Review Summary: A modern classic.
When life isn't going my way I just put my Kidz Bop CD on, throw my horns in the air and
mosh my worries away. #23 is a modern masterpiece and an underrated classic.
My review:
Dear Music Appreciators,
I'm giving this release five stars (up from the four stars I gave to Kidz Bop 21), not
necessarily because I myself "love it" (as a five star review is supposed to indicate),
but more because my kids love it, and because for what Kidz Bop intends to be, it succeeds
quite well.
For those who find it useful to have a list of the original artists who made these songs
popular, here you go - compliments of Wikipedia:
1. "Good Time" Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen 3:23
2. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" Taylor Swift 3:12
3. "As Long As You Love Me" Justin Bieber ft. Big Sean 3:49
4. "Want U Back" Cher Lloyd 3:35
5. "Everybody Talks" Neon Trees 2:58
6. "Let's Go" Calvin Harris ft. Ne-Yo 3:45
7. "Locked Out of Heaven" Bruno Mars 3:33
8. "Wide Awake" Katy Perry 3:41
9. "Live While We're Young" One Direction 3:19
10. "Diamonds" Rihanna 3:45
11. "Too Close" Alex Clare 3:51
12. "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)" Ne-Yo 4:13
13. "Some Nights" Boyz in the Sink 3:45
14. "I Cry" Flo Rida 3:42
15. "Home" Phillip Phillips 3:14
16. "Gangnam Style" PSY 3:14
Other versions from other ginormous music retailers include some of the following bonus
tracks (depends on which ginormous retailer)
17. "50 Ways to Say Goodbye" Train 4:07
18. "Catch My Breath" Kelly Clarkson 4:09
19. "Feel Again" OneRepublic 2:53
20. "Where Have You Been" Rihanna 3:44
21. "One Thing" One Direction 3:16
22. "Finally Found You" Enrique Iglesias 3:14
23. "Hello" Karmin 3:55
For those who could use a little more info on the Kidz Bop series, here is my review of
Kidz Bop 21, which in many ways applies to all the Kidz Bop releases:
Dear Music Appreciators,
Much parental fuss has been made over KIDZ BOP. This is a music series by a record label
called Razor & Tie that has been around for about ten years. Every year they release a
couple of compilation CDs and up to four "special collection" CDs (such as "Kidz Bop Sings
The Beatles"). The main concept is kids performing "kid-friendly" versions of Top 40
songs. "Today's Biggest Hits Sung By Kids For Kids" as the album cover proclaims. Some
parents think this is great and some parents are horrified, what with all the sex, drugs,
and rock and roll (but especially sex) vibes that are woven into many of today's top pop
songs (and to have children listening to other children singing this filth...oh, the
horror!)
I shall now throw in my two cents for what it's worth:
I am a reasonably religious and relatively respectable father of two. I think this stuff
is fine and I can see why kids of a certain age or a certain phase might lap it up. The
songs are edited to a degree and the kid performers turn in fairly quality performances.
Although the series is aimed at music fans 5-12, I would think it would hold the greatest
appeal for the 5-9 range - a time when many kids will be more interested in the beats and
the feel of the music - a time when kids just want something that sounds fun and cool that
they can dance to. And "Today's Biggest Hits" certainly have plenty of big danceable beats
that will blow the usual kiddie songs out of the water.
Many 10-12 year olds will already have moved on to the genuine article and for those that
haven't, more power to them and their parents - they should keep listening to stuff like
KIDZ BOP while they still can. And for kids that will be off and running on their own
before you know it anyway, I see any kind of last remaining filters between them and the
adult world as a good thing and not a bad thing.
Kudos to any parent for being too careful rather than not careful enough, but I say let
the kids bop to the KIDZ BOP - the young ones probably just want to dance and the older
ones should be commended for wanting to enjoy "kid-friendly" media for as long as
possible.
5/5
