Idolator

The Kidz Bop juggernaut has slackened a bit over recent years, with recent entries in the series not selling as well as previous installments. (I think that the cover of Modest Mouse's "Float On" irrevocably broke the whole system by turning it into a source for too many LOLs.) But even though it's less popular than before, a modified version of the group—with the faceless singers of background "oohs" and "ahhs" replaced by slightly older counterparts—is on a summer-vacation tour right now, holding all-ages shows in the afternoons, when clubs are normally closed. The Washington Post hit up a recent Kidz Bop tour stop at the 9:30 Club, and the whole spectacle does sound kind of strange, although it's comforting to know that even in this jaded age, kids can still get embarrassed when their parents wave their arms along with the Shop Boyz. More »