Pop Jr CD

POP JR. features 24 kid-friendly pop hits including "Barbie Girl" and "We Like to Party" plus a bonus PAL format DVD.

This British collection plays like a who's who of kid-friendly pop and children's show themes, reaching as far back as the Archies' bubblegum classic "Sugar, Sugar" to "Can We Fix It?" the music for Bob the Builder. S Club 7 and S Club Juniors both make appearances with "Reach" and "One Step Closer," respectively, while more recent pop groups like Busted and McFly show how the teen pop sound has grown to embrace rock as well as dance-pop. However, Aqua's "Barbie Girl," the Vengaboys' "We Like to Party (The Vengabus)," and Steps' "5, 6, 7, 8" keep the album's emphasis on frothy, fast-paced, keyboard-driven sounds. Pop Jr also has a uniquely British feel, with pop novelties like Fast Food Rockers' "Fast Food Songs" and Tony Christie's "(Is This the Way To) Amorillo," which was a charity single in the U.K. in 2005. The album comes with a bonus disc of videos, though at 24 tracks long, Pop Jr could be too much for some kids' attention spans. Still, it's a fun collection with a few twists that keep things interesting. ~ Heather Phares

Featuring happy pop songs form O-Zone, Kylie and McFly along with the biggest TV characters theme songs from the last few years like Engie Benjy, Thunderbirds and Powerpuff Girls. With a bonus DVD (PAL/Region 0) of the music videos and musical clips from the TV shows. Universal. 2005.