One could mark Dan Zanes' October, 2000 release of Rocket Ship Beach as the beginning of the modern kids' music renaissance, a period of unprescedented creativity and diversity in the field of music for children. Music and art centers like Brooklyn, Seattle, San Francisco, and Austin have fostered their own children's music scenes.
One factor that fostered this burst of creativity in the first years of the 2000s was the ease of recording, mastering, and distributing music. Personal computers, recording and mastering software, and online distribution companies like CD Baby have put the power in the hands of the artists.
Children's shows like Jacks' Big Music Show and Yo Gabba Gabba! have created a bridge between indie rock bands and children's music. Finally, Elizabeth Mitchell's You Are My Little Bird brings it all full circle: her 2006 release on Smithsonian Folkways is a timeless album that marks that classic label's return to the spotlight.
