What's the history behind the Disney's Sing-Along Songs line and who came up with the idea for this video series?

[DodgerGirl]

I have been a fan of Disney's Sing-Along Songs videos since I was a little girl and I would like to know the history of how Disney created this line and who thought of these videos? Also which were the first Disney's Sing-Along Songs videos created? I knew Snow White's Sing-Along Songs was the very first tape in the series and then in 1991 the Be Our Guest Sing-Along Songs video was added and the Aladdin based Friend Like Me debuted in 1992 and then after the ones based on The Lion King Pocahontas Mulan and The Hunchback Of Notre Dame were added Disney added live-action Sing-Along Songs after Disneyland Fun became the first live-action Sing-Along Songs video released in 1990. I also read that they also tried to release the whole series on DVD but only certain ones were released. These tapes were fun and I loved watching them as a little girl over and over again

 

[DodgerGirl]

I think when the Disney's Sing-Along Songs line debuted karaoke machines and videos were starting to become all the rage and Disney wanted to cash in on the popularity of karaoke machines and so Disney decided to design a video line that was also a family activity and in my eyes that's how the Disney's Sing-Along Songs line was born. I also liked how they sometimes had a various host for every video like Professor Ludwig Von Drake and Jiminy Cricket and it was wonderful. But when the Fun With Music Sing-Along Songs video came out in 1988 when Oliver And Company debuted in theaters they could've had Dodger as the host especially since Oliver And Company was featured on the box of the Fun With Music video and that would've been better marketing. But once Disney knew that the Sing-Along Songs line would be a hit with families and children other companies copied the Sing-Along Songs format and created their own versions of sing-along videos like Warner Bros. But the surprising thing is that except for certain videos the whole Disney Sing-Along Songs line didn't get a DVD release when they were made

 

[DodgerGirl]

I do wish that the Disney's Sing-Along Songs series could make a comeback because they were so fun and you could listen to the new songs from the upcoming sequels and they made excellent karaoke time with your kids. It is surprising that after the DVD releases of the Brother Bear Sing-Along Songs Home On The Range Sing-Along Songs and the Princess Sing-Along Songs DVDs Disney stopped this series and they really should make a new revived version of Disney's Sing-Along Songs series and it would sell big

 

[Kit Jackson]

Normally, for something as music heavy/music intensive as the Disney Sing Alongs, I would say the reason the material on VHS weren't released on DVD would be music licensing, but I doubt that would be a factor because I'm pretty sure Disney owned the rights to the songs. They wouldn't have to pay for the rights to use the songs on DVD, because Disney still owns them.

I think at this point, physical media is slowly fading away. I am not sure if Disney even still does DVD/BluRay releases. I think I remember reading that Sony handles it for Disney.

However, assuming that Disney does still own the rights to the music, a new revived series could work well on Disney+. They could regularly add new songs, especially if something is having an anniversary, or do a collection based on a theme/something seasonal.