Babies dance to Beyoncé - the "I'm Real" deal

"'Cause I'm real. The way you walk, the way you move, the way you talk." -I'm Real, Kidz Bop 2

I absolutely love this. Why? Maybe because I was a dancing baby 20 years ago.

A baby grooving to Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" music video has over 2.8 million views and has parents wondering why little kids love the song so much. In fact the YouTube sensation has spurred a whole troop of dancing diaper-clad babies across the nation, inspiring a Web site called SingleBabies.com.



Time.com article published an article today asking "Why Do Tots Love Beyoncé?"

"Lyrics like "if you like it, then you shoulda put a ring on it" aren't the stuff of Sesame Street, and the stark white background and synchronized moves of Beyoncé and two other dancers, all in black leotards and heels, seem about as far from The Wiggles as one gets, which is why some parents have been taken aback by how popular "Single Ladies" is with their children," says author Ada Calhoun.

People at the popular Baby Einstein company suggests that the "Single Ladies" video provides visual and aural stimulation well suited for the under-2 crowd.

"Babies love high-contrast colors, steady beats and smiling women's faces," says Calhoun.

So what does this have to do with Kidz Bop?

This music video and song shows that kids CAN enjoy music without it being altered. Songs don't need to be child-proofed in order for a kid to dance around or hum along. Beyoncé's hit music video, which Kanye West believes is the "one of the best videos of all time," can stand by itself and reach across all ages. Can't we leave more songs alone and let them walk, move and talk by themselves?

To read the entire article, click here: All the Single Babies: Why Do Tots Love Beyoncé?

Time to "Come Clean" - a reflection post

"I'm shedding, shedding every color. Trying to find a pigment of truth beneath my skin." -Come Clean, Kidz Bop 6

I've been thinking a lot about why I care so much about the integrity of music. As someone who enjoys all types of music (except country, sorry!), I understand that music is meant to be enjoyed. Music is meant to be an artist's form of expression. Music is meant to join people together. Music is meant to release anger, excitement, or any sort of emotion. It's an outlet. I know people can argue for days about the quality of music that's out there, but the fact is that people are making music because they love it. Was Danity Kane's heart really "damaged?" There's really no way to tell, but some girl is pumping their song in her car and is saying, "yeah, my last boyfriend was a tool bag." Maybe not this scene exactly. The point is that I've felt some connection to even "musical fluff, empty songs without lyrical substance or real content," according to my roommate Sonika, at various points in my young life.

When I was in elementary school I loved the Spice Girls. That would be me in the middle. I wish the picture was a little more clear, but I'm wearing a black velvet mini skirt and three inch platform heels. THREE INCHES for a 5th grader. Chunky Mary Janes.

Anyway, I owned their movie, their CDs, dressed up like them (I frequently wore knee socks and platforms) and knew their lyrics verbatim. I remember practicing "Say You'll Be There" and "2 Become 1" in front of my bedroom mirror. I had Posh Spice's hand lift down to perfection. My parents were okay with it because I didn't understand any of the sexual innuendoes, despite how obvious sex breathed from their brand. I lived the phrase "I like the music, but I don't pay attention to the words" like many of my friends who wore knee socks and platforms (the girl on the far left was our Baby Spice). So who's fault is it that I listen to such inappropriate music? Is it my parents lack of responsibility? Is it my fault for lying about not paying attention to the words? Is it the Spice Girls' fault for targeting young girls with their catchy Girl Power persona? Well, I thank my parents for giving me the freedom of music choice and the freedom of dress. I also thank them for not covering up the Spice Girls to protect their youngest daughter. What would the Spice Girls be if they were not wearing scantily clad outfits and singing about boys and girls? My Spice World would have been a false utopia of lies. 

So I guess Kidz Bop is an important subject for me is because I believe that children shouldn't be protected by rose-colored glasses. If parents want to let their kids listen to Eminem, that's their decision. I'm not saying that all music is appropriate for 5th graders, but I don't think that minor editing is going to protect children from the "evils" of adult content. It just makes kids more addicted to their songs.

Kidz Bop, it's time to "come clean." Stop pretending to be doing parents a favor.

For the love of children and music: Stop Kidz Bop!

"Damaged" Happy Meals?

"Do, do you got a first aid kit handy? Do, do you know how to patch up a wound? Tell me." -Damaged, Kidz Bop 14


It's a good thing I was more of a BigMac kind of girl...

This past spring of 2009, McDonald's decided to partner with Kidz Bop by giving away 8 different Kidz Bop samplers with their Happy Meals. According to marketing manager of McDonald's USA Rebecca Anderson, Mcdonald's chose Kidz Bop for their first music CD-based Happy Meal promotion because "[McDonald's] knows kids love music, and Kidz Bop is an empowering brand."

She also adds that "It's a very relevant and engaging property [they] know [the kids] will love" shown by Kidz Bop promise.

When the promotion began in April 24, 2009, Kidz Bop had sold 11 million CDs in just over eight years of business and were on their 15th compilation. The last nine CDs premiered in Billboard's Top 10.*

It seemed like the perfect marriage: greasy food for children and terribly contagious music.

The problem began with a little tune by Gavin Degraw less than three weeks into the promotion. "I Don't Wanna Be" on Kidz Bop CD No. 6 contained a word that was supposed to be "looking" but what sounded like the word "fucking." Several parents to a McDonald's in Alabama and consequently they decided to pull all of their Kidz Bop CDs from their Happy Meals. Although the franchise stuck to their guns, McDonald's corporate defended Kidz Bop.

"Kidz Bop carefully chooses the songs featured on all Kidz Bop CDs, including those songs in the current Happy Meal, to ensure both the subject matter and lyrics are appropriate for our youngest guests. McDonald's further ensures the song selections are consistent with the stringent standards that we attribute to all of our Happy Meal toy offerings," said McDonald's corporate spokeswoman Danya Proud.**

The real problem is that there is even an argument. There's a hint of uncertainty. Listen for yourself (0:06).



By the way, in the original song, Gavin DeGraw DOES use the f-word.

Kidz Bop may not have "damaged" corporate McDonald's reputation, but there's a group of angry parents out there who are wondering what kind of crazy lunatics are promoting profanity to their young children. The franchise in Alabama knew how to fix their minor mishap. They didn't give away Kidz Bop CDs. Easy.

*Check out the article from BrandWeek: McDonald's Grooves to Kidz Bop
**Check out the article from UPI: Parents: Profanity in McD's Kidz Bop CD 

"Hot N' Cold" -What's your decision process?

“You change your mind like a girl changes clothes. ‘Cause you’re hot and you’re cold. You’re yes and you’re no. You’re in and you’re out. You’re up and you’re down.” – Hot N’ Cold, Kidz Bop 15 

So there are a couple of themes that run throughout many popular songs. Kidz Bop touches all bases. I’m curious to know how they choose their songs, what gets edited, what lyrics can stay, and so forth. They seem pretty “hot n’ cold” when it comes to discretion.   

So I’d like to point out songs that I wish Kidz Bop didn’t cover and songs that I praise Kidz Bop for leaving alone. 

COLD = Shame on you Kidz Bop! --songs covered by Kidz Bop

HOT = Good decision guys. --songs NOT covered by Kidz Bop

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Angry Ex-Girlfriends -

Kelly Clarkson - New Music - More Music Videos

Cold: Never Again (originally by Kelly Clarkson- featured music video): “I hope the ring you gave to her turns her finger green. I hope that when you’re out* with her you think of me…” *edited: originally, “when you’re in bed with her you think of me”

Hot: You Oughta Know by Alanis Morisette: “And every time you speak her name does she know how you told me you’d hold me until you died, til you died. But you’re still alive.”

Both songs are filled with a lot of angst. Maybe Kidz Bop chose to not feature Alanis’ grammy-nominated song because she drops the F-bomb. Or maybe they said no because the song was written and chanted out of pure spite and hatred towards real-life ex-boyfriend Uncle Joey from Full House… Kelly is just angry in general. No strings attached. Does that mean her song is free game?  

Cheating Boyfriends (like Angry Ex-girlfriends, there seems to be a pattern with song choices!):

Rihanna - New Music - More Music Videos

Cold: Take A Bow (originally by Rihanna- featured music video): “Don’t tell me you’re sorry ‘cause you’re not. And baby when I know you’re only sorry you got caught.”

Hot: Irreplaceable by Beyonce: “So go ahead and get gone. And call up that chick and see if she’s home. Oops, I bet ya thought that I didn’t know. What did you think I was putting you out for?”

There are plenty of 8-year-olds with cheating boyfriends. In fact, when I was in second grade, a cute boy gave me a Valentine and I was super excited. Then I found out he gave one to all the other girls in the class. And all the boys. Oh wait, we were supposed to make Valentine’s for everyone. Boys are still liars. Indoctrination! 


***Edit: Oct. 11, 2009: Irreplaceable was on Kidz Bop 11. I was so proud of Kidz Bop for leaving a soulful Beyonce piece out of their goldmine, but I was wrong. They had to make a cover of it too.

Hitting the Dance Floor:

Britney Spears - New Music - More Music Videos

Cold: Circus (originally by Britney Spears- featured music video): “All eyes on me in the center of the ring just like a circus. When I crack that whip everybody gonna trip just like a circus.”

Hot: Dirrty by Christina Aguilera: “It’s about time that I came to start the party. Ooh sweat dripping over my body. Dance and getting just a little naughty. Wanna get dirty. It’s about time for my arrival.”


So I'm not exactly sure what Britney means when she "cracks her whip" but regardless, whether you're making like a freak show or dry humping the sweaty people around you, it's not an environment for children. 

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So what's the big deal? If you check out the music videos, you can see the tone and the context of the songs. The HOT songs I picked are, of course, slightly more adult-like, but the point is that these kids are emulating these artists when clearly the subject matter is not in good taste for young children.

Again, for the love of children and music, STOP KIDZ BOP!

"Sorry," parents aren't too happy either.

"I'm sorry I'm bad, I'm sorry I'm blue. I'm sorry 'bout all the things I said to you. And I know I can't take it back...This time I think I'm to blame. It's harder to get through the days. We get older and blame turns to shame. 'Cause everything inside it never comes out right. And when I see you cry, it makes me wanna die." - Sorry, Kidz Bop 14

Common Sense Media is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that is "dedicated to improving the media and entertainment lives of kids and families." Their Web site provides tools and information for parents, including independent forums, to research the media that they and their children are utilizing.

According their reviews, Kidz Bop 14 had a couple major issues that parents should look out for: violence, sexual innuendoes and consumerism. The review said that a few songs contained dark images such as "a world full of killing and blood spilling," the line "let's get it on tonight" was not edited out and some CDs contained promotional materials.  Here's what they had to say about the CD musically:

"...there's also no heart, passion, or soul. And, the quality of music is so dreadful that you may not want to bother. The instrumentation is synthesized and lacks inspiration; the mastering so carelessly handled that it sounds like someone threw a wet towel over the mixes. Even the anonymous singing kids sound like they would rather be doing something else."

Ouch. Pretty harsh reviews for a children's mix. Here's the link if you want to thoroughly look at the review. But I agree with the point. If we forego the issue of the content of the lyrics, the music itself isn't any better. Forget that you aren't a fan of Kelly Clarkson or Danity Kane (yes, they made a cover of Diddy's girl group). Just imagine if Kidz Bop made a cover for Radiohead's "Creep," Adele's "Chasing Pavements" or Arcade Fire's "Wake Up." I could never listen to these songs again. Sorry, if you can't make a decent cover, please don't.

For the love of children and music: STOP KIDZ BOP.