So where might you get those great CDs?

So, you're thinking, lots of great music there, but where, oh where, can I buy it?

Well, our friend Bryan (also a judge) at The Pokey Pup is running a special on all of 'em (including the honorable mentions)!

Support a great independent retailer who really cares about kids' music. Head on over there.

The Best Kids and Family Music of 2009 - Fids and Kamily Award Winners

In the fourth year of the Fids and Kamily Music Poll, They Might Be Giants’ Here Comes Science was voted the best kids and family album of the year. Here Comes Science topped a list of outstanding releases in a year that included a kids and family albums from mainstream/adult artists, seasoned kindie artists and some fantastic newcomers.


The Top 11 albums of 2009 are (in order):

1. They Might Be Giants - Here Comes Science
2. Lunch Money - Dizzy
3. Recess Monkey - Field Trip
4 (tie). Peter Himmelman - My Trampoline
4 (tie). Ziggy Marley - Family Time
6. Milkshake - Great Day
7. Gustafer Yellowgold - Mellow Fever
8. Billy Jonas - Happy Accidents
9. Captain Bogg & Salty - Emphatical Piratical
10. Sarah Lee Guthrie & Family - Go Waggaloo
11. The Not-Its - We Are The Not-Its

Honorable Mentions (unranked next twelve):
Ben Rudnick & Friends - A Frog Named Sam
Billy Kelly - Thank You For Joining The Happy Club
Bunny Clogs - More! More! More!
Caspar Babypants - Here I Am!
Dog on Fleas - Beautiful World
Flannery Brothers - Love Songs for Silly Things
John and Mark - John and Mark's Children's Record
Johnny Bregar - Dragonfly
Mr. Leebot - Robot Dance
Los Lobos - Los Lobos Goes Disney
Robbert Bobbert - Bubble Machine
The Sippy Cups - The Time Machine

The Fids and Kamily Poll is the first compilation of year-end kids and family music "best of" lists from critics, writers, radio programmers, and others involved in the music industry. The poll was launched in 2006 and was inspired by the Village Voice’s long-running “Pazz and Jop” music poll. The full results of the poll, including essays on the top 10 albums and a listing of other nominated albums, are available at the Fids and Kamily website (http://fidsandkamily.com).

Other Nominated Albums

In addition to the Top 11 winners and the 12 albums receiving an "Honorable Mention" distinction, the 2009 Fids and Kamily judges included 42 other albums on their ballots. They're listed here in alphabetical order by artist.

Apple Brains - Get Fruity
Artichoke - 26 Animals
Asheba - In the Kid Zone
Boogers - Road to Rock
The Baby Grands - The Baby Grands
Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer w/ Christylez Bacon - Banjo to Beatbox
Charity and the JAMband - Party Like a Twinkle Star
Charlie Hope - I'm Me!
Dan Zanes - The Welcome Table
Dreyer Family Band - Family Photograph
Duplex - Worser
Eric Herman - What A Ride
Hipwaders - Goodie Bag
Hot Peas 'n' Butter - Best of the Bowl
Hullabaloo - High Roller
Imagination Movers - For Those About to Hop
Joe West - If the World Was Upside Down
John Carlin - Welcome to the Kids Music Underground
Kenny Loggins - All Join In
Kesang Marstrand - Hello Night
King Pajama - Something Sweet
Kira Willey - Dance for the Sun
Laura Doherty - Kids in the City
Leeny and Tamara - Sharing the Same Stars
Mariana Iranzi - Aventura Collage
Mary Kaye - Music Box
Miss Lynn - Outside the Lines
Nancy Wilson - Baby Guitars
Putumayo (V/A) - Picnic Playground
Randy Kaplan - Loquat Rooftop
Rhythm Child - Eat a Bowl of Cherries
Rocknoceros - Pink
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo - Easy
The Singing Lizard - Alphabeat
Telephone Company - Panda Brain
Trout Fishing in America - My Name is Chicken Joe
Various - Kidzapalooza vol. 1
Various Artists - Greasy Kid Stuff 3: Even MORE...
The Verve Pipe - A Family Album
Wee Hairy Beasties - Holidays Gone Crazy
Yo Gabba Gabba - Music is Awesome
Yosi and the Superdads - Super Kids Rock!

They're back!

The 2009 Fids & Kamily Awards will be announced this Saturday, November 21, on the radio show Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child, which you can stream on WRSI.com live from 8 to 10 eastern, or on ValleyFreeRadio.org from 7 to 9 eastern.

At some point after the broadcast, the stream will be available on demand too. And of course, the winners will be announced right here!