Kidz Bop built a 3,000-song empire that has quietly outsold legends. He’s helped shape every track

There are unlikely cultural institutions, and then there’s Kidz Bop. Over the course of 25 years, what was initially supposed to be a one-off music compilation of kid-friendly cover songs has spawned 52 follow-ups, helped launch careers, and even become a benchmark by which pop artists measure success—one rewritten lyric at a time. Michael Anderson, Kidz Bop senior vice president of music, has been with the organization since its genesis, working with cofounders Craig Balsam and Cliff...