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Audra Rox might be a good musician but totally oblivious to a child's special needs. I wouldn't refer to anybody as a teacher.

My favorite kiddie music has to be The SqueeGees. They are so cute, my kids love them and their music does not drive me crazy. They do songs about eating healthy and rescue dogs. I love that. Nala the Chihuaha is the house favorite.

www.meetthesqueegees.com that is their website

My kid bought home a CD called Shenanigans a few day's ago that he got from the guy that made it. My son had just seen the guy at his school and he said his show was pretty cool.My son was singing some song called Hip-hop-o-potomus (or something like that) and I thought it sounded pretty good too. I borrowed the disc from my son and played it on my way to work and I have to say, the guy is doing some pretty good stuff here. I don't know much about the whole kiddie music scene but does anybody know who this guy is?

As for Gustafer yellowgold: I second that emotion. it is excellent. And unlike songs, or songs with videos, Gustafer Tellowgold DVDs employ a format that is excellent for early readers.

I agree with some posters that music for kids is not really want kids want or need -- classic music is enough, whether it's Beethoven or Beatles.

But the Gustafer stuff also teaches lessons about nonconformity, loyalty, friendhsip and acceptance in a nonpartisan, even-handed, non-hippie style.

And our whole family loves that.

Music is my religion, too, so naturally I had to weigh in.

I have tons of music and the only "kid's music" record I have bought was Andre 3,000's "Class of 3,000 Vol. 1," which is terrific. But then again he's a genius.

My basic feeling is that "kid's music" is unnecessary. If I want to play calypso for my kids I'm going to find a Mighty Sparrow record, not Dan Zanes. As for reggae, let's stick with Lee Perry, Bob Marley, Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs... The point is, if I can get the musical variety I need (and want to expose my kids to) from originals and innovators, I don't need retreads just because they are marketed for kids.

When my children were newborns, I wanted to have songs to sing to them. So I made tapes of songs to sing along to. The variety is huge: Beatles to Bing to Bowie to Beethoven and Britten folk songs, etc. I ended up learning a lot of songs to sing in the car, the doctor's waiting room, etc. Those tapes are still played every night as the kids fall asleep!

Also, you just never know what kids will like. When Hannah (now 9) was a toddler, she loved Grace Jones. The Compass Point Sessions compilation was on constantly. And Noah (now 8) was a big Fantasia fan and also liked to listen to the Rite Of Spring when he was fussy in the car.

The hundredth listen test is a tough one, though. For a while, the kids only wanted Beatles in the car. Even with solo stuff mixed in, my wife became thoroughly sick of the Fab Four. It took her a couple of years to get over that!

Now they have their first iPods and they requested I fill them with all Beatles - not a bad start.

Anyway, sorry for the long comment. Just something I feel passionately about.

Seriously, why take your kids to a Pixar film when there's the entire Woody Allen catalog to explore? Why read Where the Wild Things Are when the works of Nabokov are gathering dust on your shelves? Stop insulting your children by exposing them to material that attempts to speak to their current human condition!

It's great to see the fervency of response here. Clearly there are strong opinions both about music and child-rearing. Andy's musical and parental impulses are pure, I can attest. He (and his three sons) just wanna have fun. What's wrong with that?

And, he's introducing parents and kids to various musical genres by featuring talented great performers and recording artists.

Children's music is so creative, joyous and free. Artists are always telling me how refreshing it is to perform and record for children as opposed to their usual work in the clubs and mainstream recording industry.

Bravo to anyone working in this field!

I really loved that Robbert Bobbert & The Bubble Machine track you played! Thanks for introducing me to The Apples in stereo and Robbert too!

I agree with many of the comments above which state this whole debate is absurd. If kids want to hear something or, in particular to Andy, want to go somewhere, then it's relevant. I created Kidzapalooza as part of the Lollapalooza music festival and we prove every Summer that this new wave of Kids music is "great."

I am single manhattan mom who has been inundated with kid music daily for the past seven years. I completely appreciate music that appeals to both parent and child especially when songs get locked in on repeat for longer than this soundcheck segment.

Artists today are beginning to fill a musical gap between the simplistic word-play lyrics and rhythm patterns which speak to our preschoolers and the overly saucy hetero-romance focused "tween" synthesized music.

Efforts made by artists from Laurie Berkner in "I'm Not Perfect" to a myriad of Justin Roberts' songs about moving or having a meltdown, are not only improving a parent's listening experience as they include genres that appeal to any age; but lyrically, are offering kids an emotional connection to experiences in a parent/child relationship that at times cannot be spoken between the two parties.

So inspired by these artists, I am currently working on an album with my band, alexandra and the good batch, where both child and parent have a chance to vent and laugh as we navigate some tough terrain about having two homes, demanding things of each other,and falling apart. But most importantly, it's about rocking out and loving it!

John Carlin and the Kids Music Underground is the soundtrack to our kids lives. The music is super fun, lyrics catchy and always brightens our day. They are great live performers, too! You have to check it out and hear for yourselves. Our hands down favorite!

Limor Tomer's patronizing comments have helped me understand why those of us who used to come to WNYC for interesting and challenging music are now afflicted with countless hours of "new" classical works. Thank God for the little of John Schaefer and David Garland that remain.

John Carlin and the Kids Music Underground are the hands down favorite at our house. The music ranges from super fun kids music to songs that parents enjoy as well. His cds are in constant rotation at our house. Looking forward to the new one that's coming out soon!
John and Company rock!

p.s. -- I must admit we did have a Raffi album which I think he listed to occasionally when he was little and probably liked.

My son is now 12 yro and loves music. I can't think of any kids music we played in the house, though there might have been some.

The first thing we played for him when we returned from China (he was 15 mo) was Alison Krauss, which he likes to listen to now. I've taken him to a number of concerts including Del Mcoury twice, Vermont orchestra, Caroline or Change (broadway). He loves the Beatles different kinds of rock -- main MP3 thing he's been listening to lately is Eric Clapton Crossroads from The Cream.

He now plays flute in the school band and is learning guitar. No kids close by to play music with, which is kind of a problem.

Anyway -- kids music? Who needs it?

I have to confess that in our household, we (all, at least for now) enjoy all the TMBG kiddie albums and Dino 5 along with a steady diet of (yes, Limor!) Meredith Monk, Coltrane, Beethoven, Bob Marley, Nusrat, Orchestra Baobab, etc. etc. etc. ad infinitum, as well as our own singing and dancing and music-making.

What *really* gets me is the dumbing down of great music in the name of "educating" kids. (How about a segment about the destruction/decimation of classical music into Baby Einstein's synthesized treacle?)

Hayes Greenfield rocks!
Our kids 'got him' too--and we never get tired of the music--we've been listening for 10 years!
He records traditional kids stuff brilliantly (it sounds fresh) and has also reworked kids music to support the environment.

I suggest every one of you who are parents of young children spend an hour and read an essay by Kandinsky entitled 'Reminiscences.' A young mind needs little stimulation in order to become a seminal artist. It does, however, have to be of some merit. It sounds to me as if many of you are competing in a media frenzy in an attempt to overeducate your kids in an activity that only needs minimal but superbly high quality input.

Our family are big fans of John Carlin's Kids Music Underground. Singing and dancing with your kids is so rewarding and it lets them burn some of that never ending energy!

what about raffi?

Amen to Hayes Greenfield!!
We put on his Jazz-a-ma-tazz CD and the kids(2 and a half - 7 yrs.) start bopping around the house. Immediate response! They get it right away--and it's GREAT music!!

As a 5 year old one of my favorite songs and videos was "We're not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister. It was the early 80's MTV was brand new and although Twisted Sister was not kids music it did teach me one very important fundamental thing that..."I wanna rock".

To be honest, we have learned so much about our own musical tastes by trying to introduce our kids to different sounds and genres. And living in Brooklyn these days feel like being at the epicenter of an explosion of live music for kids that adults also ejoy - not just Dan Zanes but the fabulous John Carlin (huge fave in our house), Laurie Berkner, the Deedle Deedle Dees and so on. We feel very lucky to be able to bring our kids to all these shows and to have fun ourselves too.

We need to bring back the Magic Garden.

Speaking of kids music, the act "Ween" did music for Sponge Bob...

They're not exactly the kid of band that you'd want your little kids listening to.

Why are we spending airtime on this topic! Anything that exposes kids to music, art, science...whatever, is a good thing. So what if they start out with the Wiggles and then move on to Monk or the Rolling Stones or the Mighty Sparrow. It is all good. Anything that gets them listening and responding, either through "wiggling" or clapping or following patterns is ok.
Our kids are and have always been over-marketed and we, as parents have to decide what is acceptable and what is not. We can't blame these musicans for wanting to make a living.

My 4 and 8 year old boys love Zappa and Bill Bruford as well as TMBG and the beatles.
Isn't Yellow Submarine a kids' song?!!!!

I don't really get the argument...We have played all types of music for our children since birth: Raffi, Bob Marley, Bach, etc.and I think it's all good. Sure, the repetitiveness can be grating, but isn't that true for anything? The Wiggles or Barney or whatever drives you crazy won't last, unfortunately they don't stay toddlers forever. Try what my husband does when he can't take it anymore, a set of foam earplugs.
Amy, New Rochelle, NY

the problem with Dan Zanes and TMBG is that while they appeal to parents they may not appeal to all parents esp. people who don't like folk/bluegrass music. why is the genre is saturated with white guys with acoustic guitars singing witty folk songs...not so ethinically diverse.

The Wiggles are great. Although my son no longer watches, I sing their songs all the time; they are imprinted on my brain.

Please, can we just admit that They Might Be Giants were totally annoying even before they started making kids music?

What about Sandra Boynton and her "Philadelphia Chickens?" We played this for years in my car. Great music and greater lyrics. I thought this album was a great way to introduce kids to all kinds of music and keep parents intersted too.

I never bought this out of insecurity. But I do admit I love things/music/movies I can enjoy with my kids. Eg, "Marley and Me" vs. HS Musical 3 during which I fell asleep.

Never understood the appeal of the Wiggles, particularly compared with Philadelphia Chickens. But I do appreciate how much kids enjoy the Wiggles.

One final thought...I recall as a kid loving music in which kids wer singing, and I see this in my kids, too. They love one Christmas albus we have where all the singers are kids. They also love "Kids Bop" which I can barely tolerate.

Does anyone remember 40 Songs Children Love to Sing? I think it had a song that went "I gave my love a chicken/that had no bone; I gave my love a cherry/that had no stone; I gave my love a ring/that had no end..."

I remember the records being fantastic, but who knows what my parents thought.

I think of the Grateful Dead's Ramble On Rose and Sugar Magnolia as being a songs of my childhood, because that's what my parents were listening to...

"Damn it, you kids and your Wiggles! Why can't you listen to Jerry Garcia?" Maybe it's just me, but this sounds a lot like a conversation most of us probably had with our parents at 16.

Kids like the Wiggles. They're harmless. Get over it.

Yay For Audra Rox!!!!

My godchild (almost 4) got the Kimya Dawson release "Alphabutt" from me for Christmas. She digs the They Might Be Giants CD too. I thought it wasn't so bad when I shared some car rides with her. Although, since I'm not a parent and I don't know, I can imagine that after 1500 listens that ANYTHING would be annoying.

But, on another note, my goddaughter LOVES a Brooklyn-based band called Magnolia and their song "It Fell From the Sky." That is a band of young people who are making their own music for whomever wants to listen. Not just kids. http://www.myspace.com/magnoliatheband

My one year old's absolute favorite song is "Wheel's on the Bus" on the baby loves Jazz cd. He also enjoys the Dino 5, he puts the cd on himself and starts to dance. Honestly, I don't see why there shouldn't be children's music that adults can enjoy listening to. I do think kids want children's music and I say yes to Dan Zanes, Baby Loves... - all of it.

Yes - Music for Ardvarks too!

Not bad,much better than what we are subjected to listen to as parents. They sound a bit like Humpy Hump.

What a great subject!
Of course, as a mom, I can only be happy that kids music today is so great and really something I also want to listen to. I second the thumbs up for Randy Kaplan - and also wanted to add Gustafer Yellowgold! (My husband I will listen to him in the car even when our kids aren't there!) These local musicians also makes it nice because it allows us to bring our kids to concerts - to see real, live music (instead of something horrid like Sesame Street Live!)
Of course, I also agree with the Woody Guthrie quote - kids will love what they will love, whether its aimed at them or not. As parents we have both the honor and the responsibility for shaping their nascent tastes.

When my kids were younger, I was ultimately rescued from Raffi by Tom Chapin. Specifically, a song from his disc "Family Tree": the priceless "Don't Make Me" (go to school today) set to Swan Lake.
More recently, the Leevees are still a favorite with the CD "Hanukkah Rocks".

i have to shout out for an amazing local artist, audra rox! fun, good, listen-able music. even after 1000 listens.

Sesame street produced the album "My Name is Roosevelt Franklin" which, I must say, is on my iPod now and I don't have any children.

Joe Raposo was amazing! His stuff still stands, and I'm 30.

good kids music brings kids... parents and families together through their music.
check out musicbyzev.com . there are lots of offbeat kids music artist hanging out on facebook

i have to shout out for a local amazing artist, audra rox. fun, good, listen-able music. and i can still say this after 1,000 listens and counting...

and wow, i'm going to download the dino 5 album now...fantastic.

Whenever the subject of kids' music comes up, I'm mystified when award-winning (New York based) saxophonist/composer Hayes Greenfield is left out of the discussion. His Jazz-a-ma-tazz programs of music participation for children around the country draw delighted crowds (parents and children!), and the music itself is stellar. He has also visited my class at New York University and changed my students' lives with his approach to jazz as art, craft and philosophy for living. So this is a shameless plug for Hayes Greenfield: http://www.jazzamatazz.com and http://www.musicforagreenplanet.com.

We love they might be giants for ourselves and our baby - Bare naked ladies are good too! Or those Lulaby CD's covers of bands like the cure and Bjork are nice too

Dan Zanes never described what was doing as "kid's music" but rather as "family music." My kid loved DZ between the ages of around 2 and 6 and still likes a lot of it when he hears it. He did not care who the guest artists were of course, but did learn a lot of great songs.

I am the parent of a six year old, and find the whole concept of a debate over "kid's music" absurd. The parents who complain about it are intrinsically selfish - if my kid likes Dan Zanes or TMBG, I'm no longer cool. As Jon pointed out on his blog, the vast majority of current popular music is inappropriate for kids ("Rehab" anyone?) Therefore, if the option is Barney or TMBG, I'll choose the latter (who I like anyway.)

It's irrelevant anyway. They'll all outgrow it anyway and listen to music they've chosen that we hate.

Damn the Wiggles!!
I buy all my friends with kids "Not for Kids Only" by Jerry Garcia and Dave Grisman. Its clasic childrens songs with a bluegrass twang, and so much better then the Kid drivel you get from one of the kiddie-pop bands and you can listen to it in the car with out the risk of drvining into incoming traffic.

If you're going to talk about Kiddie Music, you need to talk about Randy Kaplan! He is the only artist doing "kid's" music that I like. I can't stand the other bands that make music for kids. His album "5 cent piece" is really fun. He does a few covers, but mostly original tunes. He has a career as an "adult" musician too. He lives in LA now, but used to live in NYC, and performed in Park Slope (for free!) often while he was here.