Children's music
Music composed and performed for juvenile audiences.
Children's music is music composed and performed for children, historically serving both entertainment and educational functions. In European-influenced contexts, it refers to songs written specifically for a juvenile audience, usually by adult composers. The genre has roots in folk songs and educational music, and its development has been shaped by publishing, recording, and broadcast media. Early published children's music in England expanded after the 1870 Education Act made class singing compulsory, creating demand for choral works. By the early 1900s, leading publisher Novello offered over fifty school operettas, often modeled on the tuneful, morally safe style of Gilbert and Sullivan. Composers such as Gustav Holst, Frederic Cowen, and Arthur Somervell contributed to this genre. The rise of Tin Pan Alley in New York produced early children's hits like "Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes" and "School Days" (1907), while "Teddy Bears' Picnic" combined a 1907 tune with lyrics from 1932. Recordings for children date to the medium's origins: the first words ever recorded, in 1860, were from the children's song "Au Clair de la Lune," and the first discs sold in 1888 included Mother Goose nursery rhymes. Major labels like RCA Victor, Decca, and Columbia released children's albums throughout the 1930s–1950s, often based on cartoons or nursery rhymes, featuring read-along booklets and stars like Bing Crosby and Orson Welles. Disney's role became central after "Minnie's Yoo Hoo" (1930) and the 1937 film *Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs*, whose songs set a lasting template. The baby boom generation spurred growth, with Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Ella Jenkins producing albums. Novelty hits like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and The Chipmunks' "The Chipmunk Song" (a 1958 number one) were commercially successful. In the 1960s, folk artists Peter, Paul, and Mary and Tom Paxton made children's albums, while *Sesame Street* (launched 1969) created enduring music by Joe Raposo and Jeff Moss, earning eleven Grammys. Jazz and pop styles entered school works via Herbert Chappell's *The Daniel Jazz* (1963) and subsequent "pop cantatas" by Michael Hurd, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Joseph Horovitz. The 1970s saw *Schoolhouse Rock!* and *The Letter People* bring children's music to television audiences.
- field
- Music
- known_for
- Entertainment and educational songs for children
- early_published_works
- School operettas by Novello (early 1900s)
- key_early_composers
- Gustav Holst, Frederic Cowen, Arthur Somervell, Walford Davies, Percy Fletcher
Lore & Background
Children's music has a long history intertwined with recorded sound. Early record catalogues from Edison, Berliner, and Victor all contained separate children's sections. Throughout the 1930s–1950s, companies like RCA Victor, Decca, Capitol, and Columbia released albums based on popular cartoons or nursery rhymes, often as read-alongs with booklets. Many major stars of theater, radio, and film—including Bing Crosby, Orson Welles, and Danny Kaye—featured on these albums. The mid-20th-century baby boom created a growing market for children's music as a separate genre. Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Ella Jenkins were among politically progressive performers who aimed albums at this group. Novelty recordings like 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' and The Chipmunks were commercially successful. In the 1960s, folk artists such as Peter, Paul, and Mary and Tom Paxton wrote children's albums. The 1970s saw Schoolhouse Rock! and The Letter People on television, and artists like Raffi helped establish children's music as a distinct industry genre.
Reader's Guide
Children's music has historically served both entertainment and educational functions, often designed to teach children about their own culture, other cultures, good behavior, facts, and skills. Many examples are folk songs, but a distinct genre of educational music has grown increasingly popular. In European-influenced contexts, this music is typically composed and performed by adults for a juvenile audience. The field expanded significantly with the baby boom generation, which created a growing market for children’s music as a separate genre. Politically progressive and socially conscious performers such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Ella Jenkins targeted albums to this audience. Commercially successful ventures included novelty recordings like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and the fictional group The Chipmunks, whose “The Chipmunk Song” became a number-one hit. In the 1960s, folk artists including Peter, Paul, and Mary, The Limeliters, and Tom Paxton wrote albums for children. The launch of *Sesame Street* in 1969, with music by composers Joe Raposo and Jeff Moss, dominated the children’s music landscape and has won numerous Grammy Awards. During this period, jazz and pop styles also entered school operas and musicals, with works like Herbert Chappell’s *The Daniel Jazz* and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s *Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat*. In the 1970s, television features such as *Schoolhouse Rock!* and *The Letter People* brought children’s music to an even wider audience, solidifying its role as both an educational tool and a commercial force.
Did You Know?
- Sesame Street has won 11 Grammy Awards for its children's music.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Children's music as a genre?
Children's music is a category of composition and performance created specifically for young listeners, blending fun with learning. In European traditions, it typically involves adult composers writing songs aimed at a juvenile audience.
Who are the key early composers associated with Children's music?
Pioneering figures in the genre include Gustav Holst, Frederic Cowen, Arthur Somervell, Walford Davies, and Percy Fletcher. These composers helped establish the tradition of writing purposeful music for young audiences in the early twentieth century.
What purpose does Children's music serve?
The genre is designed to both entertain and educate its young listeners, making it a dual-purpose form. It draws on folk traditions and educational music to create material that is engaging while also teaching.
How did Children's music evolve historically?
The genre grew out of folk songs and school-based music, with early published works like Novello's school operettas appearing in the early 1900s. Its later development was significantly shaped by the rise of publishing houses, recording technology, and broadcast media.
More in Musical Genres And Styles 1-21
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record