pierce freelon – Kids Rhythm and Rock

2024 Children’s Music Roundup

January 5, 2025 Veronica 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

Leave a comment 123 andres, ants on a log, beppie, birds of a feather, claudia robin gunn, cory mcatee, dan and claudia zanes, davey and peter, divinity roxx, fabulous lemon drops, hunk-ta-bunk-ta music, jenn cleary, john and joanne keenan, john legend, jules, Kath Bee, kim noller, lavender blues, Levity Beet, little coyotes, lucky diaz and the family jam band, lucy kalantari and the jazz cats, makayla malaka, mama b, mega ran, microphone doctors and doctor noize, miss katie sings, Miss Tutti and the Fruity Band, mista cookie jar, mr. elephant, mr. evan v, mr. jeff, musiquita, pam felber, patrick adams, pep and perk, pierce freelon, raffi, rockin' ron the friendly pirate, ronnie boy kids, sam tsui and casey breves, saulpaul, stacy and athena, star forest, station little, steve elci, suzanne jamieson, suzi shelton, sweet potato music, the story pirates, the wise channel, todd n tina, wendy and db

2021 Children’s Music Roundup

January 4, 2022 Veronica Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

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

Leave a comment 1 tribe collective, 123 andres, allison faith levy, ben tatar and the tatar tots, billy kelly, brady rymer, carrie ferguson, claudia robin gunn, dan and claudia zanes, danilo and chapis, divinity roxx, esther crow, falu, father goose, flor bromley, fyutch, go banana go, gordie mackeeman, kathryn the grape, katie dwyer, kid pan alley, koo koo kangaroo, laurie berkner, lindsay munroe, little miss ann, lucky diaz and the family jam band, lucy kalantari, mils trills, music roundup, music with mandy, pierce freelon, putamayo, saulpaul, secret agent 23 skidoo, sharon lois and bram, shine & the moonbeams, sonia de los santos, stacey peasley, the bright siders, the harmonica pocket, the oot n oots, the story pirates, the wiggles, tracy bonham, twinkle time

Best Children’s Album GRAMMY 2022 Nominees

November 24, 2021 Veronica Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – the GRAMMY Award Nominations! The 64th annual GRAMMY award nominations were announced yesterday. To be eligible for the award, a children’s album must contain at least 51% playing time of new musical or spoken word recordings that are created and intended specifically for children and released between September 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021. The GRAMMY Awards will be announced on Monday, January 31.

ActÍvate performed by 123 Andrès

All One Tribe performed by 1 Tribe Collective

Black to the Future performed by Pierce Freelon

A Colorful World performed by Falu

Crayon Kids performed by Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band

Leave a comment 1 tribe collective, 123 andres, falu, lucky diaz and the family jam band, pierce freelon

Black to the Future performed by Pierce Freelon

May 1, 2021 Veronica Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

In Black to the Future, the follow-up to D.a.D. (2020), his debut album for families, Pierce Freelon introduces listeners to Afrofuturism. Combining imagination, science, and technology Freelon takes a futuristic look at the world through the lens of the Black experience, crafting a collection of music that is at once timely and out-of-this-world. Over the course of 18 tracks, we are treated to conversations with Freelon’s son and daughter as well as one special conversation with Miss Ella Jenkins. The songs on Black to the Future cover topics ranging from the process of a father and daughter working to get her hair braided, to navigating the first day of school, to the pain that hurtful words can cause. Along the way important lessons such as being grateful for the big and the little things in life, it’s ok to say no, and “Black boys, it’s ok to be vulnerable” are included. And in a tremendous ode to cultural icon Levar Burton listeners are urged to “seek knowledge and understanding.”

The Afrofuturism influence is felt from the album’s cover art to tracks like “Solar Skate” and title track “Black to the Future.” From beginning to end, Black to the Future is filled with an incredible blend of jazz, R&B, hip hop and electronic pop often set to engaging cosmic beats. A pair of songs bookend the album and serve as perfect examples of the evolution of the music. The album opens with “No One Exactly Like You,” a long lost recording by Freelon’s mother, jazz legend Nnenna Freelon, and closes with a futuristic take on the same song.

The pandemic is also evident on the album in the form of the songs “Cootie Shot” and “ZOMBI.” In “Cootie Shot” listeners are encouraged to not be afraid of needles in order to get those important shots, while Freelon’s daughter Stella shines on her song, “ZOMBI” as she talks about the scary struggle that the past year was for kids having to not only stay home, but physically stay distanced from others. Both songs serve as powerful reminders of the times we are living in.

Black to the Future is a one-of-a-kind album that will have wide appeal and is the perfect set of music for those tweens that are too old for “little kid” music and not quite ready for more adult albums.

2 comments pierce freelon

2020 Children’s Music Roundup

January 5, 2021 Veronica Librarians, Parents, Teachers, Uncategorized

Welcome to Kids Rhythm and Rock’s third annual Children’s Music Roundup! For those of you new to the blog, each year I compile a list of my favorite albums, then organize them by categories that change from year-to-year. Normally I would have had this list up by the middle of December, but 2020 being 2020, it threw a last minute curveball that delayed things a bit.

The past year was a time filled with incredible challenges for children’s music. The pandemic found performers having to completely redefine how they brought their music to the masses, racial and social justice came to the forefront, and the GRAMMY controversy spurred the children’s community to action. Through it all though, one constant remained – children’s music continued to grow in ways that left listeners enthralled, enriched, and entertained. So let’s say hello to 2021 by taking a look back at the year that was in Children’s music. Don’t see your favorites in the list below? Add them in the comments!

Note: There has been a lot of discussion in the past few weeks regarding albums by BIPOC performers. I have denoted those albums with an (**).