Top Kids and Family Podcasts (May 2016 Chart)

Last month I debuted a chart of the top-ranked audio podcasts.  Nearly a month has passed since that effort, and I thought it was time to check in and see how much it had changed.

As it turns out, to some extent, yes, but not dramatically so.  Many of the kid-focused podcasts that were at the top of the iTunes and Stitcher kids and family charts in April are there still, but others dropped out of one or the other, while other podcasts found their way.

Before I provide the list, I should note again that this is a blunt instrument, combining pure rankings from two fairly opaque charts, and for a variety of reason should not solely be used as a measure of quality.  But I do think it's interesting to see which podcasts are breaking through in some way to more than a niche audience.  (Results compiled from Top 100 podcasts on iTunes and Stitcher "kids and family" charts on Thursday, April 12, 2016.  Podcasts that appear on both charts are listed with numbers; remaining podcasts only appeared on one list.)

Also: pssst.

1.  Brains On
2. (tie) Stories Podcast
2. (tie) Storynory
4. Tumble
5. Story Pirates
6. Story Time
7. Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd

Others (listed alphabetically): 1001 Classic Short Stories and Tales, Activated Stories, Adventures in Odyssey, Barefoot Books, Book Club for Kids, But Why, The Children’s Corner, Classics for Kids, Family Folk Tales, Little Stories for Tiny People, Molly and the Sugar Monster, Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome, Podcast Kid, Spare the Rock Spoil the Child, Sparkle Stories, The Story Home, That Story Show

Monday Morning Smile: "Sing a Song" - Earth, Wind & Fire

So of course Earth, Wind & Fire are awesome, and "Sing a Song" is awesome.  And this video, which overlays the studio track onto some live footage (that choreography! those clothes!), is pretty awesome.  All of which begs the question:

How exactly has this not been covered by a kindie musician yet?

Earth, Wind & Fire - "Sing a Song" [YouTube]

Video: "Dame una A" - 123 Andres

It's Cinco de Mayo as I type this, and while 123 Andres' new album Arriba Abajo gets its official release a month from now, this is as a good a week as any to release a brand new Spanish-language kids music video.

The video is for "Dame una A" ("Give Me an A") and its simple celebration of vowels ("vocales") is well-served by an incredibly cute quartet of animated animals, characters, and, er, vowels.  I'm guessing this is not the last we will see of them.

123 Andres - "Dame una A" [YouTube]

Video: "Chocolate" - Sonia de Los Santos

Mi Viaje album cover

After the ubiquitous "De Colores," I'd guess that the traditional Mexican children's tune "Chocolate" is the Spanish-language song that appears most often in our kids music collection.  Simple enough for preschoolers of any language + sugar = generations of children's music longevity!

Sonia de Los Santos included a nice rendition of the song on her album Mi Viaje: De Nuevo León to the New York Island, and now it's got an simple but artfully crafted video to match.  The illustration is from Mexican-born illustrator Rafael Lopez, and if you and your family enjoyed de Los Santos' album, or Dan Zanes' music and overall family music aesthetic, y'all will dig this.

Sonia de Los Santos - "Chocolate" [YouTube]

Video: "You Were Meant To Be" - Renee Stahl and Glen Phillips (World Premiere!)

(from left to right) Rich Jacques, Glen Phillips, Renee Stahl

I suppose it's always time for songs of unconditional love and acceptanace around these parts, but with Mother's Day coming up this weekend, it's especially that sort of time.  So this brand new video for "You Were Meant To Be" from Renee and Friends' Simpatico album seems very timely.

That album included duets with a number of Renee Stahl's friends and acquaintances, and "You Were Meant To Be" features vocals from Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket.  (That's Phillips with Stahl in the picture to the left, along with producer Rich Jacques.)  Stahl was a long time fan of Phillips in addition to being a friend of his.  Phillips said he and Stahl wrote the song, whose message is one of welcoming and belong in good times and bad, at a time of personal transition for him -- "it was wonderful to take some of that uncertainty and view it through the lens on a parent/child relationship."  For me, the result is one of the album's highlights.

Glen Phillips recording

The animation for the new video is from Jon Izen, whose line art of bird-like humans (or human-like birds) and amuted color palette also graced Renee and Jeremy videos for "Share" and "Yellow."  I loved his work on those videos, and the retro vibe and art direction for this new song is another excellent fit.

So, regardless of whether you're a mother, a father, or neither -- like, for example, a kid -- I think you'll enjoy this world premiere.

Renee Stahl & Glen Phillips - "You Were Meant To Be" [Vimeo]

Photo credit: Renee Stahl Dektor

Radio Playlist: New Music April 2016

I know that new music season must be approaching its peak, because there's quite a bit of music I've received I just haven't had a chance to choose the best from, and still this list is a half-hour of great stuff.  (If you want to catch my list from March, another full list, you can see that playlist here.)

As always, it's limited in that if an artist hasn't chosen to post a song on Spotify, I can't put it on the list, nor can I feature songs from as-yet-unreleased albums.  But I'm always keeping stuff in reserve for the next Spotify playlist.

Check out the list here (or right here in you're in Spotify).

**** New Music April 2016 (April 2016 Kindie Playlist) ****

"Wake Up" - Red Yarn (w/ Morgan Taylor)

"Animal Tracks" - Laura Doherty

"All The Things I Found" - Frances England

"One Verse Song" - Sugar Free Allstars

"O pato" - Paulinho Garcia

"Chugga Chugga" - The Singing Lizard

"One" (feat. Dub Tonic Cru & Tommy Shepherd) - Aaron Nigel Smith

"Kelp!" - Two of a Kind

"Obla Dobla De" - The Que Pastas

"Sing a Summer Song" - Charity and the JAMband