Before we start, let’s jam to the theme song to the Electric Mayhem’s Disney+ series, The Muppets Mayhem.

The new LP The Muppets Mayhem: Music From the Disney+ Original Series, released May 10 via Disney+/Walt Disney Records, jumps from No. 13 to No. 1 on the Kid Albums chart, leading for the first time. The set is the companion soundtrack to the group’s new Disney+ comedy musical series The Muppets Mayhem, which also premiered May 10.

The album concurrently debuts at No. 10 on the Soundtracks chart, No. 23 on Top Current Album Sales and No. 29 on Top Album Sales. It earned 5,000 equivalent album units, nearly all from album sales, in the United States its first full tracking week (May 12-18), according to Luminate. Of its sales, 4,000 were on vinyl, and the set also starts at No. 10 on the Vinyl Albums chart.

Headbangs While Typing

Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem have gone from The Muppet Show’s house band, to stars of their own television series, to having their first album reach number one on the Billboard Kid Albums chart. And it only took 48 years.

The group consists of keyboardist Dr. Teeth (originally performed by Jim Henson, now by Bill Baretta), Sgt. Floyd Pepper on bass guitar (originally performed by Jerry Nelson, now by Matt Vogel), guitarist Janice (originally performed by Richard Hunt, now by David Rudman), Zoot on saxophone (performed by Dave Goelz since the beginning), Lips on trumpet (originally performed by Steve Whitmire, now by Peter Linz), and Animal on drums (originally performed by Frank Oz, now by Eric Jacobson). The series, The Muppets Mayhem, streaming on Disney+, chronicles their misadventures as they record their very first album. If you have yet to watch the series, please do so. In this writer’s opinion, it’s the best Muppet series since the original Muppet Show.

The series and the soundtrack both dropped on May 10th. While streaming services remain mum regarding viewing numbers, despite the positive praise the show’s been getting, Billboard, like all albums that are released, shared where the soundtrack (or as we die hard fans call it, the Electric Mayhem’s first album) placed on the Kids Album chart. It made it’s debut at #13 on the chart, moving up to #1 a week later. We can safely say, that the “kids” who made that possible were well into their thirties and older. Hey, just because we had to grow old, doesn’t mean we had to grow up.

Long Time Fans Of The Band (Though They Won’t Publicly Admit It)

The soundtrack featured 17 songs from the band, plus five scores from series composer Mick Giacchino. The album concurrently debuts at No. 10 on the Soundtracks chart, No. 23 on Top Current Album Sales and No. 29 on Top Album Sales. It earned 5,000 equivalent album units, nearly all from album sales, in the United States its first full tracking week (May 12-18), according to Luminate. Of its sales, 4,000 were on vinyl, and the set also starts at No. 10 on the Vinyl Albums chart.

The band has appeared on other Muppet albums that have charted, though this album charted higher than those.

Title (peak position, year):

  • The Muppet Show (No. 153, 1978)
  • The Muppet Movie: Original Soundtrack Recording (No. 32, 1979)
  • A Christmas Together (billed as John Denver & The Muppets) (No. 26, 1980)
  • The Great Muppet Caper (No. 66, 1981)
  • The Muppet Christmas Carol (No. 189, 1992)
  • The Muppets (No. 38, 2011)
  • Muppets: The Green Album (No. 8, 2011)
  • Muppets Most Wanted (No. 68, 2014)

The band’s album includes a combination of originals, as well as cover to songs from The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Cyndi Lauper, The Who, Simon & Garfunkel, among others. A new recording of their signature tune, “Can You Picture That”, is also included. In the series, an episode features the band’s record producer Nora (Lily Singh) wanting Sirs Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney to help the band out. Though he didn’t cameo in the show, the album did manage to get Ringo to join Animal on the drums for the track “We Are One”

Much like the series, the album is terrific. It has earned it’s place on the Billboard charts. The original songs are awesome, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Non-Muppet artists doing covers to these songs. Give the soundtrack a listen, give the show a watch. You will not be disappointed. Next stop, The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Rock On!

The Muppets Mayhem is currently streaming on Disney+. The soundtrack is available on Amazon, iTunes, Target, and where ever music is sold. Also available in the SciFi.Radio music library. Songs from the album are currently featured as “Your Muppet Track of The Week” on Random Acts Of Tunage and Friday Nights With Gary DaBaum.

Finally, to share how amazing the original tracks are, here’s “Believe In Us”. An uplifting, inspirational track.

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Gary DaBaum

Gary DaBaum, SCIFI.radio DJ, writer, and all around nice guy, can be heard on SCIFI.radio. When not on the air, he can be found in the virtual world of Second Life, or spoiling his grand nephew.