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Original poster

What 10 albums would you buy for a toddlers first introduction to music?

107 replies

SoloMumJustMuddlingThrough · 17/11/2025 16:00

My 20 month old is obsessed with the cd player, for Christmas I would like to buy her a bunch of second hand CDs. At the moment she has a few audio books and some french nursery rhymes which we have on repeat. She knows how to change the cd, and skip to her favourite.

I would like to give her exposure to a range of music, jazz, rock, pop, classical. So I guess the question is what 10 CDs/albums would you start with? I love music but honestly cannot narrow it down (I don't have room int he flat for a huge cd collection, we are already being overrun with books!)

OP posts:
Makingpeace · 17/11/2025 22:36

Mine loves Gipsy Kings and requests their song Bomboléo every day 😂 also Rodrigo y Gabriella!

I have a classical collection CD set which goes down well. And an African one too.

Also favoured are Abba, Sister Sledge and Nina Simone. Anything on Gold Radio 👌I grew up listening to Cat Stevens. My kids aren't so keen on that. They do love a bit of Aretha Franklin RESPECT.

Then we have a kids selection of tunes such as Peter and the Wolf, Carnival of the Animals. ..and the CDs that come with Barefoot books like Walking Through The Jungle and Portside Pirates.

Fgfgfg · 17/11/2025 22:27

Blondie
Polystyrene & X Ray Specs
Carole King
Fats Domino
Chemical Brothers
Sonic Youth
Nirvana
Simon and Garfunkel

Okiedokie123 · 17/11/2025 22:23

Putumayo playground

BluntAzureDreamer · 17/11/2025 22:21

My first memory is rolling around the rug in front of the record player listening to John Lennon, must have been '81ish 💖 I grew up on Bowie, Roxy Music, Dire Straits, Fleetwood Mac, Springsteen, U2... And I'm so grateful I got a good musical upbringing 🥰 I have always had my kid listen to good music, they love 90s stuff now, Radiohead, Stone Roses, Ice Cube. My son in particular, thanks me a lot for giving him 'good music taste' and my daughter finds it weird that her friends don't know who David Bowie is, or even Blur! Just listen to what you love and the rest will follow. They will feel your passion for it and that's what influences them x

MeouwKing · 17/11/2025 22:08

Legends by Bob Marley, Time Album of the 20th Century

Muffsies · 17/11/2025 21:54

My kids used to like:
T-rex
Pretenders
Blondie
Queen
Beatles
Meatloaf
Adam & Ants
Sweet (any glam rock)
Travelling Wilburys
ELO

They also liked the Doors, Stranglers, Damned and Led Zep.. but you have to be a bit careful of some of the lyrics.

thecomedyofterrors · 17/11/2025 21:53

My son (5) has a Yoto player and some of his top ten are:
Billy Joel
Elton John
Les Mis
matilda musical
Calamity Jane
Awesome Cutlery
Hamilton
Six
My Fair Lady

Cheepcheepcheep · 17/11/2025 21:33

100%, Abbey Road as your first Beatles album!

Millytante · 17/11/2025 21:02

WhatIsTheCharge · 17/11/2025 18:50

  • ABBA Gold
  • Beatles - White Album
  • Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
  • Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the moon (this was a great success when my DCs were little. I made it a whole sensory experience with coloured lights etc!)

Of all Beatles albums, you choose that one? I’m boggled, truly boggled!

Momtotwokids · 17/11/2025 21:02

Ladybird69 · 17/11/2025 17:05

I know it’s not a CD but my children loved Disneys Fantasia on DVD

We had the dvd and I fell asleep every time I heard it.

KneelyThere · 17/11/2025 20:56

The Wiggles! Also my ds liked The Beatles (especially Yellow Submarine) and Queen!

BreakfastClub80 · 17/11/2025 20:53

We loved Down at the Zoo by Too Many Cooke’s.

It was by Mick Cooke from Belle and Sebastian

Blessedbethefruitz · 17/11/2025 20:20

Yoto make your own cards are great for this. We have compilations from Christmas and Halloween through pop punk and classic rock, but then also individual bands. My son's favourite for the last year is the prodigy. I need to make a new set actually, realised we're missing Muse and Florence!

GoldMerchant · 17/11/2025 20:13

What a lovely thread. My DS6's current favourite song is Shout by Tears for Fears, which was also my brother's favourite as a toddler, and I absolutely love that connection.

We do tidying up music where we take turns requesting songs or sometimes the kids ask for "x music" or "a song about y". DS wanted sad music tonight so he got "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now".

Both of mine have enjoyed Taylor Swift and Chapelle Roan, which I'm enjoying while they can't understand the latter's lyrics.

MrsTerryPratchett · 17/11/2025 20:11

PinkNeonSign · 17/11/2025 16:36

I would just pick 10 that you like. My little boy has very much taken to the style I like then added his own stuff as he’s gone along - now I like that stuff!

When he was little - Queen was a massive favourite, he also loves Oasis, Tears for Fears, Black Sabbath, McFly, Foo Fighters, Nirvana, White Stripes, Strokes and Killers (I think most kids are born now knowing the words to Mr Brightside).

Sorry to pick on you, but I’m going to.

All men. I mean a couple of women tucked in there but really, total sausage fest.

For a female child I would try very hard to lean very heavily towards women, at least bands with women in them. Fleetwood Mac, Florence and the Machine, Blondie, P!nk, Taylor Swift, Mama Cass, Aretha, Beyoncé.

See it, be it. Not to say you can’t throw in Queen, and I did and would. But girls need to hear and see women.

Somersetbaker · 17/11/2025 20:09

"Now that's what I call music 48"

menopausalmare · 17/11/2025 20:07

B0D · 17/11/2025 19:57

@menopausalmare

you beat me to it! We must be of similar vintage.

Also, my DS loved The Nutcracker with the story being told and illustrated with musical interludes

I also listened to Bernard Cribbins singing My Brother and Right Said Fred, Ernie and his fastest milk cart in the west plus Kenneth Williams and the flight of the bumblebee. Not sure the younger generation would get it.

TigerRag · 17/11/2025 20:04

Have you looked at the Now! That's what I call music! compilations? Just had a quick look on their website and there's some good stuff on there

ScaryM0nster · 17/11/2025 19:59

Ballet stories.

Original poster
SoloMumJustMuddlingThrough · 17/11/2025 19:58

Brainstorm23 · 17/11/2025 19:29

The Pixies - Death To The Pixies
The Killers - Hot Fuss
New Order - Singles
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Björk - Selmasongs
Radiohead - OK Computer
Beatles - 1

Yes I am the dad from this article

https://theonion.com/cool-dad-raising-daughter-on-media-that-will-put-her-en-1819572981/

Edited

This is gold, thanks

OP posts:
SquashPenguin · 17/11/2025 19:57

My 18mo enjoys Rammstein/ Slayer/ Iron Maiden/ Sabaton on her trips to nursery and back. Occasionally mix it up with a bit of Mr Tumbles.

B0D · 17/11/2025 19:57

@menopausalmare

you beat me to it! We must be of similar vintage.

Also, my DS loved The Nutcracker with the story being told and illustrated with musical interludes

OhDear111 · 17/11/2025 19:56

@Ddakji Oh yes! I forgot Mary Poppins! The Sound of Music too. Dd also like Buddy Holly.

Cheepcheepcheep · 17/11/2025 19:54

Also for some reason my kids love the random stuff I’ve heard at festivals over the years and played to them - my eldest at 2 used to demand Flamingo by Kero Kero Bonito over the Alexa regularly!

Cheepcheepcheep · 17/11/2025 19:53

SoloMumJustMuddlingThrough · 17/11/2025 18:24

I used to live with my headphones on but since having DD I barely ever listen to music (which I want to change!) I bought our cd player a couple of months ago and it's nice to have some background music. I don't have any CDs of my own anymore, so I'm looking for inspiration to start our collection, with DD in mind.

Show quote history

Assuming you don’t have objections an Amazon Alexa is fab. I introduced my kids to lots of kitchen disco stuff via it and now my three year old will demand ‘ALEXTHA. Play Waterloo by ABBA’ 😂

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