“Baby Shark”
Pinkfong
“Into the Unknown”
Idina Menzel
“All I Want”
Olivia Rodrigo
“Show Yourself”
Idina Menzel & Evan Rachel Wood
“Spooky, Scary Skeletons”
Andrew Gold
“How Far I’ll Go”
Auli’I Cravalho
“Some Things Never Change”
Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff and cast of Frozen II
“Queen of Mean”
Sarah Jeffery
“All Is Found”
Evan Rachel Wood
“You’re Welcome”
Dwayne Johnson
“Baby Shark”
Pinkfong
“I Am a Gummy Bear”
Gummibär
“You’re Welcome”
Dwayne Johnson
“How Far I’ll Go”
Auli’I Cravalho
“He’s a Pirate”
Klaus Badelt
“Someday”
Milo Manheim & Meg Donnelly
“Un Poco Loco”
Anthony Gonzalez & Gael Garcia
“Spooky, Scary Skeletons”
Andrew Gold
“How Far I’ll Go”
Alessia Cara
“Shiny”
Jemaine Clement
“Baby Shark”
Pinkfong
“Queen of Mean”
Sarah Jeffery
“You’re Welcome”
Dwayne Johnson
“Spooky, Scary Skeletons”
Andrew Gold
“How Far I’ll Go”
Auli’I Cravalho
“Un Poco Loco”
Anthony Gonzalez & Gael Garcia
“Night Falls”
Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Booboo Stewart, Cameron Boyce, Thomas Doherty, China Anne McClain and Dylan Playfair
“Into the Unknown”
Idina Menzel
“Shiny”
Jemaine Clement
“Other Friends”
Sarah Stiles
“I Am a Gummy Bear”
Gummibär
“You’re Welcome”
Dwayne Johnson
“How Far I’ll Go”
Alessia Cara
“Shiny”
Jemaine Clement
“We Know the Way”
Opetaia Foa’I & Lin-Manuel Miranda
“How Far I’ll Go”
Auli’I Cravalho
“What’s My Name”
China Anne McClain
“Ways To Be Wicked”
Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Cameron Boyce and Booboo Stewart
“Get Back Up Again”
Anna Kendrick
“It’s Goin’ Down”
Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Cameron Boyce, Booboo Stewart, China Anne McClain, Mitchell Hope, Thomas Doherty and Dylan Playfair
“I Am a Gummy Bear”
Gummibär
“Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”
Chipettes
“Pokemon Theme”
Pokemon
“Genie in a Bottle”
Dove Cameron
“Aladdin”
Chuck Riley
“Under the Sea”
Samuel E. Wright
“Accidents Will Happen”
Thomas & Friends
“Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Theme”
They Might Be Giants
“How Far I’ll Go”
Alessia Cara
“You’re Welcome”
Dwayne Johnson
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2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
Label SmartStudy Peak Position 1 Weeks on Chart 102
Label Disney Peak Position 2 Weeks on Chart 19
Label Disney Peak Position 2 Weeks on Chart 14
Label Disney Peak Position 4 Weeks on Chart 18
Label Music for Little People Peak Position 4 Weeks On Chart 179
Label Disney Peak Position 2 Weeks on Chart 146
Label Disney Peak Position 6 Weeks on Chart 18
Label Disney Peak Position 2 Weeks on Chart 35
Label Disney Peak Position 6 Weeks on Chart 18
Label Disney Peak Position 1 Weeks on Chart 175
Label Watertower Music Peak Position 9 Weeks on Chart 17
Label Disney Peak Position 4 Weeks on Chart 162
Label Disney Peak Position 8 Weeks on Chart 6
Label Disney Peak Position 7 Weeks on Chart 22
Label Disney Peak Position 4 Weeks on Chart 107
Label Disney Peak Position 2 Weeks on Chart 133
Label Music for Little People Peak Position 4 Weeks On Chart 166
Label Disney Peak Position 1 Weeks on Chart 162
Label Disney Peak Position 2 Weeks on Chart 22
Label SmartStudy Peak Position 1 Weeks on Chart 89
Label Disney Peak Position 1 Weeks on Chart 113
Label Music for Little People Peak Position 9 Weeks On Chart 114
Label Disney Peak Position 5 Weeks on Chart 55
Label Disney Peak Position 4 Weeks on Chart 110
Label Disney Peak Position 3 Weeks on Chart 46
Label Disney Peak Position 5 Weeks on Chart 34
Label Disney Peak Position 2 Weeks on Chart 81
Label Disney Peak Position 1 Weeks on Chart 110
Label Sony Peak Position 1 Weeks on Chart 153
Label SmartStudy Peak Position 1 Weeks on Chart 37
Label Disney Peak Position 10 Weeks on Chart 23
Label RCA Peak Position 6 Weeks On Chart 58
Label Disney Peak Position 6 Weeks on Chart 35
Label Disney Peak Position 7 Weeks on Chart 29
Label Disney Peak Position 6 Weeks on Chart 28
Label Disney Peak Position 5 Weeks on Chart 57
Label Disney Peak Position 4 Weeks on Chart 57
Label Disney Peak Position 1 Weeks on Chart 60
Label Disney Peak Position 1 Weeks on Chart 57
Label Sony Peak Position 1 Weeks on Chart 104
Label Disney Peak Position 10 Weeks on Chart 5
Label Disney Peak Position 9 Weeks on Chart 8
Label Disney Peak Position 5 Weeks on Chart 52
Label Orchard Peak Position 4 Weeks on Chart 52
Label Disney Peak Position 4 Weeks on Chart 52
Label Disney Peak Position 4 Weeks on Chart 52
Label Disney Peak Position 2 Weeks on Chart 41
Label eOne Peak Position 3 Weeks On Chart 43
Label Rhino Peak Position 2 Weeks on Chart 52
Label Sony Peak Position 1 Weeks on Chart 52
The Lion
King s
No Label Comes Close To Disney In Streaming And Album Sales
Thanks to the Frozen and Descendants franchises, Coco, Moana and High School Musical: The Musical, the House of Mouse rules
Top Streamed Children’s Songs
Year To Date (Jan. 3-April 2)
Source: Nielsen Music/MRC Data, Children’s On-Demand Overall Streaming chart
When success is measured in children’s music, Disney is the winningest player in the business — with two exceptions.
The two songs that drove the most on-demand streams of children’s music from 2016 through 2019 were not products of the House of Mouse. Pinkfong’s “Baby Shark” racked up 980.53 million on-demand audio and video streams in 2019, according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, and is second only to “Despacito” when total streams of all genres are considered. It was also No. 1 in 2018 with 293.51 million total on-demand streams, and between Jan. 3 and April 2 was No. 1 with 191.08 million streams. Prior to the arrival of the seemingly omnipresent “Baby Shark,” the German virtual act Gummibär’s “I Am a Gummy Bear” was the top streamed children’s song of 2016 and 2017 and No. 2 in 2018.
The long run belongs to Disney, however. In 2019, it claimed 85 of the top 200 streamed songs. In market share, Disney has been the top label by far for at least the last five years. In 2020 so far, it accounts for 52.63% of the children’s music market. Disney also has four of the top four and 18 of the top 20 slots among the top 25 children’s albums since 1992, the first full year that Nielsen tracked point-of-sale purchases. Its original 1994 Lion King soundtrack holds down the top spot with 10.1 million in sales. The High School Musical, Frozen and Pocahontas soundtracks have sold an additional 13.5 million copies. Frozen, which was released in 2013, is the newest album on the list. Most of Disney’s top sellers came out in 2009 or earlier. Two of its top earners, Children’s Favorite Songs Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, arrived in 1979.
The market share, though, belongs to Universal Music Group, which distributes Disney’s records thanks to a deal with sister company Hollywood Records. As a result, UMG gets to claim Disney’s market share of the kids’ sector as its own, which for the last five years has exceeded 37% and between Jan. 3 and April 2 totaled 42.66%. That boosts UMG’s total share of the children’s market to nearly 70%.
Disney became an indie-label powerhouse thanks in part to the consolidation of the major music companies about a decade ago. Prior to the early 1990s and the formation of national distributors for independents, the major labels relied on a patchwork of regional distributors to get their music into record stores and other retailers. But as the six major music groups consolidated into three between 1999 and 2012, they built their own distribution pipelines and abandoned these regional networks.
Disney’s records were dependable niche sellers for the label’s distributors in the 1970s and ’80s, but, after a brief stint distributing its own music, the entertainment giant handed the reins to UMG, which also serves as the distributor for Concord Music Group, the owner of the Kidz Bop franchise and, from 2016 through 2019, the holder of the second-largest market share for kids’ music. In the first quarter of 2020, however, Concord was edged out of second place by Sony-owned The Orchard, which distributes “Baby Shark.”
By Ed Christman
Total sales
**
*The first full year that Nielsen tracked point-of-sale purchases. Sales figures
are based on physical/digital album sales for the time periods specified.
**As of April 2
Source: Nielsen Music/MRC Data
Classic Disney:
60 Years of Musical Magic Vol. 2
25
YEAR RELEASED: 1995
ARTIST: Various Artists
LABEL: Walt Disney
1.3M
Children’s Favorite Songs Vol. 2
24
YEAR RELEASED: 1979
ARTIST: Larry Groce and The Disneyland Children’s Sing-Along Chorus
LABEL: Walt Disney
1.33M
Camp Rock
23
YEAR RELEASED: 2008
ARTIST: Camp Rock
LABEL: Walt Disney
1.34M
Baby Einstein:
Lullaby Classics
22
YEAR RELEASED: 2004
ARTIST: The Baby Einstein Music Box Orchestra
LABEL: Walt Disney
1.36M
The Cheetah Girls 2
21
YEAR RELEASED: 2006
ARTIST: The Cheetah Girls
LABEL: Walt Disney
1.41M
Sing-A-Longs and Lullabyes for the Film Curious George
20
YEAR RELEASED: 2006
ARTIST: Jack Johnson
and Friends
LABEL: Brushfire/Universal
1.52M
Toddler Tunes
19
YEAR RELEASED: 1994
ARTIST: Cedarmont Kids
LABEL: Cedarmont Music
1.56M
Toddler Favorites
18
YEAR RELEASED: 1998
ARTIST: Music for
Little People Choir
LABEL: Music for
Little People
1.61M
Classic Disney:
60 Years of Musical Magic Vol. 1
17
YEAR RELEASED: 1995
ARTIST: Various Artists
LABEL: Walt Disney
1.75M
The Cheetah Girls
16
YEAR RELEASED: 2003
ARTIST: The Cheetah Girls
LABEL: Walt Disney
1.75M
The Lizzie McGuire Movie
15
YEAR RELEASED: 2003
ARTIST: Various Artists
LABEL: Walt Disney
1.97M
Hannah Montana:
The Movie
14
YEAR RELEASED: 2009
ARTIST: Various Artists
LABEL: Walt Disney
2.1M
Beauty & The Beast: Original Motion
Picture Soundtrack
13
YEAR RELEASED: 1991
ARTIST: Various Artists
LABEL: Walt Disney
2.35M
Barney’s Favorites
Vol. 1
12
YEAR RELEASED: 1993
ARTIST: Barney
LABEL: Capitol
2.4M
Aladdin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
11
YEAR RELEASED: 1992
ARTIST: Various Artists
LABEL: Walt Disney
2.48M
Children’s Favorite Songs Vol. 1
10
YEAR RELEASED: 1979
ARTIST: Larry Groce and
The Disneyland Children’s
Sing-Along Chorus
LABEL: Walt Disney
2.63M
Tarzan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack
9
YEAR RELEASED: 1999
ARTIST: Various Artists
LABEL: Walt Disney
2.63M
Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus
8
YEAR RELEASED: 2007
ARTIST: Miley Cyrus
LABEL: Walt Disney
3.28M
High School Musical 2
7
YEAR RELEASED: 2007
ARTIST: Soundtrack
LABEL: Walt Disney
3.43M
Hannah Montana
6
YEAR RELEASED: 2006
ARTIST: Various Artists
LABEL: Walt Disney
3.74M
A Charlie Brown Christmas
5
YEAR RELEASED: 1965
ARTIST: Vince Guaraldi Trio
LABEL: Fantasy
3.87M
Pocahontas:
An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack
4
YEAR RELEASED: 1995
ARTIST: Various Artists
LABEL: Walt Disney
4.28M
Frozen
(Original Motion
Picture Soundtrack)
3
YEAR RELEASED: 2013
ARTIST: Various Artists
LABEL: Walt Disney
4.32M
High School Musical
2
YEAR RELEASED: 2006
ARTIST: Various Artists
LABEL: Walt Disney
4.93M
The Lion King Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1994)
1
YEAR RELEASED: 1994
ARTIST: Various Artists
LABEL: Walt Disney
10.08M
25
The Lion King’s Share
TOP 25
CHILDREN’S ALBUMS
(1992*-Present)
Source: Nielsen Music/MRC Data
Kidz Bop 27
Frozen (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Kidz Bop 28
Kidz Bop 30
Descendants (Original TV Movie Soundtrack)
Kidz Bop 29
Frozen
Home: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
We Love Disney
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Kidz Bop Kids
Various Artists
Kidz Bop Kids
Kidz Bop Kids
Various Artists
Kidz Bop Kids
Disney Karaoke Series
Various Artists
Various Artists
Vince Guaraldi Trio
Concord
Walt Disney
Concord
Concord
Walt Disney
Concord
Walt Disney
Westbury Road Entertainment/Roc Nation
Verve
Fantasy
336.71K
259.71K
211.45K
204.16K
202.45K
183.89K
119.11K
104.56K
94.85K
94.13K
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
1
NO.
Trolls: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Kidz Bop 31
Moana: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Kidz Bop 32
Kidz Bop 33
Frozen (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Kidz Bop 30
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Frozen
Kidz Bop Greatest Hits
Various Artists
Kidz Bop Kids
Various Artists
Kidz Bop Kids
Kidz Bop Kids
Various Artists
Kidz Bop Kids
Vince Guaraldi Trio
Disney Karaoke Series
Kidz Bop Kids
RCA
Concord
Walt Disney
Concord
Concord
Walt Disney
Concord
Fantasy
Walt Disney
Concord
301.45K
210.29K
194.15K
157.83K
124.45K
85.19K
72.24K
69.71K
62.7K
60.06K
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
1
NO.
Moana: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Trolls: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Beauty and the Beast
Sing: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Descendants 2 (Original TV Movie Soundtrack)
Kidz Bop 34
Kidz Bop 35
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Kidz Bop 36
Kidz Bop Greatest Hits
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Kidz Bop Kids
Kidz Bop Kids
Vince Guaraldi Trio
Kidz Bop Kids
Kidz Bop Kids
Walt Disney
RCA
Walt Disney
Republic
Walt Disney
Concord
Concord
Fantasy
Concord
Concord
708.82K
521.65K
396.95K
260.33K
175.22K
117.16K
71.75K
62.29K
53.07K
52.85K
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
1
NO.
Kidz Bop 37
Moana: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Coco: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Zombies (Original TV Movie Soundtrack)
Trolls: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Kidz Bop 38
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Mary Poppins Returns: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Sing: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Kidz Bop Greatest Hits
Kidz Bop Kids
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Kidz Bop Kids
Vince Guaraldi Trio
Various Artists
Various Artists
Kidz Bop Kids
Concord
Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walt Disney
RCA
Concord
Fantasy
Walt Disney
Republic
Concord
131.08K
129.8K
87.73K
84.23K
78.77K
66.14K
63.6K
50.61K
47.4K
42.2K
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
1
NO.
Frozen II
Descendants 3 (Original TV Movie Soundtrack)
Aladdin
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Kidz Bop 39
Pinkfong Presents: The Best of Baby Shark
The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Mary Poppins Returns: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Moana: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Kidz Bop 40
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Vince Guaraldi Trio
Kidz Bop Kids
Pinkfong
Various Artists
Various Artists
Various Artists
Kidz Bop Kids
Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Fantasy
Concord
The Orchard
Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Concord
206.44K
101K
94.56K
90.77K
76.9K
58.27K
54.36K
53.53K
42.11K
40.29K
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
1
NO.
TOP-SELLING ALBUMS BY YEAR
TOP-SELLING ALBUMS BY YEAR
Disney characters: Courtesy of © Disney 2020 All Rights Reserved. Descendants: Ed Herrera/© Disney Enterprises.
Pinkfong: Courtesy of SmartStudy. Gummibär: Courtesy of GummyBear International. Pokémon: 2019 Pokémon TM ® Nintendo.
COURTESY OF DISNEY 2020 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. DESCENDANTS: ED HERRERA/DISNEY ENTERPRISES.
PINKFONG: COURTESY OF SMARTSTUDY. GUMMIBÄR: COURTESY OF GUMMYBEAR INTERNATIONAL. POKEMON: 2019 POKEMON/NINTENDO.
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The Lion
King s