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!)

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

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.

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

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

Putumayo playground

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

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.

We love Yoto Radio! It's kind of a mash up of Gold Radio meets nursery rhymes 😂👌

Okay so my shortlist is something as follows:
Beatles 1
Fleetwood Mac greatest hits
Carnival of the animals/Peter and the wolf
Hello children everywhere
That's jazz
Women of soul
Every great motown song, the first 25 years (compilation album)
Heaven and hell (meatloaf & bonnie Tyler)
Killers - hot fuss
Jackson 5 gold
The most relaxing classical music in the world ever
Best of Bowie
Kaleo - a/b (that one is more for me tbh)

I must have around 100 albums on vinyl - pink Floyd, U2, led Zeppelin, pulp, rolling stones, dire straits, t rex, pixies etc. It seems silly to replicate the music I already have (so please don't judge my list too harshly 😅)

All for £30. I guess that's about the price of 2 tonies

Surely you need to add The Best Christmas Album in the World... Ever! 2 CDs, songs from the 50s to the 90s, different genres.

Oh yes, my love of Simon and Garfunkel is courtesy of driving with my parents

I teach preschool - Barefoot Books are GOLD!

I love the idea of getting my son a CD player then letting him loose in the charity shop with a couple of quid to pick a classic album on a Saturday morning. You might have just given me an idea for this year’s favourite Xmas gift.

I wish I’d kept my CDs now.

Look out for the junior choice compilations which had lots of mad kid friendly songs on? Maybe a classical collection with things like moonlight sonata on? Or - could you make your own mix and burn to cd?

What about some electro pop? Gary Newman, ulta vox or human league? Sparks are still pretty cool.

Glam and hair metal can also be fun.

@PinkNeonSign it was the best thing I bought DD. She uses it for hours every day, and CDs are so cheap now!

Revolver. Graceland. Some Bach cantatas. The Best of ABBA. Peter and the Wolf.

Didn't notice that "doh" would make people laugh 😁 - am in work mode so automatically used music teacher's "tonic sol-fa" notation. Technical thing, it really does make it 'doh"!!

Rammstein

Just play music you love - and also try some new stuff.

Mine loved music DH and I listened to David Bowie, Paul Simon, Flaming Lips, Americana, Reggae, Rai, Abba, 70s disco as well as stuff that was in the charts when they were small like Take That, Busted. And classical too - especially calming piano music like Debussy, Chopin, Beethoven sonatas.

I love that list! That's a great start.

Google “kids music cd's” - gives you a great set of ideas!

I enjoyed having a captive audience during the school run years and just put on the CDs I already owned. Lots of compilations, Beatles, Elvis, Elton John, easy classical music and greatest hits. Mine loved
Sea shanties
Christmas carols
Doo-wop like the Platters “Only youuuuuu!”
Cab Calloway
The Beach Boys
The Gypsy Kings
Jerry Lee Lewis
Soul Classics
Stevie Wonder
Queen

I would start with classical as it’s the best for brain development
I’d have to slip a bit of Stevie wonder in there too

If you want a classical suggestion then a compilation of John Williams songs. He composed songs for movies like Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean and my kids still have his songs on their Spotify playlists.

Yesterday I was at work and Phil Collins came on the radio. I was transported back to being a child and PC being on while my mum cooked dinner. Whatever you pick could get your DD’s brain firing.