But to its detractors, Kidz Bop is an unholy compromise between children's entertainment and adult culture, strip-mining each category for its worst qualities and Frankensteining them together, all so families can unite to listen to, say, a cloying rendition of LizzoвЂ™s вЂњTruth HurtsвЂќ so lyrically incoherent - вЂњYou couldвЂ™ve had a good friend, noncommittalвЂќ - you wonder why youвЂ™re listening to it at all.Д«ehind Kidz BopвЂ™s pop chart domination is the alchemy of an unassuming idea meeting the opportune cultural moment, and a surprisingly resilient formula in a volatile, unforgiving marketplace. Kidz Bop has become a trusted guide to pop for parents without the time or energy to keep up with music but who still want to hear todayвЂ™s hits minus any overtly sexual, drug-related, or violent lyrics. With over 21 million album sales and 24 albums that debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, the вЂњKidz Bop Kids,вЂќ as the changing cast of young performers is credited, have had more Top 10 albums than anybody save for the Beatles, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, and the Rolling Stones. In an era that has seen the music business all but collapse in on itself - declining album sales and revenue, streaming disrupting the traditional distribution model - Kidz Bop has managed to thrive. Since its first album, KIDZ BOP, which opened with a cover of Smash MouthвЂ™s вЂњAll StarвЂќ and closed with Sixpence None the RicherвЂ™s вЂњKiss Me,вЂќ the franchise has been one of the recording industryвЂ™s quietly enduring success stories. Perhaps thereвЂ™s no better sign of total cultural saturation than this: Even the things you donвЂ™t do can spark a news cycle. Still, Kidz Bop-esque parodies of the hit proliferated across the internet, as did a satirical news story about a Kidz Bop writer suffering a nervous breakdown while trying to write a clean version of it.

While their task is sometimes as easy as swapping out swears, in the case of Cardi B and Megan Thee StallionвЂ™s terrifically profane ode to womenвЂ™s sexual desire, there was no way it could be softened. Kidz Bop - technically stylized as KIDZ BOP - has been in business for decades.

If youвЂ™re familiar with the company, which PG-ifies pop hits for the early-elementary set, you can probably see why. If you couldnвЂ™t tell they were children, you definitely can once you realize the line вЂњWeвЂ™re higher than a motherfuckerвЂќ has been replaced with the bland but on-brand вЂњWeвЂ™re Kidz Bop and weвЂ™re taking over.вЂќД«ut thereвЂ™s no Kidz Bop version of, say, вЂњWAP,вЂќ no sweetened version of that driving beat or child-safe alternative lyrics.

Then the vocals kick in: MinajвЂ™s petulant rapping has been replaced by several chirpier voices. The musical arrangement is just familiar enough, like one youвЂ™d hear at a karaoke bar. Have you ever heard the Kidz Bop cover of Nicki MinajвЂ™s вЂњStarshipsвЂќ? ItвЂ™s so strange, it became something of a meme.

Kidz bop kids this is what you came for