Is Silly Necessary to CD Success?

“You can’t pass junk by them. Kids are natural connoisseurs of music.” — Elly Tucker, Rivanna Music

While many children are perfectly content to listen to their parents’ rock, jazz, pop and classical music selections, the kids’ CD market continues to grow. With so many albums to choose from, what should retailers look for when stocking their shelves? TDmonthly Magazine asked manufacturers to provide insight into what they think works and why.

Is it necessary to have silly characters incorporated into the music? Carol Cartledge, owner of CAT Entertainment, producer of the "Mommy, I Can't Sleep" therapeutic music CD, doesn’t think so. In fact, “a child who matures faster than others may be turned off by funny voices or cartoons,” she said.

“However, these effects can help draw kids in when artfully used,” countered Shoshana Zisk, founder and president of KiddieVillage.

Rebecca Frezza, whose new album “Tall and Small” will be released July 5 on Big Truck Music, LLC, said it’s necessary to provide variety. “Kids like silly, but they also like beautiful imagery and songs that just make them want to dance. They love story songs and nonsense songs as well as songs that describe the feelings, people and things in their everyday lives.”

Ricki Glinert, A & R manager for Casablanca Kids (ToyDirectory), agreed with this sentiment. “What makes a kid’s CD successful with children is respect and quality,” she said. “If the music talks to kids on their level about their interests, kids will enjoy it and want to listen to it.”

Elly Tucker, vice president of Rivanna Music, said kids need variety in rhythm and beat, just like adults. “You can’t pass junk by them. Kids are natural connoisseurs of music.”

“Kids are very savvy and instinctively know a good song from a bad song ... don't ask me how they know, but they are some of the best judges around,” agreed Debi Derryberry of Very Derryberry Productions.

Georgean Johnson-Coffey, president of Blue Vision Music, LLC, echoed this opinion. “Music carries messages on many levels: the lyrics, melodies, harmonies, voice of the singer(s). Kids perceive all of this,” she said. “If this relates to them, they listen.”

And, when it comes to babies, music should be very carefully put together. “In order for their brains to process what they hear, the music must avoid being too fast, too loud or too busy,” according to Gary Brody, president of Lovely Baby Music (ToyDirectory).

Beyond that, “If you want them to keep liking it after 30 or 40 listens, you have to build components into the song that maintain their interest long after the novelty of the ‘new song’ has worn off,” according to Thaddeus Rex, a musician who anticipates a November release date for his second kids' CD, "We Wanna Rock!! Non-Fiction and Nonsense from the Heartland." It will be released on his label, Thaddeus Rex Productions.

According to Michael Cash, president of Production Associates, creators of the We Sign product line that is distributed by Educational Insights (ToyDirectory), “successful kids’ CDs have to be driven by something visual to be successful.” He feels, in addition, that “music for kids has to be annoying to adults” in order to sell well.

Ken Carder, in product development with Twin Sisters Productions, noted that while a package deal between books or DVDs and music is useful, if parents can’t stand to listen to an album, they won’t play it. “We strive to make music that’s listened to by both kids and parents.”

Yet, child singers can help to connect children listeners to the music, according to Kathy Byers, president of KT Music Productions Inc. (ToyDirectory) “Children are encouraged to participate (and they do!) when they hear their peers perform,” she said.

Even better, according to Denise Gagne, music editor at Themes & Variations, “Kids love sound effects. It always enhances a CD.”

Lanny Sherwin, president of Sandman Records (ToyShow), writes for the whole family rather than just for children, incorporating humor into the lyrics. He said that while educating through music is possible, “kids will quickly reject a song if a lesson is the only thing going for it.”

Kate Beale, vice president of Soaring Star Productions (ToyShow), agreed with this sentiment. Humor is important even when teaching lessons, she said, and noted that her company’s CD includes a blooper track of the performers. “Based on very positive feedback, this is something that children love!”

Buck Howdy, who recently released his album “Giddyup!” through Prairie Dog Entertainment, agreed. “Kids play my new CD ‘Giddyup!’ repeatedly because they think my song ‘Baked Beans’ will bug their parents,” he said. “Little do they know their parents do have a funny bone and find the song just as hysterical (and repeatable) as the kids do!”

However, Paulette Meier, the singer/songer who created Come Join the Circle: LessonSongs for Peacemaking, felt music could do a lot more. “There's a lot of silliness in songs that might make children laugh, but it doesn't give them good information about how to make things go better in their lives,” she said. “I believe children yearn for helpful things.”

Sally Shaver, president of Silly Sally Productions (ToyShow), has a background in physical education and agreed that kids can get more than entertainment value out of listening and dancing to CDs. Studies show, she explained, that “young children learn best by moving.”

Robert Franki, president and owner of Classical Fun Music Inc. (ToyDirectory), would agree that dancing to music keeps kids involved, as the lyrics to his symphonic CDs describe fun activities. "Timeless masterpieces plus educational lyrics and reinforcing movement are a powerful '1-2-3' learning combination. Children will appreciate the beauty of adult music while benefiting from the multiple learning themes," he said.

There is one thing that no child reacts well to, according to Keith Grimwood, half of the Trout Fishing in America duo: “No love songs for kids. They generally hate that mushy, kissy-type stuff.” He will be releasing a new CD this fall titled “My Best Day” on Trout Records.

Dennis Scott of Dennis Scott Productions, producer of "Songs From the Neighborhood - The Music of Mister Rogers", agreed. “Uptempo and funny songs are preferable to younger kids,” he said. “Older ones may start to appreciate a ballad or two, but even they are more attracted to songs that have a beat.”

Keeping lyrics age appropriate is essential, according to Michael Preston, founder and owner of PRE Records. Topics must be “something the child can relate to like tying their shoe or going to the beach and playing in the sand,” he said.

Lisa Mathews and Mikel Gehl of the music group Milkshake agreed. “Only the lyrics need to differ (from adult music). It needs to be about something kids care about, and written in a way they can understand,” they said. They will be releasing their third children's CD, "Play," on October 10.

Ben Rudnick, guitar and vocals for the band, Ben Rudnick & Friends, added, “Imagery is a great lyric tool,” but it must be used wisely. “If a lyric is too watered down or condescending, then the child will grow out of the music instead of finding new meaning as they get older.”

Erin Lee and Marci, a musical duo who created the album “Snowdance,” make sure that when creating music for children, “the lyric, the character and the rhythms all offer a new experience for kids, that there is something there for a child to dance to, act out, or discuss.”

What follows is more information on children’s CDs that manufacturers will have available for the 2006 holiday season.