Children’s television and popular music have always played well together. Just ask Sesame Street or even Schoolhouse Rock! Still, no kiddie series ever mixed the two quite as well as Yo Gabba Gabba! It makes sense, too: The preschool show, which ran on Nickelodeon from 2007 to 2015, was co-created by Christian Jacobs, a founding member of the comedic pop-punk act the Aquabats.
Starting with a nod to the Ramones in its title, Yo Gabba Gabba! infused music into almost every element of its episodes, from its boom-box opening to its celebrity-hosted “Dancey Dance†segments to its regular cast, which boasted members like the late Biz Markie and DEVO’s Mark Mothersbaugh, who hosted his own drawing segment, “Mark’s Magic Pictures.†Then there were, of course, its songs.
The show’s five costumed characters — Muno, Foofa, Plex, Brobee, and Toodee — were as likely to sing a lesson as they were to speak it. Each episode was punctuated with a “Super Music Friends Show†performance from a notable act of the day, including Metric, Solange Knowles, and Peter Bjorn and John. (The mid-aughts music scene was wild, y’all, and don’t even get us started on Andy Samberg’s Gabba look.)
Over the course of 66 episodes, the show produced just shy of 200 musical moments, the majority of which have been posted to the show’s YouTube page. And there are more to come, too, now that Gabba has returned to television as Yo Gabba GabbaLand!, which came to Apple TV+ on August 8. The new season includes performances from Portugal. The Man, Thundercat, Kurt Vile, and the Interrupters. A debut cut from the Linda Lindas, “I’m So Happy to Be Little,†and another from Anderson .Paak popped up online ahead of the premiere.
But until we have some time to sit with the new series, here’s our guide to the 40 best Yo Gabba Gabba! songs, loosely ranked from pretty darn good to absolutely classic.
40. Marissa Jaret Winokur, “Barbara’s Flying Songâ€
There’s something very ’80s or ’90s kids’ TV about “Barbara’s Flying Song,†which features Hairspray alum Marissa Jaret Winokur as Barbara, an adult-size furry butterfly. (I highly doubt Winokur’s in the costume, so perhaps it’s more accurate to say that she voices the fuzzy creature.) With Toodee strapped into a flying harness, Barbara takes her soaring, all while singing about the joys of the world and how there are endless possibilities. It’s uplifting and ridiculous, all at the same time — just like pretty much everything else about Yo Gabba Gabba!
39. The Killers, “Spaceship Adventureâ€
The Killers were already pretty big when they were on Yo Gabba Gabba!, so that must have been why the show really went all out for the set for this video. There’s a 360 green screen, a console, a light show, and, of course, silly costumes. It’s a good song, too, with Brandon Flowers really delivering a mix of kid-friendly absurdity and serious, Killers-style rock.
38. Mariachi El Bronx, “Friends Can Make You Smileâ€
This isn’t the absolute best Gabba song, but it’s far from the worst. I love that the show reached for a musical style that doesn’t always get a lot of acclaim or radio airplay and that kids got to enjoy a song that either reflected their culture at home or was perhaps their first introduction to mariachi.
37. The Faint, “Teach Meâ€
There’s something vaguely “adult†about “Teach Me,†though that could just be what the Faint generally brings to the party. You can listen to this song in the clean “Kids love school!†way or really let your perverted brain roam. Pick your poison.
36. Sal Masekela, “Hello Worldâ€
Sal Masekela doesn’t have the musical prowess his famous dad, Hugh “the father of South African jazz†Masekela, did (and he sucks for breaking Lupita Nyong’o’s heart), but “Hello World†is an adorable song, especially if you’re looking for something to put on for particularly little kids. It’s got an early Sesame Street vibe, and that’s a very good thing.
35. Yo Gabba Gabba!, “We Are All Winnersâ€
The grand finale from the Gabbalympics episode, “We Are All Winners†starts off slow but really kicks into high gear around the chorus. It would be a great Broadway closing number.
34. Inara George featuring Yacht, “Supermarket Shuffleâ€
A jazzy little cut from half of the Bird and the Bee, “Supermarket Shuffle†is part synchronized dance instruction, part persuasion technique to be used on kids who think going to the grocery store is absolute torture. It’s also wildly catchy, so get ready to hum it every time you’re strolling through a Whole Foods for the rest of your life.
33. MGMT, “Art Is Everywhereâ€
This ethereal looping song is pretty goofy, but the idea that art is everywhere is a good message to teach your kids. Also, at about a minute into the video, someone slips in the paint they’re throwing on the wall and really eats shit, all while wearing a faux-fur poncho that must have been cut from the Magnetic Zeros’ costume fabric (see below).
32. Yo Gabba Gabba!, “Bikes Are Funâ€
Of all the Gabba creations, Foofa probably has the best singing voice. It’s high and thin but in a way that fits right in with the show’s “adorable indie rock†vibe. “Bikes Are Fun†is a great example of that whole aesthetic with a whimsical Foofa teaching Brobee about the joy of feeling the wind in your (helmeted) hair — or flower, as it were.
31. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, “Dinosaur Partyâ€
A runner-up choice compared to CSS’s “Dinosaur†(see No. 6), but a pretty solid cut from a band forced to perform in faux fur Flintstones looks. There’s some Land of the Lost–style Claymation going on in the accompanying clip, too, which is fun.
30. I’m From Barcelona, “Just Because It’s Different Doesn’t Mean It’s Scaryâ€
The video for this track is ridiculous. The 15-odd members of I’m From Barcelona apparently got into the Gabba costume trunk, because half are in regular “scene†looks, half are dressed as pirates and grapes, and the lead singer is in a full-on Captain Kangaroo getup. It’s the most late-’00s shit around, and it’s fascinating. The song is also pretty good.
29. DeVotchKa, “Help Your Friendsâ€
You can’t go wrong with a song about helping people when shit goes sideways. The lyrics are a little overstuffed for a track that’s meant to be for preschoolers, but the chorus is sticky enough.
28. Band of Horses, “Out in Natureâ€
If you could put only one “going-outside-is-cool song†on your kids’ playlist, pick the Hot Hot Heat track below. If you could pick two, though, “Out in Nature†is a solid runner-up with easy, breezy vocals and beautiful harmonies.
27. The Shins, “It’s OK, Try Againâ€
If you like the Shins, you’ll like this song, which would fit right in on the band’s 2003 album, Chutes Too Narrow. It’s infectious, to be sure, with lines like “Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose / But it’s okay.†They’re also one of the few bands on the show that actually seem to be playing live (or at least doing a passable job of feigning that they are), so they get extra props.
26. Money Mark, “Robot Friendsâ€
As a longtime collaborator with the Beastie Boys, Money Mark has always been a little goofy, so this song about “making music with electricity†and the benefits of having mechanical friends seems about right for his whole oeuvre. It’s not a hip-hop banger in the current sense, but it could maybe slay in a backpack set.
25. Yo Gabba Gabba!, “I’m So Sorryâ€
On the flip side of all the Salteens happiness (directly below) is this track, which is basically about owning your mistakes, apologizing when you know you did something wrong, and being earnest about the whole thing. It’s a good message to teach kids and probably one we should all hear again.
24. The Salteens, “I’m So Happyâ€
This song is happy and fun, and that’s enough.
23. Yo Gabba Gabba!, “Training for the Olympicsâ€
There’s a whole Gabba episode about the Olympics (er, Gabbalympics), and “Training for the Olympics†is the song that stands out the most. While its lyrics are a little too optimistic (you can’t work superhard and do anything you put your mind to, since even the hardest-working kid won’t be able to dunk on LeBron James), the sentiment is nice enough. Plus you can use it as the impetus to “play Olympics†with your kids, which basically means making up weird challenges for them to complete. (“Who can throw this stick the farthest?†“Who can jump the farthest?†And so on.)
22. The Flaming Lips, “A Fairy Tale Songâ€
“A Fairy Tale Song†is a slow burner, taking a minute or two to really get going, but when it does, it’s all Wayne Coyne weirdness all the time. You just feel that the Flaming Lips front man gets kids, perhaps because he’s still a big one himself.
21. The Lady Tigra, “When I Hear Musicâ€
A cover of a 1983 Debbie Deb classic by a member of L’Trimm, of “Cars That Go Boom†fame, the Lady Tigra’s “When I Hear Music†is an absolute bop. You could play it in a nightclub or at a kindergartner’s birthday party to equal success.
20. Of Montreal, “Brush Brush Brushâ€
A quick little jingle about the virtues of brushing your teeth, “Brush Brush Brush†takes the pop weirdness of Of Montreal’s Elephant 6 sound and somehow blends it with personal hygiene. This song should be in every toothpaste commercial.
19. Peter Bjorn and John, “I Wish I Was a Spyâ€
Peter Morén has the perfect voice for kids’ music: It’s crystal clear, easy to understand, and it cuts right through snare hits. “I Wish I Was a Spy†is the best showcase for his plainly playful lyrics, too. You’ll walk away wanting to play secret agent.
18. Yo Gabba Gabba!, “Dreamsâ€
Listening to Toodee, Brobee & Co. warble a lullaby isn’t exactly melodic, but all the same, “Dreams†is pleasingly plainspoken and optimistic. Plus Brobee just dreams about balloons, which is pretty darn cute.
17. Cut Copy, “Fantastic Voyagesâ€
The video for this cut is pretty ridiculous — the band’s members seem to be wearing gold-plated lunch-tray chest plates, and the singer can’t even pretend to fake-play his keyboard — but the song is pleasant. It’s unclear what the Australian synth-pop act is saying about trips and why anyone takes them, especially considering this track was in the Yo Gabba Gabba! Olympics episode, but throw it on a mixtape and even the most die-hard ’00s head probably wouldn’t clock its origins.
16. The Postmarks, “Balloonsâ€
The Postmarks didn’t leave much of a mark on the indie-rock world, but they should still be incredibly proud of themselves, if only for this polished and poised jangle-pop song, which uses a toy piano and whispery lyrics to capture the simple joy of having a balloon.
15. Erykah Badu, “Birdsâ€
“Birds†isn’t a great Erykah Badu song, but like the old adage about pizza or sex, even mediocre Erykah Badu is still pretty good. Plus if anyone has the expressive face and wig wardrobe for a children’s series, it’s her.
14. Solange Knowles, “Momma Loves Babyâ€
A song that feels as though it wouldn’t be out of place coming from either Knowles sister, “Momma Loves Baby†is funky, sweet, and full of soul. Listen to it without the video and you might not even know it’s from a kids’ show.
13. Yo Gabba Gabba!, “Don’t Bite Your Friendsâ€
The message of this song might seem like common knowledge, but when you’re talking to toddlers, apparently it’s not. The song also reminds you that hair-pulling is a no-no, as is fighting. Real Housewives, take notice.
12. Metric, “Everybody Has a Talentâ€
This song is not only fun but it can also spark potentially hilarious conversations between you and your kids. My son, for instance, used to use this song as an excuse to tell us that his talent was “jumping,†which he truly believed he was the very best at in the whole world.
11. GOGO13 and Alex Désert, “Pick It Upâ€
If you can’t appreciate a ska song about tidying up called “Pick It Up,†then you have no joy in your life.
10. Yo Gabba Gabba!, “Babies Need Our Helpâ€
When you’re in preschool, you might not understand what it means to be a baby — or why your mom and dad maybe can’t take care of you the same way they take care of a younger sibling. “Babies Need Our Help†answers that question in a sweet and winning way, thanks not just to the adorable song but also to the video, which features Muno’s whole one-eyed family, including bumpy baby Go Go. (Also, who has that prop doll now, and why isn’t it me?)
9. Yo Gabba Gabba!, “Party in My Tummyâ€
Some of Gabba’s best songs came from inside the house, as it were. “Party in My Tummy†is a Brobee ditty about how great healthy food can taste, and while Brobee doesn’t exactly have the sickest rap flow, the actual message of this song is something we’ve found ourselves returning to again and again. (“So yummy, so yummy!â€)
8. Taking Back Sunday, “We All Love Our Petsâ€
Pets rule, and this song is super-catchy. Listen to it once and you’ll never be able to say the title the same way again. Taking Back Sunday was also hitting the peak of their pop-punk power around this time, coming off a No. 2 album on “The Billboard 200†and a hit single with “MakeDamnSure.†And yet they took time out to entertain kids and let everyone know that they love their pets, which is generally very sweet.
7. Hot Hot Heat, “Time to Go Outdoorsâ€
Few bands read aughts as much as Hot Hot Heat, a group that burned hot and bright with its 2002 debut, Make Up the Breakdown, before releasing a few more less successful records and then quietly disbanding. “Time to Go Outdoors†is Hot Hot Heat at its most infectious with dragged out choruses in a backbeat-heavy track plus a horse-filled video that feels a little Hard Day’s Night.
6. CSS, “Dinosaurâ€
You can’t have a TV series for preschoolers and not have a song about dinosaurs. As detailed earlier on this list, Gabba actually has more than one, but this is the best. (There was a whole episode about the prehistoric creatures.) The Brazilian new-rave act even included some loose instructions for a choreographed dance in the song’s lyrics (“Stomp your feet / Show your teeth / Wag your tailâ€), so that’s fun, too.
5. The Aquabats, “Pool Partyâ€
Occasionally, Yo Gabba Gabba! would have a band or performer come on to do a song that they’d written outside the world of the show, whether it was Paul Williams’s “Rainbow Connection†or Cornelius’s “Count Five or Six.†These were generally excellent, but we made the decision to exclude them from this list, just because it felt unfair.
That being said, we’re making an exception for the Aquabats’s “Pool Party,†both because of the band’s existing relationship with the show and because no song has ever sounded more like a pool party than this one. Plus, this song was released on the Aquabats’ 2000 record, Myths, Legends and Other Amazing Adventures Vol. 2, a year after Jacobs and Gabba co-creator and frequent Aquabats collaborator Scott Schultz first started developing the kids’ show in 1999, so there’s a world in which you can imagine some creative overlap. Either way, it rips and it deserves to be on this list.
4. Chromeo, “Nice ’N Cleanâ€
This song is a certified earworm. If it takes an electro-punk cut from a Montreal-based funk act to get kids to wash their hands, then so be it. It’s a shame this didn’t get more play at the peak of the COVID pandemic, but, really, can’t we all still use the occasional reminder to “lather up†from a tiny duo playing inside a pedestal sink?
3. Weezer, “All My Friends Are Insectsâ€
This one makes the list not just because it’s a pretty solid mid-era Weezer track but because the accompanying video is hilarious. Props to whoever pitched the idea of performing in oversize bug costumes to Weezer, and props to the band for enthusiastically agreeing, because when that camera zooms in on drummer Patrick Wilson hitting a snare while dressed as a praying mantis? That’s cinema, baby.
2. The Roots, “Lovely, Love My Familyâ€
The Roots appeared on Yo Gabba Gabba! three times, and all of their contributions to the show were solid, but “Lovely, Love My Family†makes this list because it’s just so damn charming. There’s something so warm about throwing this song on, wrapping your kiddo in a big hug, and swishing around the house together. Most of the time, being a parent is incredibly hard, but the love it creates can feel pretty great, too.
1. Biz Markie, “Pancakes and Syrupâ€
Leave it to the late Biz Markie to make a song about breakfast time such a bop. Who else would have the confidence to rhyme Europe and syrup before hollering an enthusiastic “Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, YUMMY!†And while you could argue that, at only one minute and 20 seconds long, “Pancakes and Syrup†is more of a snippet than a song, no other track on this list is as joyful, catchy, or nutritious. It’s surreal and it’s absurd, but it’s also friendly and a bit educational. And if that’s not quintessential Yo Gabba Gabba!, I don’t know what is.