I realize that picking my favorite kids music videos gets harder every year. But I do it for you, loyal readers. My list of videos I seriously considered was at least 40 (the number of videos I saw or even featured on this site was even larger). I knew that narrowing it down to 20, the size of last year's list, would omit some really good videos. So I bumped that total up to 25.
There are many things that go into selecting the videos -- how much I like the song, if the song was actually released this year, if the video was actually released this year, personal whimsy -- but I think the list as a whole stands up as fairly representative of the year's best.
Here, then, are my 25 favorite kids music videos from 2010 (2010 defined roughly as March 1, 2010 - February 28, 2011 -- I'm just assuming nothing else super cool gets released in the next 4 days). I'll start off with the #1 video of the year, rank the next 9, and another unranked 15.
If you'd like, you can also watch the YouTube playlist...
.... or you can watch the whole list at my YouTube playlist of these 25 kids music videos (excluding the Keller Williams video, not available on YouTube).
1. John Upchurch & Mark Greenberg - "A Counting Error" [YouTube]
My appreciation for this video (and song) may border on irrational, but I think it's perfect in its own skewed way. This so completely needs to be on Sesame Street.
2. Caspar Babypants - "$9.99" [YouTube]
Simple, yet clear and made with considerable foresight. Perhaps the highpoint of Chris Ballew's DIY aesthetic with his Caspar Babypants project. Great song, too.
3. The Bazillions - "Preposition" [YouTube]
The Twin Cities band gets the award for the best debut series of videos. On 3 videos, they have a consistent visual theme (and frankly, if I let an artist have more than one video, it'd probably include another one of theirs). This is their best. This, too, deserves to be on Sesame Street.
4. Essie Jain - "What a Big Wide World" [YouTube]
Carolina Melis' direction and animation is a perfect match for Jain's dreamy vocals. I wouldn't normally recommend watching videos just before bedtime, but I'm willing to make an exception for this.
5. Holly Throsby - "Fish & Mice" [YouTube]
If you're noticing a theme here -- that it's possible to make live-action videos that don't look cheap -- you're right. Just like Throsby's album, the video is polished, but scruffy in all the right places.
6. Salteens - "Be Nice To Animals" (Yo Gabba Gabba!) [YouTube]
I could easily have put 4 or 5 YGG! videos on this list, but this was my favorite.
7. Key Wilde and Mr. Clarke - "Big Pet Pig" [YouTubeM]
Probably unfair to put an actual illustrator on this list, but it's a great song and the illustrations complement the gently humorous tall tale very well.
8. Billy Kelly - "The Sky Floats (and So Do Boats)" [YouTube]
I know Kelly had a video featuring Davy Jones of the Monkees, but this one I thought was funnier and showed how far a creative concept can go in advancing a video.
9. Keller Williams - "Hula Hoop To Da Loop" [Blip.tv]
This is a bit high-concept for a kids music video, but it's well done, a great song, and the participants are having a lot of fun. That's enough for me.
10. Recess Monkey - "Black Hole in My Room" [YouTube]
One of the many videos the Seattle band did for The Final Funktier, and my favorite. Technically advanced, even.
Honorable Mention (unranked, listed alphabetically)
Jamie Broza - "Waters of March" [YouTube]
Coal Train Railroad/Readeez - "Just the Juice, Jack" [YouTube]
Debbie & Friends - "Cinderella" [YouTube]
Dirty Sock Funtime Band - "Rest Stop" [YouTube]
Heidi Hutchence - "Music In You" [YouTube]
Dean Jones - "Rock Paper Scissors" [YouTube]
Macaroons "Apples and Honey" [YouTube]
Elizabeth Mitchell - "John the Rabbit" [YouTube]
Not-Its - "Green Light Go" [YouTube]
Ralph's World - "My Magic Trick" [YouTube]
Justin Roberts - "Obsessed by Trucks" [YouTube]
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo - "Chase the Rain" [YouTube]
Slugs and Bugs - "Bears" [YouTube]
Sugar Free Allstars - "Cars and Trucks" [YouTube]
Verve Pipe - "When One Became Two" [YouTube]
