Kidz Bop Hitting NJ After Setting World Record

Kidz Bop began nearly 25 years ago and since then has become one of the most successful touring acts of all time.

If you’re a parent, you undoubtedly know about these Kidz, an ever-changing group of teenagers that sing kid-friendly versions of some of today’s hits you hear on Magic 98.3 daily. Many Kidz Bop alumni have gone on to successful careers, including Zendaya and Ross Lynch.

The Kidz's summer concert Live Certified BOP tour is rolling into Holmdel, New Jersey. The kids will hit PNC Bank Arts Center on July 12th, which also features the return of their “Daddy Dance Off.”

Kidz Bop was launched in 2001 and is now celebrating the release of its 50th album. They’ve sold over 24 million albums, most of which have landed in the top 10 on the Billboard chart.

The franchise has also generated more than 11 billion streams, and if you ask any Millennial or Generation Zer, they’ll probably say Kidz Bop was their first concert experience.

Just last week, they set the Guinness World Record for the youngest music group to headline an arena show when they performed in London, England, at the legendary Wembley Arena.

They’ve also released their 50th album, Kidz Bop 50, with their own versions of Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso, Billie Eilish’s Birds of a Feather, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’s Die with a Smile, Hozier’s Too Sweet, and more than thirty other tracks.

Check out my interview with Kidz Bop kids Cliff and Shila here...

Get more information and check out their tour dates here.

Back in the ‘80s, Saturday mornings were sacred. It was the one time of the week kids had the TV all to themselves. No parents yelling about chores or bills, no news anchors going on about politic. Just pure kid fun in the form of cartoons. These weren’t just any cartoons either; these were shows so epic, they made waking up early on a weekend feel worth it. If you were lucky, you’d grab a bowl of your favorite sugary cereal, plop down in front of the TV, and let the magic happen.

In the ‘80s Saturday morning cartoons had it all! Action, comedy, and sometimes a random PSA about how not to be a jerk to your friends. They had characters you wished you could be, like a sword-wielding hero or a cool mutant turtle with ninja skills. The stories were wild, the animation was colorful (for the time), and the theme songs? Certified bangers. Seriously, some of those intros still live rent-free in my head decades later.

The best part? These Saturday morning cartoons shows had no shame in being completely over the top. They’d mix robots with dinosaurs, throw in some aliens, and add a plot about saving the planet for good measure. But that’s what made them awesome, they were ridiculous, and we loved them for it. Even now, thinking about those Saturday mornings hits me with a wave of nostalgia so strong I can almost taste the Cap’n Crunch.

He-Man wasn’t just jacked—he was the guy. Fighting Skeletor in a world of magic and monsters, He-Man made you believe yelling “By the power of Grayskull!” could fix anything. The show was cheesy but in the best way.

Robots turning into cars, planes, and everything else? Genius. Optimus Prime was the dad you always wanted, and Megatron made being bad look cool. It was the ultimate battle of good versus evil with explosions.

Four mutant turtles trained in martial arts by a giant rat? Sure, why not! They ate pizza, kicked butt, and had catchphrases like “Cowabunga!” What’s not to love?

Lion-O and the gang brought a mix of sci-fi and fantasy to your screen. With their epic battles and that wild “ThunderCats, ho!” battle cry, they had you hooked. Plus, Snarf was everyone’s weird little sidekick.

“Knowing is half the battle!” If you watched G.I. Joe, you probably still say that line. The team of elite soldiers fought Cobra and taught life lessons at the same time. A true classic.