If you’ve spent any time in a car with a nine-year-old lately, you’ve likely heard the sanitized, high-energy echoes of Kidz Bop. While the brand has been a staple of family road trips since 2001, many parents and curious onlookers often ask: who is the owner of Kidz Bop? The answer isn’t just a simple name—it’s a fascinating trail that leads from a New York indie label all the way to a massive government pension fund.
The Quick Answer: As of 2026, Kidz Bop is owned by Concord (formally Concord Music Group). However, the “real” owner behind the curtain is the State of Michigan. Approximately 93% of Concord’s stock is held by the Michigan Office of Retirement Services, meaning the profits from Kidz Bop help fund the retirements of Michigan’s public employees, including teachers and state police.
The Corporate Chain: Who Really Calls the Shots?
To understand how a children’s music brand became a billion-dollar asset, you have to look at the layers of its corporate hierarchy.
The Immediate Owner: Concord
Kidz Bop is technically operated by KIDZ BOP Enterprises LLC, which is a subsidiary of Concord. Based in Nashville with a global footprint, Concord is one of the world’s largest independent creative rights companies.
They don’t just own Kidz Bop; their portfolio includes everything from the works of Pink Floyd and Imagine Dragons to the theatrical rights for The Wizard of Oz and SpongeBob The Musical.
The Secret Power: The State of Michigan
While Concord manages the day-to-day business, they are a private company with a very unique majority shareholder. The Michigan Office of Retirement Services (ORS) owns the lion’s share of the company.
This creates a truly unique scenario: every time a family streams a “kid-friendly” version of a pop hit or buys a ticket to a Kidz Bop live tour, a portion of that revenue is technically supporting the 18th largest public pension system in the United States. It’s a massive financial engine that manages over $67 billion in net assets.
The History of Kidz Bop Ownership
The story of Kidz Bop didn’t start in a corporate boardroom, but rather at a children’s birthday party. In the late 1990s, music industry veterans Cliff Chenfeld and Craig Balsam—founders of the independent label Razor & Tie—noticed a massive gap in the market.
There was music for toddlers (think Barney or The Wiggles) and music for adults (Britney Spears or Eminem), but nothing for the “in-between” ages of 5 to 12. Parents wanted the hits, but without the explicit lyrics that were becoming increasingly common in 2000s pop.
- 2001: The first Kidz Bop album is released by Razor & Tie. It becomes an instant sensation, selling 800,000 copies without major retail distribution.
- 2015: Concord (then known as Concord Bicycle Music) acquires a significant stake in Razor & Tie, forming a joint venture.
- 2018: Concord completes a full acquisition, buying out Chenfeld and Balsam entirely. The founders stayed on as consultants for a short period before departing, leaving the brand fully under the Concord umbrella.
Why Does the State of Michigan Own Kidz Bop?
It sounds like an internet conspiracy theory, but it’s 100% financial reality: the Michigan Office of Retirement Services (ORS) is the “ultimate parent” of Kidz Bop.
The ORS manages the pension funds for roughly 1 in 14 Michigan adults, including retired teachers, judges, and state police officers. To ensure these retirees have a steady income, the state invests in various assets. In the early 2010s, they invested heavily in Concord, seeing the value in “creative rights”—the steady royalties earned whenever a song is played, a play is performed, or a Kidz Bop album is streamed.
By 2026, Michigan’s stake in Concord has grown to approximately 93%. This means that when Kidz Bop “covers” a Taylor Swift or Harry Styles hit:
- Kidz Bop earns revenue from streams and sales.
- Concord (the parent company) collects those profits.
- The Michigan Pension Fund receives the lion’s share of that money to pay for the healthcare and retirement checks of Michigan’s public servants.
Kidz Bop by the Numbers (2026 Update)
To understand the scale of what Michigan actually owns, look at the brand’s current dominance in the market:
| Category | Achievement |
| Total Albums Sold | Over 23.5 Million |
| Lifetime Streams | 9 Billion+ |
| Billboard Success | 24 Top 10 Debuts (more than The Beatles) |
| Global Presence | Recorded in 5 languages (English, Spanish, French, German, etc.) |
| Market Share | Frequently accounts for 20%+ of all “Kids Music” units sold |
Who Leads Kidz Bop Today? (The Executives)
While the State of Michigan and Concord hold the financial keys, the creative and operational engine of the brand is managed by a dedicated leadership team.
- Sasha Junk (President): Since 2020, Sasha Junk has served as the President of Kidz Bop. Under her leadership, the brand has seen massive international expansion and high-profile partnerships with companies like Live Nation, Sky Kids, and even automotive brands. She has been credited with modernizing the brand for the “streaming first” era.
- Bob Valentine (CEO of Concord): As the CEO of the parent company, Concord, Bob Valentine oversees the broader strategic direction. He has been a staple at Concord for nearly two decades and took over the CEO role in July 2023.
Common Myths: Is Kidz Bop Owned by Disney?
Because Kidz Bop is a juggernaut in the children’s entertainment space, a common misconception is that it is owned by The Walt Disney Company.
The truth is: No, Disney does not own Kidz Bop. While both brands target similar “tween” demographics and Disney Radio often plays Kidz Bop tracks, they are entirely separate corporate entities. Disney focuses on its own original franchises (like Frozen or High School Musical), while Kidz Bop remains the crown jewel of the independent Concord Label Group.
The “Elise Ecklund” Rumor: For a brief period, a viral internet joke led some to believe YouTuber Elise Ecklund was the CEO or owner. This was a result of a Wikipedia prank and is factually incorrect.
The Future of the Brand in 2026
As Kidz Bop celebrates its 25th Anniversary in 2026, the brand is no longer just a “CD company.” It has evolved into a multimedia ecosystem. With its first live concert movie hitting theaters in 2026 and over 14 billion global streams, the “owner of Kidz Bop”—whether you consider that to be Concord or the taxpayers of Michigan—is sitting on one of the most resilient assets in music history.
From funding the retirements of teachers to providing the soundtrack for millions of birthday parties, the business of “kids singing pop” is more serious—and more profitable—than ever.