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

[SoloMumJustMuddlingThrough]

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!)

I’d get a few compilation albums - I always liked the ones that are “The best GENRE album in the world… ever” but don’t know if they’re still available.

Abba greatest hits, can’t go wrong there.

The Wiggles Greatest Hits

🎶 hot potato, hot potato... 🎵

What kind of music do you like? Previous suggestion of ABBA is good (no explicit lyrics). Beatles?

There are compilation CDs aimed at kids (so no explicit lyrics) I would start there for a variety of pop songs (it will be stuff like S Club 7, Spice Girls, Katy Perry (Firework), Macarena etc

You could also go for a Disney compilation which will have songs like Let It go (Frozen), Under The Sea (Little Mermaid) etc

The Beatles white album. Just start with one- ten is excessive.

Something which you won't mind hearing 10,000 times over the next 12 months, and won't be embarrassed to find yourself humming out loud when out at the supermarket 😀

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).

Dd1’s favourite was AC/DC from birth onwards.

Whatever is in the local Charity Shop

I grew up on heavy rock music, i love it still!

Just head into your local charity shop and see what's there that you won't mind hearing on repeat until your toddler breaks it.

Charity shops are inundated with CDs and are practically giving them away. You'll be bound to pick up some bargains you can drip feed to her over the coming months.

A bit of Slipknot wouldn't go amiss. Interspersed with Black Sabbath and Motorhead.

Don't most children grow up listening to whatever their parents are playing?

This is a good Classical collection

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Classical-Baby-Various-Artists/dp/B000GFRIR2

Agree with PP about compilations too from various decades or genres.
The Junior Choice CDs have children’s classics like Nellie the Elephant and Teddy Bears’ Picnic.

For a toddler I'd buy kids music. My two loved Nick Cope (in the days before he was a CBeebies star!) and we found him very listenable too. His songs are good for teaching kids about everything from colours and animals to empathy and environmentalism. I might still have one of his CDs in the car that I occasionally listen to when I'm on my own too!

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

Timmy Mallet’s Bombularina. The sound of my kid’s childhood.

I'm a big fan of the Bee Gees, so I'd be trying to get kids into them as early as possible.

I'd probably play them most stuff from the 60s/70s/80s, to be honest. I have fond early memories of my mother playing a Carpenters album.

Albums of Disney songs, nursery rhymes, might also be a good shout.

DS loved the John Legend and Roots album asxa toddler. He's 13 now and despite my best efforts has absolutely no interest in music.

Ours did. I remember ds1 bouncing around pre birth to heavy dub reggae when I was in the bath. I got some early learning tapes and books of children's songs. I popped it in the car stereo and dh ejected it and stuck the Clash on. They all have pretty eclectic tastes now.

MC5 - Back in the USA. Fantastic album from start to finish.

Rumours of course! Or any Fleetwood Mac (my kids were fans of Say You Will), The Monkees, The Sundays. Also any REM. Canadian here - Raffi, Fred Penner and Bobs and Lolo are must-haves for kids. I will still happily listen to Bobs and Lolo without children present...

Peter and the Wolf.
The carnival of the animals - Saint Saens.

Cradle of Filth

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.