Billboard Family
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Aloe Blacc and Walker Hayes will perform at the 2024 Family Film and TV Awards, CBS has announced.
R&B and soul singer-songwriter Blacc and country singer-songwriter Hayes, both Grammy-nominated artists, will take the stage for the Nov. 9 show airing at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and streaming on Paramount+. Entertainment Tonight‘s Kevin Frazier and The Talk‘s Amanda Kloots were previously named as hosts.
The Family Film and TV Awards celebrate excellence in family-oriented film and television. This year’s show features award categories including outstanding actor in a feature film, outstanding actor in a TV series, best iconic film, best iconic television series, best competition television series, best game show, outstanding reality show, best ensemble television series and best feature film.
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Timothée Chalamet (Dune: Part Two), Zendaya (Dune: Part Two), Ryan Reynolds (IF), Mark Wahlberg (Arthur the King) and Zachary Levi (Harold and the Purple Crayon) are up for outstanding actor in a feature film, while nominees for outstanding actor in a TV series are Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson and the Olympians), Iain Armitage (Young Sheldon), Gordon Cormier (Avatar: The Last Airbender), Louisa Harland (Renegade Nell), Amandla Stenberg (The Acolyte).
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Blacc — who had a top 10 hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard’s Hot R&B Songs with “The Man” in 2014, and hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart and No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with his album Lift Your Spirit the same year — celebrated the 10th anniversary of Lift Your Spirit with a special deluxe release this year. He also released the two-EP set Rock My Soul, which saw him covering a number of classic alt-rock hits. February 2025 will bring more new music from the R&B and soul vocalist, who has a philanthropic project in mind: an album of songs inspired by different non-profit organizations.
Hayes — whose 2021 hit “Fancy Like” topped Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart at No. 1 and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and whose 2022 Country Stuff: The Album hit No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums and charted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 — released an EP titled Sober Thoughts earlier this year. Up next for Hayes is Christmas Vacation, a collection of classic holiday cover songs plus originals from the singer, which will be available for the Christmas holiday this year.
Complete details about the 2024 Family Film and TV Awards can be found on the award show’s official website.
Pharrell Williams dropped the video for the title track to his animated biopic, Piece By Piece, on Thursday morning (Oct. 24). And like the Morgan Neville-directed film that’s in theaters now, the brightly colored, high-energy visual directed by Neville renders the singer/producer/rapper/fashionista in LEGO blocks, borrowing some scenes from the unique, blocky big screen trip […]
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Tricks and treats! Just before Halloween, Netflix and Disney+ are bringing spooky specials to families and highly-anticipated new releases from two […]
Girl power has arrived: Kids’ audio player Yoto has added Spice Girls music to its library, in partnership with Universal Music Group.
Spice Girls: Greatest Hits, a collection of 14 songs, is now available for the Yoto Player and Yoto Mini via a music card priced at $12.99. Yoto made the announcement on Tuesday (Oct. 22).
Featured tracks include the Spice Girls’ biggest pop hits, which parents who grew up in the ’90s are sure to remember: “Wannabe,” which held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for a total of four weeks in 1997, and “Say You’ll Be There,” which peaked at No. 3 on the chart the same year.
‘Spice Girls: Greatest Hits’ for Yoto
Yoto offers ad-free music, stories and educational activities for children on screen-free audio players. They’re used by inserting a card, like the new Spice Girls: Greatest Hits one, into a slot that’s at the top of the player.
“Adding the greatest hits from the Spice Girls to our music collection is an exciting milestone for Yoto,” says Dom Hodge, Yoto’s head of music and sound, in a statement about the new release. “We’re thrilled to make iconic ’90s hits from one of the most influential music groups of all time accessible to budding music lovers globally. We can’t wait for young listeners to discover the joy and vibrancy that shines through the Spice Girls discography.”
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Sarah Boornman, Universal Music UK’s general manager youth strategies, says, “For so many parents, children themselves in the ’90s, the Spice Girls WERE pop music! We can already feel the anticipation and excitement, as these now adult fans get ready to pass on unmistakable, iconic anthems such as ‘Wannabe’ and ‘Spice Up Your Life’ to the next generation.”
Disney music favorites like original songs from Encanto and Frozen, plus classic song collections from The Beatles and Queen, are among the other featured music cards on Yoto’s website. Some other fun highlights are music themed for upcoming holidays like Halloween (Halloween Howls and Spooky Songs) and sets featuring classic pre-school songs.
There are several card options in classic children’s fiction –picks like Frog and Toad and Winnie-the-Pooh, both great series to read with younger ones, and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Matilda, often enjoyed by elementary school-aged kids — for families who’d like to use the player to listen to stories.
Universal Music Group is among a Yoto’s current list of partners that includes PRH, Macmillan, Sony, Disney, Roald Dahl Story Company, Pottermore, HarperCollins, Hachette, Viacom, Bonnier and Scholastic.
The Yoto Player is priced at $99.99, and the 2024 edition of the Yoto Mini is $69.99.
Here’s the track list for Yoto’s Spice Girls: Greatest Hits card:1. “Wannabe”2. “Say You’ll Be There”3. “2 Become 1”4. “Mama”5. “Who Do You Think You Are”6. “Move Over”7. “Spice Up Your Life”8. “Too Much”9. “Stop”10. “Viva Forever”11. “Let Love Lead the Way”12. “Holler”13. “Headlines”14. “Goodbye”
The Rockabye Baby! collection Lullaby Renditions of Taylor Swift Volume 2, which was released digitally last month, is now available on vinyl to lull little Swifties to sleep.
Lullaby Renditions of Taylor Swift Volume 2 was released on Friday (Oct. 18), giving record player lovers an excuse to buy one for the nursery.
Sweet, instrumental reimaginings of “Fortnight,” “Wildest Dreams,” “August,” “Cardigan” and “Lover” are included on the release, as well as gentle lullaby versions of dynamic pop hits like “Cruel Summer” and “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.”
The new release, found on Rockabye Baby!’s website for $30, features clear and purple color-in-color vinyl, a full-color sleeve, a fold-out, poster-sized coloring page and a digital download card. The sleeve design is a play on Swift’s tour poster, swapping teddy bears in for the many eras of Swift.
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It follows 2015’s Lullaby Renditions of Taylor Swift, Rockabye Baby!’s first set of Swift-themed lullabies.
Swift, who will officially release her The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology album on vinyl on Black Friday, resumed hers Eras Tour this weekend with three concerts in Miami following a two-month break. She’ll bring the show to New Orleans next, which will be followed by performances in Indianapolis, Toronto and Vancouver (where on Dec. 8 she’ll officially wrap the tour).
Get a preview of “Cruel Summer” as a lullaby and see the full track list below.
Lullaby Renditions of Taylor Swift Volume 2 Track List
1. “Anti-Hero”2. “You Need To Calm Down” 3. “Fortnight”4. “Look What You Made Me Do”5. “Cruel Summer”6. “Karma”7. “Don’t Blame Me”8. “Wildest Dreams”9. “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart”10. “August”11. “Willow”12. “Cardigan”13. “Lover”14. “Enchanted”
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If you’re a parent, or know anyone with kids, then you’re probably familiar with the magic of Ms. Rachel. The YouTube content creator, who recently joined John Legend for a kid-friendly sing-along, took to Instagram on Friday (Oct. 19) to address issues over her bestselling Ms. Rachel doll.
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The doll is No. 1 on Amazon, and so popular that fakes have been popping up online and duping shoppers. Ms. Rachel faced the drama in a video where she went over the difference between her doll and the knockoff.
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“I’m so sorry that this is happening,” she said of the fake dolls. “I want to make sure that you got a real one, so let’s go over how to tell. This is so important to me because we don’t know if the fake dolls are safe or not,” Ms. Rachel continues before explaining the features of her doll versus the fake.
Released by Spin Master, the authentic Ms. Rachel doll is an interactive, touch-activated toy that sings four songs: “Wheels on the Bus,” “Hop Little Bunny,” “I’m So Happy” and “Icky Sticky.” The doll also says more than 16 signature phrases, including “Can you say…?” and “I’m so proud of you!”
Amazon
Ms. Rachel Speak & Sing Doll, 16” Tall Interactive Toy with 4 Songs & 16+ Phrases
The Ms. Rachel Speak & Sing Doll ($29.99) is designed for ages six months to 3 years old, and aids in conversation and cognitive development. Ms. Rachel designed the doll along with child development experts. According to multiple TikTok videos, fake Ms. Rachel dolls were apparently being sold online through third parties that uploaded them to Walmart and Amazon.
Luckily, Ms. Rachel has an official Amazon store where parents can shop the her doll and other toys and books, such as her latest bestseller, Ms. Rachel and the Special Surprise.
The official Ms. Rachel doll is available at Amazon, Walmart and Target.
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Victoria Monét is excited to publish her first-ever children’s book.
The three-time Grammy winner announced on Monday (Oct. 14) that her debut children’s picture book, Everywhere You Are, will arrive on June 25, 2025. The publication will be released in English and Spanish-language editions through Putnam Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers.
“WOW!! I’m super excited to announce my first picture book, Everywhere You Are, illustrated by Alea Marley,” Monét wrote on Instagram alongside a photo gallery that included the book’s cover. “I wrote this book in honor of hard working parents wanting to offer a consoling reminder to their children that even when a loved one isn’t right next to us, the love you have for each other still carries so much presence!”
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Everywhere You Are “is a lyrical and heartwarming picture book to comfort children experiencing separation anxiety while offering solace to hardworking parents,” according to a news releasing announcing the forthcoming book. The book, which is inspired by Monét’s experiences as a working parent, follows “a gentle moon as it comforts a young star when they part ways at dawn.”
Monét said in a statement, “This book means so much to me! I love many types of writing from poetry to music, and eventually script and it has always been a special dream of mine to write children’s books. It brings so much joy to know that families will share moments of reflection, understanding and quality time while reading this book for generations to come! I’m passionate about the subject of the book and explaining it in a way that is digestible for a child. I can’t wait to share it.”
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Everywhere You Are can be pre-ordered here.
Earlier this year, Monét won her long overdue first Grammy for the coveted best new artist trophy at the 66th annual Grammy Awards. The singer-songwriter also took home best R&B album for Jaguar II and best engineered album, non-classical. The Atlanta native boasts nine top 40 Billboard Hot 100 chart hits as a songwriter, with seven recorded by Ariana Grande, including the No. 1s “Thank U, Next” and “7 Rings” in 2018-19. Plus, her co-write “Ice Cream,” by BLACKPINK and Selena Gomez, reached No. 13 in 2020.
See Monét announcement for her first children’s book on Instagram below.
The Blippi: Join the Band Tour launched in late September and has already visited a number of cities, but still has many, many performances to come.
“We’re in and out of cities every day,” says Shaw, who explains the busy travel schedule is something they consider when casting talent for the show. “We’re looking for high energy, engaged actors and actresses who are excited about the opportunity, not only to play a great role in a great show, but also have the opportunity to travel.”
See a list of the remaining tour dates for 2024 below, and find up-to-date information about all the dates still to come in 2025 on the tour’s official website:
Friday, Oct. 18 – Meridian Centre – St. Catharines, ONSaturday, Oct. 19 – Tribute Communities Centre – Oshawa, ONSunday, Oct. 20 – Living Arts Centre – Mississauga, ONWednesday, Oct. 23 – Peterborough Memorial Centre – Peterborough, ONSaturday, Oct. 26 – Thunder Bay Community Auditorium – Thunder Bay, ONSunday, Oct. 27 – Burton Cummings Theatre for the Performing Arts – Winnipeg, MBTuesday, Oct. 29 – Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium – Brandon, MSWednesday, Oct. 30 – Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium – Brandon, MSFriday, Nov. 1 – Conexus Arts Centre – Regina, SKSaturday, Nov. 2 – TCU Place – Saskatoon, SKSunday, Nov. 3 – Enmax Centre – Lethbridge, ABFriday, Nov. 8 – Abbotsford Centre – Abbotsford, BCSaturday, Nov. 9 – Okanagan Events Centre – Penticton, BCSunday, Nov. 10 – Queen Elizabeth Theatre – Vancouver, BCTuesday, Nov. 12 – Jack Singer Concert Hall – Calgary, ABFriday, Nov. 15 – Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium – Edmonton, ABSunday, Nov. 17 – Co-op Place – Medicine Hat, ABTuesday, Nov. 19 – MetraPark Arena – Billings, MTWednesday, Nov. 20 – Bismarck Event Center – Bismarck, NDThursday, Nov. 21 – Scheels Arena – Fargo, NDFriday, Nov. 22 – Xtreme Arena – Coralville, IASaturday, Nov. 23 – Taft Theatre – Cincinnati, OHSunday, Nov. 24 – The Family Arena – St. Charles, MOFriday, Nov. 29 – The Riverside Theater – Milwaukee, WISaturday, Nov. 30 – Fisher Theatre – Detroit, MISunday, Dec. 1 – Temple Theatre – Saginaw, MITuesday, Dec. 3 – Old National Events Plaza – Evansville, INWednesday, Dec. 4 – Appalachian Wireless Arena – Pikeville, KYFriday, Dec. 6 – Old National Centre – Indianapolis, INSaturday, Dec. 7 – Mershon Auditorium – Columbus, OHSunday, Dec. 8– Louisville Palace – Louisville, KYTuesday, Dec. 10 – Walton Arts Center – Fayetteville, ARThursday, Dec. 12 – Cable Dahmer Arena – Independence, MOFriday, Dec. 13 – Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts – Springfield, MOSaturday, Dec. 14 – Texas Hall – Arlington, TXSunday, Dec. 15 – Bayou Music Center – Houston, TX
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
The Billboard Family Hits of the Week compiles what’s new and worth your family’s time in music, movies, TV, books, games and more. Forget the mind-numbing scrolling and searching “what to watch for family movie night” … again. The best in family entertainment each week is all in one place, in this handy guide. Isn’t it satisfying to cross something off your list?
Before moving forward with recommendations of how to keep your family entertained this week, I want to acknowledge it’s been a devastating few days for the pop music community with the untimely passing of One Direction‘s Liam Payne. Having formed in 2010 and gone on hiatus by 2016, One Direction mostly pre-dates the youth of today’s main experience with pop music, but their impact on the genre holds steady. Payne’s family is heartbroken. His peers in music are grieving the loss of a dear friend. Parents reading this, especially the younger set who were coming of age at 1D’s peak, are likely feeling the heaviness. Kids on the internet might have seen the news, or they might be picking up on your sadness, and they might ask questions. I suggest reading Billboard‘s tribute to Payne and his indispensable contributions to One Direction, as well as a great summary of his highlights on the charts to queue up a playlist, whether it’s for yourself or to share with your family.
And now, a swerve into lighter and brighter news: The Eras Tour returns. Taylor Swift will be on stage (and our small screens, assuming someone live streams) Friday, Oct. 17 in Miami for the first concert of the end of Eras. The summer leg of the show got a Tortured Poets Department refresh. Will there be more surprises from the stealthy Swift before she takes her final bow of 2024?
On TV this weekend, I recommend tuning in to see Billie Eilish as SNL‘s musical guest. No word on whether the “Birds of a Feather” singer will star in any sketches on the Michael Keaton-hosted episode, but I foresee funny things if she does. Eilish previously hosted SNL in 2021, when she became the first-ever celebrity host born in the 21st century — just another mind-boggling milestone this young talent hit before the age of 21.
I’m currently streaming Prime Video’s The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh, a new half-hour family comedy series surrounding an Indian family that’s newly navigating life in America. Episode one, opening in an interrogation room with the entire Pradeep family of five, pulls you in right away. How did this family get here?
Family game collections should grow with this week’s release of Super Mario Party Jamboree from Nintendo. I think we’ll save this one for the holidays, when the kids can open it as a gift and have ample time to quarrel over which of the 110 mini-games to play first. The Mario Party series has a history of inspiring spirited competition in our home.
Here’s a rundown of our picks for the latest rendition of Billboard Family Hits of the Week:
Get Back in Eras Tour Mode
Ms. Rachel, the YouTube creator of toddler learning videos who’s welcomed 11.9 million subscribers to her channel — John Legend and Chrissy Teigen among them — has a collaboration out with Legend. The pair sing together on a super-sunny rendition of Legend’s “L-O-V-E,” a track from his album My Favorite Dream (Republic Records: Kids & […]