My 5yr old son happened upon a Linkin Park CD that I'd been playing surreptitiously whenever I was alone in the car (not v. often!). He's a very deep thinker and has ALWAYS been attracted to "the dark side" of life. (ie. he draws monsters, weapons, all things nasty and any heavy rock music or violent stuff on TV (ie kids' violent cartoons, etc) has him transfixed. He instantly loved Linkin Park and most of all the heavier songs with scarey angry screaming! Hubby and I have agreed not to allow any further listening for fear of further sending him into the dark abyss (!) and also, his poor 3yr old brother isn't terribly keen. He's, needless to say, rather peeved about this. Should we allow him to listen to the music he likes or do you agree that it could be damaging? All opinions appreciated!
AIBU?
Tell him off for listening to such nu-metal 
I suggest you wean him onto more classic heavy rock and metal. That way he still gets the beats, but they do tend to be less angsty and teenage. Buy him Iron Maiden's Greatest Hits (Edward the Great) or an AC/DC cd, or even better make him a compilation disc of his own. Tell him it's a special present.
You could make it into a discussion point with him, but without being too heavy about it. I'd be a little worried about his penchant for the dark side, simply because it's a very isolating factor especially as he grows up. He might have a tough time with it, if he starts at school already believing himself to be some kind of misunderstood outcast.
He's not teenage, and he's not able to distinguish between hyperbole or the motivations that singers might've to sing in such a way, and in that sense you don't really want him swallowing it in full.
Thanks, Tambern- you bring up some very good points and I do worry that being somewhat "left of centre" in his thought processes and tastes is something that might make life a lot more challenging for him, especially being coupled with a strong and dominant personality! He's essentially a good kid though and I just have to try and channel his excentricities in constructive directions!
Thanks also, sfxmum for your input. I'm SO with you on the sexualisation issue...but that's a whole 'nuther subject! 
DS is three and heavily into the Beatles and Gorillaz. He loves Sublime but I don't let him listen to all the songs. :)
You know what you're comfortable with. Some years back when I taught preschool I had a student that I had to speak to repeatedly for singing "It's getting hot in here/so take off all your clothes" and I admit I was a bit 
at his mother.
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