024 Children’s Music Roundup

Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

Welcome to Kids Rhythm and Rock’s annual Children’s Music Roundup! 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. The richness and depth that is family music just keeps growing and this year, 54 (!) albums make an appearance in the list below.

Let’s say hello to 2025 by taking a look back at the “year that was” in children’s music. Don’t see your favorites? Please add them in the comments.

Beautiful Beats

Big performed by Kim Noller

Community Through Music performed by Suzi Shelton

Songs to Howl & Sing performed by Little Coyotes

Steppin’ with Cory performed by Cory McAtee

Funky Fun

Bombtastic! performed by Todd ‘n’ Tina

Everyone On Board performed by Rockin’ Ron the Friendly Pirate

Imagination Time with Patrick performed by Patrick Adams

Mood Food performed by The Microphone Doctors and Doctor Noize

Oh, to Be Young

Each of these albums contains songs that would be good additions to storytimes.

Circle Round to Joy performed by Pam Felber

Jamming with Jules! performed by Jules

Pop Pop Bubbles performed by Sweet Potato Music

Seasons: Songs to Celebrate All Four Seasons performed by Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta Music

Simple Action Songs performed by Kath Bee

Talk Read Sing Play performed by John and Jo-Anne Keenan

Our Friends to the South

Wonderful music is coming from the Southern Hemisphere!

Levity Beat and the Aotearoa All Stars performed Levity Beat and the Aotearoa All Stars

Little Wild Learning performed by Claudia Robin Gunn

The Magic Circle performed by Fabulous Lemon Drops

Pop Jams

Imaginology performed by Mama B

Love Is… performed by Suzanne Jamieson

Rock Together performed by Birds of a Feather

Potpourri

I always loved this category on Jeopardy. No common theme, just fun to explore.

Head in the Clouds performed by Mr. Elephant

Helping Out! performed by Pep & Perk

Solid Rock Revival by Rock for Children

Rockin’ Rhythms

Everyone in this group is a little bit rock ‘n’ roll!

All Together Now performed by Steve Elci and Friends

Let Us Rock performed by Mr. Evan V

Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful performed by Mr. Jeff

World Wide Playdate performed by Divinity Roxx

Showstoppers

These vocals and arrangements would be welcome on any stage!

All the Feels performed by The Wise Channel

Back Home performed by Wendy and DB

Shine Your Light performed by Davey and Peter

Why Do We Sing? performed by Sam Tsui and Casey Breves

Sleep Tight

Songs to send you off to bed

Dreamland performed by Jenn Cleary

Sweet Dreams a Bedtime Routine by Lavender Blues

Try a Little Tenderness

Messages of love and acceptance for oneself and others

Just the Way You Are performed by Miss Katie Sings

My Favorite Dream performed by John Legend

The Power of Positivity performed by Stacy & Athena

Rainbow Seekers performed by Ants on a Log

Unique Musical Stylings

& the never-ending haint blue melody performed by Mista Cookie Jar

Buddy’s Magic Remixes performed by Mega Ran

Confidence Juice performed by Miss Tutti and the Fruity Band

Let Me Be Real performed by Star Forest

Reset performed by Beppie

Speak Hope Sing Joy performed by SaulPaul

Unstoppable Beats

Jamming on the Job, Vol. 1 performed by Pierce Freelon and 123 Andrés

Key Change World performed by The Story Pirates

Ronnie Boy Land performed by Ronnie Boy Kids

Sing! Dance! Play! Learn! performed by Station Little

Visiting with Old Friends

Penny Penguin performed by Raffi with Good Lovelies

Pieces of Home performed by Dan + Claudia Zanes

Wide World of Music

Au Zoo by Whistlefritz

Brillo, Brillo! performed by Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band

Creciendo performed by Lucy Kalantari and the Jazz Cats

Familiar performed by Musiquita

The Children Are Our Future

Twelve performed by Makayla Malaka

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Album Spotlight: Buddy’s Magic Toy Box performed by Mega Ran

Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized
Hip hop as a genre within children’s music has been steadily growing over the last few years with artists like SaulPaul, Fyütch, and GRAMMY-winners Alphabet Rockers leading the way. A new voice arrived on the scene this week – Mega Ran. Born in Philadelphia and now living in Phoenix, Raheem “Mega Ran” Jarbo has been making a name for himself over the past 15 years as a nerdcore rapper, often rooting his music in beats from video games and crafting lyrics built around the world of wrestling. This month he debuted his first album for children, Buddy’s Magic Toy Box. 
 
 
 
From the first beat of Buddy’s Magic Toy Box, listeners are drawn into a world of affirmation, inclusion, and joy. Being new to children’s music, Mega Ran takes what he does best – be an entertainer and storyteller, and perfectly adapts that to a new, younger audience. Each song is carefully crafted, marrying lyrics with the talents of special guests and surprising musical genres like ska-punk, jazz, and R&B. The album opens with “Count Me In” an ode to the classic “Pinball Number Count” by the Pointer Sisters (which if you’re of an age, like me, you can still sing from memory). Not only does “Count Me In” teach listeners to count to ten in English and Spanish, but it also includes easy to follow rhymes and backing vocals by a group of children layered over an electronic beat. Over the course of the next eleven songs, Mega Ran tackles topics such as bullying and friendship and includes a kid-accessible history of hip hop. On the earworm, “That’s Okay (feat. Kadesh Flow),” he addresses the experiences of people of color or other folks who have hard to pronounce names, and in the very powerful “Big and Scary,” Mega Ran faces head-on the painful struggles that occur when you are a kid who has a body type different than those around you. [For a similar perspective from a young girl’s point of view, pick up Vashti Harrison’s picture book Big.] The album is rounded out by the gentle flow of the end-of-day lullaby, “Goodnight, Baby.” Buddy’s Magic Toy Box is available on your favorite streaming services and is not to be missed!
 
Learn more about Mega Ran and his new album below.
What was the transition like for you moving from making music geared more toward adults to making music for kids?

It wasn’t as hard as I’d thought. I spent a ton of days just brainstorming before I started. I was really in my own way – overthinking the process when it wasn’t too different than writing the songs I had done prior. I just wanted to focus on making sure the message was clear and concise, and that the choruses were bright and fun.

Several of your songs are rooted in your own experiences. Why was it important to you to use those personal memories in creating this album?

I’ve had the biggest experience in my adult life that inspired this record – fostering and then later adopting my first son. It’s been a life changing moment and has changed the direction of not only my music, but has me thinking about my legacy and what I bring to the art form and culture. It’s led to a really fun transition that I think will be a part of me forever.

You are known for making video game/nerdcore hip hop. What advice would you give to kids who struggle because they are nerds or have interests outside of the so-called mainstream?

I don’t think the nerds struggle is nearly as tough today as it was a few decades ago. Kids are pretty free to be themselves these days without too much pushback from society, but I’m sure there are bullies and haters everywhere. So, for kids who like things that are a little outside the norm, I’d say to embrace that difference and be yourself. It’s so much more fun standing out than fitting in.

Kids love reading the Guiness Book of World Records. You’re in the Guiness Book for having the most songs that reference a video game. Was getting the world record a goal that you had for yourself? What’s it like to be a Guiness Book of World Records holder?

It’s insane! I’ve read those books when I was young and to be in one is an absolute dream come true. I’m thankful for Guinness for recognizing my strange world and my contributions. I got an opportunity to travel to London and go to the Guinness offices, where I played songs and received a plaque with my name on it. An absolute perfect scenario, a wish fulfilled. I’ll never forget it.

Buddy’s Magic Toy Box contains such great messages and is so entertaining. Will there be more children’s music in your future?

Absolutely! I have a ton of other concepts in mind! I’ll see how things go but I absolutely see myself creating more children’s music. My producers have sent a ton of beats over that have inspired me in new ways. So I’ll do it as long as I’m inspired!

Anything else that you would like to share with us?

Grab that album! And catch me on tour! Thank you!
 
 
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