My Favorite Kids Music Videos of 2009

As much as 2009 was a great year for kids music, I think it might have been even more the year of the kids music video. In past years, coming up with 16 good kids music videos, let alone 20, was hard work. This year, it was hard, but not because there wasn't enough good stuff. There was too much good stuff. I'm still not sure why that is -- while you have your fair share of material developed for DVDs or TV pilots, there are still plenty of videos on this list that seem created solely for the purpose of promoting a song or album (and perhaps amusing their creators). But it doesn't really matter, does it? Here, then, are my 20 favorite kids music videos from 2009 (2009 defined roughly as March 1, 2009 - February 28, 2010), starting off with the #1 video of the year... (or you can watch the whole list at my YouTube playlist of these 20 great kids music videos). 1. They Might Be Giants - "Meet the Elements" [YouTube] Videos are flavor enhancers -- they don't do much for a bland song, no matter how technically proficient or cool the visuals are. But a good video can go a long ways toward implanting a song into the brain. And combine a great song with a great video, and you can put this result at the entryway to They Might Be Giants' wing in the Kids Music Video Hall of Fame.

Video: "Donut Brain Aliens" - Dirty Sock Funtime Band

I probably should lead with the newest video, but it's a video for a song called "Donut Brain Aliens." How could I not lead with it? It's from the Dirty Sock Funtime Band, and it's from their new show that starts tomorrow (Wednesday, March 10) on WQED in Pittsburgh. It features "educational adventures... aimed at youngsters ages 3 to 8." Adventures involving donut brain aliens, apparently. Dirty Sock Funtime Band - "Animal Song" [Vimeo]

The Dirty Sock Funtime Band "Donut Brain Aliens" from Snap Films on Vimeo.

More, less, well, weird stuff from the show after the jump.

Video: "A Song About Ferrets" - Karen Potje

This video for "A Song About Ferrets" from Karen Potje's 2008 jazz-folk disk (with a hint of country) Can't Help But Love You, Baby is a mix of Eric Herman's "The Elephant Song" and Rocknoceros' "Trying To Write a Song." That's not a bad pair of songs to be reminded of. Perhaps not quite in either song's league, but definitely amusing enough. Karen Potje - "A Song About Ferrets" [YouTube]

Video: "All My Friends Are Insects" (from Yo Gabba Gabba!) - Weezer

You know the deal -- if I can't embed a video here, I don't like to post it. Why post something with just a couple lines of text and a link? But I'm willing to make an exception if the video's pretty awesome, and the Yo Gabba Gabba! video for "All My Friends are Insects" as performed by Weezer, the creation of which we noted here a few months back, is pretty awesome. It was on the Nick YGG site last night, but was gone this morning, apparently because Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive. Oh, well, good for them -- go watch it. It misses the complete awesomeness of Steve Burns' "I Hog the Ground" video, but by just a hair. Also amusing: the raging discussion of how earthworms are not insects. I dunno. Doesn't bug me.

Video: "Is It Really Any Wonder?" - Renee and Jeremy

Is there another pair of voices in kids music who blend as sweetly as Renee and Jeremy? I submit to you the answer is no. This is one of the sweetest songs from C'mon, but if they sat around at home and sang the phone book, I'd listen. (Also, note: the last time they did this, Jeremy's hair was much shorter.) Renee and Jeremy - "Is It Really Any Wonder?" - [YouTube]