What's the most popular music among 5 year old (Serbo-Croatian) girls?
February 7, 2013 10:36 AM Subscribe
I want to fill an old i-pod mini with pop music for a 5 year old girl. What kind of music do kids this age like? If the answer is Justin Bieber I'm okay with that.
She's Croatian and doesn't know English so if you happen to know pop stars or children's shows that she'd like, that would be great. Otherwise, English-language music is best.
She's Croatian and doesn't know English so if you happen to know pop stars or children's shows that she'd like, that would be great. Otherwise, English-language music is best.
My 4-year-old likes Casper Babypants, Lady Gaga, They Might Be Giants (they have several kids albums now, who knew?), and Jawbreaker.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 10:40 AM on February 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 10:40 AM on February 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
Best answer: The Beatles are still loved by the five year olds I know.
posted by alms at 10:47 AM on February 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by alms at 10:47 AM on February 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
My go-to recommendation for this question is to look at the playlist for the two Just Dance Kids games (1, 2). A lot of diversity, and they are all songs carefully chosen because of their appeal to little kids.
posted by jbickers at 10:52 AM on February 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by jbickers at 10:52 AM on February 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: You can probably find Beatles songs where the (English-language) lyrics are pretty simple and repetitive. Early Beatles especially. My 5-year-old loves the Barenaked Ladies' kids' album Snacktime, I think for both the melodies and the words. He's also a big Dan Zanes fan, and also up-tempo Sheryl Crow. Whatever song Beyonce sang at the Super Bowl last Sunday was actually a hit too.
Harcsa Veronika is Hungarian...not super-far from Croatia, though I don't know if she's known in Croatia or not. Her songs are kind of jazz chanteuse-y. My kid likes her version of "Spooky," most famously sung by Dusty Springfield.
posted by homelystar at 11:01 AM on February 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
Harcsa Veronika is Hungarian...not super-far from Croatia, though I don't know if she's known in Croatia or not. Her songs are kind of jazz chanteuse-y. My kid likes her version of "Spooky," most famously sung by Dusty Springfield.
posted by homelystar at 11:01 AM on February 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
SteveSongs is great -- kids music, yes, but fun and poppy without being annoying.
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:07 AM on February 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by BlahLaLa at 11:07 AM on February 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
I watch a lot of Eurovision (oh boy, do I watch Eurovision) and I was enchanted with Nina. Her song Caroban was really poppy and fun. Extra points because Nina is Serbian.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:14 AM on February 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:14 AM on February 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
I've never met a kid that didn't like No! by They Might Be Giants.
Also, this boxed set is amazing: Songs From The Street.
Most young kids pick up language quickly, so I wouldn't worry too much about the language barrier.
posted by eustacescrubb at 11:28 AM on February 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also, this boxed set is amazing: Songs From The Street.
Most young kids pick up language quickly, so I wouldn't worry too much about the language barrier.
posted by eustacescrubb at 11:28 AM on February 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
This is the playlist from a CD I burned as a party favour for my kid's 7th birthday. It was a big hit with kids and parents alike.
African Alphabet Song - The Muppets with Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Dance This Mess Around - The B 52's
Day - O (Banana Boat Song) - Harry Belafonte
La Valse À Mille Temps - Jacques Brel
Octopus's Garden - The Beatles
Rock Lobster - The B - 52's
Salade de fruits - Bourvil/Fernandel
Yr Mama - Duplex
Pata Pata - Miriam Makeba
Put da Lime inda Coconut (Drin - The Muppets
Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla (Pronouns) - Schoolhouse Rock
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Whip It - Devo
ABC - Jackson 5
We Will Rock You - Queen
Limbo Rock - Trini Lopez
I'm Sticking With You - The Velvet Underground
Really, most early Beatles, B-52's, some Queen (Bohemian Rhapsody), Harry Belafonte, these are good. Novelty songs, even if she can't understand the words, if the singing is fun enough. Think Witch Doctor and the like.
posted by looli at 11:31 AM on February 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
African Alphabet Song - The Muppets with Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Dance This Mess Around - The B 52's
Day - O (Banana Boat Song) - Harry Belafonte
La Valse À Mille Temps - Jacques Brel
Octopus's Garden - The Beatles
Rock Lobster - The B - 52's
Salade de fruits - Bourvil/Fernandel
Yr Mama - Duplex
Pata Pata - Miriam Makeba
Put da Lime inda Coconut (Drin - The Muppets
Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla (Pronouns) - Schoolhouse Rock
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
Whip It - Devo
ABC - Jackson 5
We Will Rock You - Queen
Limbo Rock - Trini Lopez
I'm Sticking With You - The Velvet Underground
Really, most early Beatles, B-52's, some Queen (Bohemian Rhapsody), Harry Belafonte, these are good. Novelty songs, even if she can't understand the words, if the singing is fun enough. Think Witch Doctor and the like.
posted by looli at 11:31 AM on February 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
There is a =lot= of top-notch kid's music out there right now; it's probably more vibrant than the alternative or pop genres currently are. Here's a good blog to get you started - Pandora also has a few channels of new kid's music.
My current faves are Elizabeth Mitchell, Caspar Babypants (former Presidents of the USA front-man), Agent 23Skiddoo and Randy Kaplan.
posted by Slap*Happy at 11:47 AM on February 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
My current faves are Elizabeth Mitchell, Caspar Babypants (former Presidents of the USA front-man), Agent 23Skiddoo and Randy Kaplan.
posted by Slap*Happy at 11:47 AM on February 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you all for your answers. I went with early Beatles because I own an album and that was the easiest solution. I'll keep watching this thread for ideas for ideas for future gifts!
posted by vincele at 11:53 AM on February 7, 2013
posted by vincele at 11:53 AM on February 7, 2013
I have a Girl Scout troop with girls aged 5-9, and I got totally made fun of for playing the Beatles one night. "Stop playing that weird music!" "Don't you have any music that isn't weird?" And this was early stuff. Like Love Me Do. I LOVED the Beatles when I was their age, but kids these days, I don't know, shaking my fist get off my lawn etc.
I'd put some Aqua (Barbie Girl, Candyman) on there. The high-pitched insipid stuff is a crowd-pleaser for the under 8 set.
posted by phunniemee at 12:06 PM on February 7, 2013
I'd put some Aqua (Barbie Girl, Candyman) on there. The high-pitched insipid stuff is a crowd-pleaser for the under 8 set.
posted by phunniemee at 12:06 PM on February 7, 2013
My 4 year old loves "Call me maybe". And actually "Gangnam style", but I feel a little bad about that.
Also likes They Might Be Giants and the wizard of oz soundtrack.
posted by mgogol at 12:12 PM on February 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also likes They Might Be Giants and the wizard of oz soundtrack.
posted by mgogol at 12:12 PM on February 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
When my daughter was that age she was a huge fan of the Brian Waite Band (along with many of the other people listed above).
posted by The corpse in the library at 12:13 PM on February 7, 2013
posted by The corpse in the library at 12:13 PM on February 7, 2013
My Littlest Goddaughter (age 5) LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVES Adele.
posted by Sidhedevil at 12:25 PM on February 7, 2013
posted by Sidhedevil at 12:25 PM on February 7, 2013
My five year old niece loves, loves, loves Blondie.
posted by mochapickle at 12:43 PM on February 7, 2013
posted by mochapickle at 12:43 PM on February 7, 2013
mgogol, don't feel bad. Those are exactly the songs & artists I was coming to post - minus the Wizard of Oz. Also a band called Rolie Polie Guacamole.
posted by lyssabee at 5:31 PM on February 7, 2013
posted by lyssabee at 5:31 PM on February 7, 2013
My daughter loves stuff with strong guitar riffs and female vocalists - The Gossip are currently a big favourite, same with The Grates and PJ Harvey. She also loves M.I.A's Bad Girls but I kinda feel bad about my three year old singing "live fast, die young, bad girls do it well" so I have her on a strict diet for that. She would probably love Adele as well, thinking about it.
She also quite likes Gorillaz and Nine Inch Nails, but again, the lyrics aren't so child friendly.
posted by geek anachronism at 8:39 PM on February 7, 2013
She also quite likes Gorillaz and Nine Inch Nails, but again, the lyrics aren't so child friendly.
posted by geek anachronism at 8:39 PM on February 7, 2013
The kids I know around that age really like Abba.
This song by the Great Lakes Swimmers is poppy and fun: "See You on the Moon!"
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:43 PM on February 7, 2013
This song by the Great Lakes Swimmers is poppy and fun: "See You on the Moon!"
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:43 PM on February 7, 2013
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posted by pearlybob at 10:40 AM on February 7, 2013 [2 favorites]