Can you suggest music for my 6 year old?

[SilentHeadphones]

I was not allowed to listen to music when I was a child (it would turn me into a drug addict ) so I am absolutely clueless about music and it isn't something that really features in my life. Turning the radio on is not a reflex for me and the only albums I have are ones that have been given to me. I'm only just beginning to realise how much I've missed out on in terms of general music education!

I've downloaded some Disney songs (we weren't allowed to watch Disney films either, so she's watched loads!) which DD has asked for and a couple from Trolls which have been on repeat ever since. I am at a loss of what to look at for her, what is suitable music for a six year old to sing along to. She's getting a bit too old for the nursery rhyme CD's we have.

At the moment I'm just looking at the Disney soundtracks because I don't know what else to suggest for her. Help me! Songs, albums, artists to look out for. Any suggestions welcome.

My kids just listen to all the new songs really, this is mainly in the car on the radio so all explicit words are zoned out! My 8 year old loves ed Sheeran (actually we took our 6 and 8 year old to see him a couple of
Months ago and they loved it!). Trolls sounds track and the greatest showman is also pretty popular and we also use Spotify which have Pre made playlists and we sometimes pop on the kids party ones, Disney songs or just the charts.

Probably not very cool but my DC love the children's songs by They Might Be Giants. We bought CDs from Amazon - the science one is their favourite. Child-friendly, educational, funny, and actually quite good to listen to.

I used to have a thing with my two that if they were ready to leave for school five mins before we had to go, we would put on Wonderwall and all dance to it. I don’t know how we chose an Oasis song, but it helped them love music and dancing, made the mornings lovely, and was really motivational for getting ready!
I know this isn’t what you asked, but I think it’s part of the picture of how my kids came to love music.

Carnival of the animals is something all kids should hear.

I agree carnival of the animals.

For an introduction to more classical music there is a great CD that includes Peter and the Wolf narrated by David Bowie, Carnival of the Animals and the Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. DS, who is 5, loves it.

Otherwise he just listens to what we like which is more along indie lines. I tend to have radio 6 on most of the time so he's exposed to quite a wide variety of music. We've taken him to festivals since he was a baby. He is starting to get quite a definite idea of what he likes.

At the moment there are old 1980s episodes of top of the pops on iPlayer and they are quite fun to watch together.

Probably not very cool but my DC love the children's songs by They Might Be Giants. We bought CDs from Amazon - the science one is their favourite. Child-friendly, educational, funny, and actually quite good to listen to.

It’s a brillant album.

Another vote for They Might Be Giants!
My DC love them, especially when they were that age.

I have to ask, did your parents rules work, and you didn't become a drug addict?

My children have been brought up listening to a very wide range of music, mainly because I like classical and metal/alternative and DH likes indie and jazz. One thing they have loved recently is a cheesy Best of 80s album I bought for a v long journey in the car. I expected them to hate it (I was planning to listen on the drive back, alone, but they both really enjoyed it, and there was a real range of music from new wave, punk, poppy, dance, etc.

I avoid Little Mix, Katy Perry, Nicky Minaj type stuff as the lyrics are always about sex or bad relationships. We don't show them many videos for the same reasons.

Mine tend to pick up music from assemblies in school and then come home and want to listen to it on Alexa - so it's mainly things like the Trolls soundtrack, bloody I'm Still Standing by Elton John (I cannot STAND this song), and the Greatest Showman soundtrack on a permanent loop. The entire school are collectively mad on the Greatest Showman songs at the moment.

My 3 and 4 year olds love:

• The Princess And The frog soundtrack. Trad jazz, New Olreans type stuff. I like it too
• Frozen. Oh god...Frozen.....think very carefully before you open that bloody cd case op! It's not bad music, just crack for kids.

-The jungle Book

Ds is less bothered about music but do loves it. They end up listening to whatever I'm listening to so recently :
-Nathaniel Rateliff and the night sweats

• St. Paul and the Broken Bones
• Michael Kiwanuka

Dd (3) also loves The Secret Sisters. You do need to be wary of lyrics though, she was listening to Postmodern Jukebox and I heard the words 'all the right junk in all the right places' coming from my 3 years old mouth (All About the Bass cover). That line makes it onto radio edits so not rude as such, just sounded odd!

I loved Michael Jackson as a kid, still do!

Based on the amount of requests I get, the pinnacle of musical achievement is Big Bad Wolf by Duck Sauce.

I have to ask, did your parents rules work, and you didn't become a drug addict?
Yes. Unless you count caffeine, Mumsnet and wine

We love mmmmbop, Elton, Michael Jackson, Beatles, loads of 90’s indie like blur, oasis, manics

We also allow (despite a few inappropriate themes)
OutKast (hey ya)
Some arctic monkeys,
Kasabian
Foo fighters

We also currently love the Matilda musical soundtrack

I think a varied and diverse experience of music is one of the greatest gifts you can give your children.

Oh and mc hammer!

My 5 year old Dd loves twenty one pilots, muse, and Florence mostly. She likes nothing but thieves too but gets bored a bit quicker by their music.

Some of the bands that crop up a few times on my ‘suitable for Brownies’ playlists are: The Vamps

Really!

Most of their songs are about love or sex and have quite explicit references even if the language is clean.

Their first album maybe okay for a younger audience however their music has definitely matured as they have. thank God! Their lead singer is bloody beautiful

Bands sub as Little Mix are much the same.

I've very carefully ensured that my children have never been exposed to the crap played on Radio 1... they have absolutely no idea of what's in the charts. I refuse to have them exposed to the casual misogyny and sexualisation contained within.

Instead, I'm giving them a fairly wide musical education, including taking them to festivals. Current favourites are Superorganism, Gruff Rhys (Candylion album especially), The Lovely Eggs (this is a bit sweary, but in a healthy DIY punk kind of a way, iyswim), Gorillaz, Ider.... I play them older stuff too - Beatles, Hendrix, Bowie, Simon and Garfunkle, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young.

I think my parents were the opposite of yours... well done you on not doing the same. Music is a joy.

The songs from Beauty and the Beast are gorgeous.

The Beatles, Abba, Stevie Wonder, Elton John are all quite safe and tuneful. Graceland by Paul Simon is popular with children too because of the drums.

Graceland is a fantastic album!

Can I just second the classical suggetions above esp Brugsmania.

Nothing wrong with putting radio 3 or classic fm on now and then, either.

The Vamps
One Direction
Little Mix
Kidz Bop

Get Google home, Spotify or diser . Sp

Beatles... Fabulous, all Disney songs, classics for children cd look on amazon... Bit of all classics mentioned above, as well as Peter and wolf etc all fabulous.

My dd also lives all musical songs, eg songs from Chicago, 42nd Street, guys and dolls, les miserable.... Jesus Christ superstar, cats (brilliant), etc etc.
. Musical mix cd would be good.

Mine also live graceland, all Simon and garfunkle, and all the other bands mentioned get some mixed to start

Childs classical
Musicals

Rock