Children's music

Gustav Holst's Indra (1903) is an example, and other composers of reputation - such as Frederic Cowen, Arthur Somervell, Walford Davies and Percy Fletcher - also contributed to the genre.

[1] The growth of the popular music publishing industry, associated with New York's Tin Pan Alley in the late 19th and early 20th centuries led to the creation of a number of songs aimed at children.

[2] Perhaps the best remembered now is "Teddy Bears' Picnic", with lyrics by Jimmy Kennedy in 1932 and the tune by British composer John William Bratton was from 1907.

Many of the biggest names in theater, radio, and motion pictures were featured on these albums, such as: Bing Crosby, Harold Peary ("The Great Gildersleeve"), Orson Welles, Jeanette MacDonald, Roy Rogers, Fanny Brice, William Boyd ("Hopalong Cassidy"), Ingrid Bergman, Danny Kaye, and Fredric March.

Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Ella Jenkins were among a cadre of politically progressive and socially conscious performers who aimed albums to this group.

[4] This was followed by successful features including Beauty and the Beast (1991, with Peabo Bryson) Aladdin (1992, with Regina Belle), and The Lion King (1994), the last of which had music by British singer Elton John and Tim Rice, and Pocahontas (1995, with Judy Kuhn), all of which were awarded best song at the Oscars.

[7] Most albums targeted nationally to children are soundtracks for motion pictures or symbiotic marketing projects involving mass-marketed acts such as The Wiggles or VeggieTales (Christian).

Trout Fishing in America has achieved much acclaim continuing the tradition of merging sophisticated folk music with family-friendly lyrics.

His songs were already kid friendly with catchy lyrics and simple melodies punctuated with penny whistles and ship bell sound effects.

Sanitized versions of earthy songs like Harry McClintock's "The Big Rock Candy Mountains" have regularly been adapted for younger audiences.

The 2008 version by Gil McLachlan re-tells the story as a child's dream, the last stanza being:In the Big Rock Candy Mountains you're going on a holiday Your birthday comes around once a week and it's Christmas every day You never have to clean your room or put your toys away There's a little white horse you can ride of course You can jump so high you can touch the sky In the Big Rock Candy Mountains.

[8] In September 2016, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings label acquired the Bobby Susser series, to further the exposure of children's music that teaches as well as entertains, throughout the world.

[9] As more children are using smartphones, tablets, laptops and smart TVs, kids' songs have entered the on-demand streaming content era.