Recommend cheesy dancy electronic pop for a seven-year-old
September 3, 2013 4:29 PM   Subscribe

My seven-year-old son won a cheap-and-basic MP3 player at a charity tombola. Since then he's been pointing out tunes that he'd like to carry around. I need to find some more!

His tastes run from Generic Euro-Dance as heard on a recent holiday to "Gangnam Style" to most things by Daft Punk to "I Like to Move It" (the Madagascar version, of course). I know, I know. The future looks bleak for my bloodline. But I'd like to indulge this new taste a little. We'll get to Will Oldham and Jeff Mangum later, if the loud music from daddy's office has anything to do with it.

So what are the best, cheesiest and downright earwormy songs out there for a young chap who's definitely far beyond The Wiggles and Disney but maybe isn't quite ready for anything too racy?
posted by pipeski to Grab Bag (25 answers total) 10 users marked this as a favorite
 
If Korean isn't a problem, then a lot of Girls Generation songs, like Gee, might work. I also like Psy's Olympic song and Right Now.
posted by maryr at 4:37 PM on September 3, 2013


Groove is in the Heart by Deee-Lite, some Justin Timberlake, Kylie Minogue...

I'm glad you're not subjecting your kid to Viva Last Blues yet.
posted by analog at 4:39 PM on September 3, 2013


tons of 90s dancy stuff, free downloads. Use parental guidance
start from the first post, and read the descriptions to see what matches his tastes best.

My Year of Mix Tapes.
posted by timsteil at 4:39 PM on September 3, 2013 [1 favorite]


Michael Jackson!
posted by barnone at 4:41 PM on September 3, 2013


Junior Senior - Move Your Feet (Song is kid-appropriate, video is not.)
posted by hydrophonic at 4:47 PM on September 3, 2013 [2 favorites]


S Club 7. The best music mankind has produced so far.
posted by matthew.alexander at 4:54 PM on September 3, 2013 [1 favorite]


"Punk Rock Girl" by the Dead Milkmen just came on my radio. It's silly and almost aggressively cheerful.
posted by Flannery Culp at 5:08 PM on September 3, 2013


Aqua.
posted by thylacine at 5:08 PM on September 3, 2013 [1 favorite]


If you're concerned about age-appropriate content, the series Kidz Bop is a good compromise. The collections are current pop hits sung by kids and adult lyrics are edited. It's like a cross of pop/dance hits and Glee.

If that's too kid's stuff for him, you can try workout pop compilations - they're dance/high energy remixes of pop songs. They're pretty approachable and will have that cheezy factor that you won't get as easily in actual dance music that's popular in clubs.
posted by quince at 5:09 PM on September 3, 2013 [1 favorite]


Daft Punk? Oh my! See how he likes Superfunk, Etienne de Crécy, Cassius, Bob Sinclar... also Fatboy Slim, Groove Armada, Basement Jaxx, Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem... how about some classics? Bomb the Bass, S-Express, M/A/R/R/S, Yazz, Snap!

Also, Billboard is your friend! and psst... offliberty
posted by Tom-B at 5:24 PM on September 3, 2013 [1 favorite]


I have a five year old who shares some of your son's tastes.

Funkytown by Lipps, Inc.

Low Rider by War

The soundtrack to Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
posted by ambrosia at 5:33 PM on September 3, 2013 [2 favorites]


Or how about some Electroswing, also Krafty Kuts, Ed Solo... or a Nu Disco mix
posted by Tom-B at 5:39 PM on September 3, 2013


this dream pop compilation! dancey sugary pop goodness that i'd imagine kids would dig. plus, the cover has a unicorn in space.
posted by colorproof at 5:40 PM on September 3, 2013


oh! and this valerie and friends compilation as well. (the valerie collective rules, by the way.)
posted by colorproof at 5:50 PM on September 3, 2013


Weirdly (or not), the original soundtrack to Hairspray might just fit your bill.
posted by tafetta, darling! at 6:08 PM on September 3, 2013


They Might Be Giants
posted by RonButNotStupid at 6:11 PM on September 3, 2013 [2 favorites]


Freezepop.
posted by w0mbat at 6:26 PM on September 3, 2013 [1 favorite]


Arashi is a Jpop boyband filled with bouncy rainbows and sparkles and occasionally mangled English phrases: my friends and I used to listen to them in college when we were cleaning or needed musical motivation. Try Kitto Daijoubu, Love so Sweet, A.Ra.Shi, Step and Go, and Wish.

(Also, if he's ever seen One Piece, definitely look at NEWS's Sayaendou music video, which features a bunch of grown men singing about peas. As in the vegetable.)
posted by angst at 6:51 PM on September 3, 2013




Actually, yeah, TMBG is the answer. If he has not yet discovered Weird Al, this may also be the time for that.
posted by maryr at 9:59 PM on September 3, 2013


Does this situation not possibly call for some early Depeche Mode, 80's-era Devo or Kraftwerk of the first water?
posted by mumkin at 10:55 PM on September 3, 2013


How about my personal cheerleader, Yelle?

Note: I don't speak French and cannot vouch for the nature of the content.
posted by GrumpyDan at 11:17 PM on September 3, 2013 [1 favorite]


Blue by Eiffel 65

Aqua - Barbie Girl

Bonus for teaching me a new word (tombola):

The worst songs of the 1990s.
posted by Gringos Without Borders at 12:01 AM on September 4, 2013


I Love It by Icona Pop.

Shut Up and Let Me Go by The Ting-Tings.

Bitter Rivals by Sleigh Bells.

Pretty much everything by The Go Team.

My boy recently got an iPod too, and his earwormy rabbit hole has become classic rock, mainly Bon Jovi and Queen. Lots to explore there.

and oh god one of the bands that came out when i was in high school is now classic rock oh god i am old
posted by jbickers at 6:35 AM on September 4, 2013


I recommend Family Force 5. They are cheesy and do a lot of electronic sounds, but mixed with pop and a bit of rap and even metal.
posted by tacodave at 3:49 PM on September 4, 2013


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