I've been having an early morning dance break from this paper I'm writing, and I'm listening to a bunch of rock 'n' roll Oldies. Musically, they're so awesome, and lyrically, they're so simple. Excepting the fact that they reinforce some old school ideas about the world, they seem awesome for little kids and dancing and developing language and all that good stuff. And it just got me thinking...

So...for those of you with children, what kinds of music do you play for them and with them? Is it something you think about? What kinds of music or songs do your children like?

5/4/2011 6:03:28 AM

I don't think we think about it all that much. Just make sure the songs we play don't have language or "crude" topics. With the tastes of my wife and I, most of our stuff is some type of rock or country with maybe everything else making up 20%. My two boys (ages 6 & 4) like to play air guitar/drums already.

And my wife has an old dvd of Shania Twain music videos that my boys like to watch

5/4/2011 7:14:41 AM

FACT. children love animal collective.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBhwQkBo-lc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToEPEdzxxuw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY9NgbiU4do&feature=related

my kids are gonna listen to the same weird shit i listen to when they're under my gd roof!

5/4/2011 8:23:45 AM

I've found that babies love Lil Jon & the Eastside Boyz and other simple music that bumps.

Just stop playing it when they start talking so your kid doesn't spit the most ridiculous vile words out of his or her mouth. Unless you want that. Which could be pretty entertaining until they go off to school and you hear from the teachers/principle on a weekly basis how bad your kid is.

[Edited on May 4, 2011 at 4:29 PM. Reason : l]

5/4/2011 4:29:30 PM

They Might Be Giants
The Avett Brothers
Beach Music
Ray Charles, The Jackson Five, James Brown
Veggietales
And old 70's Kids album called 'Free to Be You and Me'

Katy Perry - Firework
Taio Cruz - Dynamite
Beiber - Baby baby
Some techno-dance song about being a gummy bear.



Mine are 4 and 2. They listen to that Beiber song like five times a day. Around the house it's mostly TMBG and the Avetts. I'll play whatever they want as long as there's no bad language or whatnot in it.

5/4/2011 4:43:56 PM

I just can't imagine a childhood without Splish Splash or Tutti Frutti.

And they don't get played on the radio anymore.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?!?!?

5/4/2011 9:39:13 PM

Hannah is 4, and she loves the Beach Boys. She also likes Bruce Springsteen (she always says something about there being harmonica or saxophone when they're prominent in the song). She also likes Guns 'N Roses.

Of course, we listen to her Mickey Mouse chidren's songs CD, too...and I also play oldies-type rock for her, too.

5/4/2011 11:38:26 PM

Ya Mo Be There. all day, every day

5/5/2011 8:12:37 AM

5/5/2011 10:26:31 AM

^^

For real, though: all Stax, all the time.

Also, this: http://www.pancakemountain.com

And it may be obvious, but Yo Gabba Gabba! totally rules and almost all of the music on it is great.

As far as Beach Boys goes, the most child-appropriate album is this totally bizarre drug-fueled thing called Beach Boys Love You. The most childlike-sounding thing I can imagine, and it rules.

5/6/2011 11:57:14 PM

When my kids hear house music they start dancing.

They are 2.5 and 1

The older one requests it in the car. It's awesome.

5/7/2011 10:22:37 AM