Sesame Street’s New Season Features SZA, Renee Rapp, Noah Kahan, More

Very few television programs have the iconic history of musical guests that Sesame Street does: Over the years it’s featured everyone from Stevie Wonder to Tony Bennett, Erykah Badu to the Fugees, Patti Labelle to R.E.M., and clever interpretations like odes to the letter U from both One Direction (“What Makes U Useful”) and Smokey Robinson (“U Really Got a Hold on Me”), and opera singer Marilyn Horne trilling an operatic version of “C Is for Cookie,” and much more.

That legacy continues in the show’s 55th season, which launches on Max with Renee Rapp on Jan. 16 and follows with SZA, Noah Kahan, Michael B. Jordan, Samara Joy, Chris Stapleton, Jonathan Van Ness and Billie Jean King joining for songs and other segments. The full schedule appears below; episodes release every Thursday. The season be available on local PBS stations across the country and on the free PBS Kids Video app Fall 2025. 

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According to the announcement, Season 55’s curriculum will focus on emotional well-being, helping children learn accessible strategies to comprehend and cope with big feelings through fun, lighthearted, relatable, and engaging stories.

“New episodes of Sesame Street will help young viewers understand and express their feelings, learn new mindfulness practices, and as always, have a blast with their favorite furry and funny friends,” said Sal Perez, the show’s executive prodiucer. “Whether it’s taking a volcano breath when angry, learning to give yourself a hug when frustrated, or wiggling it out when disappointed, we are empowering children with the strategies to help build resiliency and the foundational skills for emotional well-being.”

“This season’s emotional well-being curriculum was developed in response to the growing mental health crisis affecting children globally,” said Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, Sesame Workshop’s Senior Vice President of Curriculum & Content. “Focusing on emotion awareness and social connection skills, children will learn that all feelings are important and that we all experience big feelings, as well as how to navigate social scenarios with friends, families, and the wider community.”

Feature episodes include: Beachball Bop (Thursday, January 16), where Elmo learns how to do volcano breaths after he feels angry; Abby Taps Into Kindness (Thursday, April 10), where Abby learns what it means to be kind to yourself to overcome frustration, all with the help of her friends; Happy Bert Day (Thursday, July 24), where Ernie is excited to throw Bert a big, loud party for Bert’s birthday, but Bert gets frustrated  as he wants to celebrate his birthday with a quiet puzzle – can lion breaths help them both feel better?; and New School Scaries (Thursday, September 4), where Cookie Monster, feeling nervous about going to a new cooking school, enlists his friends to help him prepare.

Sesame Street is underwritten in part by Beaches Resorts and Google.