Handpicked by Our Editors

"Wash Your Hands" (CD single)
Age 3+
4

"Wash Your Hands" (CD single)

Why We Recommend It

Feel like a broken record about clean hands? This cute ditty may make an impression and send kids to the sink.

Read our full review
From Elmo to Eminem you can trust our children's music reviews.

Kids of all ages love music. For our littlest children, music helps build vocabulary and coordination. For our older kids, music expresses passions and angst. But finding kids' music that has messages you feel comfortable with can take some homework on parents' part. Luckily, our reviews give you what you need to know to choose and manage kids' music.

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New Music Reviews

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"Meet Me on the Equinox" (CD single) by Death Cab for Cutie
Parents Need to Know...

that like Twilight the movie and the Twilight Saga book series, this song from the New Moon movie soundtrack is OK for tweens but a bit too much for young children: it's fairly clean throughout yet includes one light mention of sex.  read more

Age 13+
"Meet Me on the Equinox" (CD single)
3
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Abbey Road by The Beatles
Parents Need to Know...

that this album is considered one of The Beatles' finest and includes many songs that are particularly well-suited for children. It is entirely devoid of offensive language and lacks the alleged drug overtones of earlier albums like ... read more

Age 7+
Abbey Road
5
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Taking Woodstock Movie Soundtrack by Various Artists
Parents Need to Know...

that while the songs on this soundtrack lack the gratuitous sex and drugs included in much of today's music, these themes are still present in a more muted way -- which could lead kids to want to initiate a larger discussion about this ... read more

Age 14+
Taking Woodstock Movie Soundtrack
4
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Bandslam Movie Soundtrack by Various Artists
Parents Need to Know...

that this CD is a great one for kids who are cutting their musical teeth, exposing them to an array of old and new artists who have a lot of talent (some more than others) yet release largely clean songs. read more

Age 10+
Bandslam Movie Soundtrack
4
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Leave This Town by Daughtry
Parents Need to Know...

that this album, and Chris Daughtry himself, are about as clean as they come: though the singer can clearly feel conflicted at times, he refrains from indulging in explicit language, drug use, or other mature behaviors to drown his ... read more

Age 13+
Leave This Town
3
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"No Surprise" (CD single) by Daughtry
Parents Need to Know...

that they have nothing to worry about with this track: Chris Daughtry and his bandmates give a super straightforward, obscenity-free account of a sad breakup. read more

Age 11+
"No Surprise" (CD single)
3
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Metamorphosis by Papa Roach
Parents Need to Know...

that if they want to let their teens buy this record, it should be the edited version. To be sure, the album is less risque than many other rap-rock records, but it still contains enough f-bombs, sex, and substance use to warrant the ... read more

Age 14+
Metamorphosis
2
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No Line on the Horizon by U2
Parents Need to Know...

that this album is a mostly upbeat collection of songs that discuss the current state of the world and what people can do to affect change. Many of the songs tell grim stories from a first-person perspective, like a soldier dying. Teens ... read more

Age 15+
No Line on the Horizon
5
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"Prom Queen" (CD single) by Lil Wayne
Parents Need to Know...

that Lil Wayne's latest single is surprisingly clean. Sure Wayne talks about fancy underwear and drops the f-bomb a few times, but this single inidicates that the hardcore rapper is dipping a toe into mainstream music. Although the song ... read more

Age 16+
"Prom Queen" (CD single)
3
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Crooked X by Crooked X
Parents Need to Know...

that they have little to worry about with Crooked X. The band's clean lyrics cover the typical teen topics like exploring the world ("I can't slow down / I see the whole world comin'") and experiencing periodic angst ("I ... read more

Age 14+
Crooked X
3
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"Get on Your Boots" (CD single) by U2
Parents Need to Know...

that the "sexy boots" in this song are a metaphor for going to work, and true to the band's counter-culture roots, the work to be done is fixing the world's problems. It's a rocking, danceable song whose lyrics may go over ... read more

Age 14+
"Get on Your Boots" (CD single)
4
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Folie à Deux by Fall Out Boy
Parents Need to Know...

that while there are one or two expletives and some mature lyrics on this album, the content is mostly appropriate for teens and older tweens. But keep an eye on the first video for the song I Don't Care, which is chock full of rude, ... read more

Age 14+
Folie à Deux
4
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Road to Revolution: Live at Milton Keynes by Linkin Park
Parents Need to Know...

that these songs contain brooding lyrics about feeling depressed and failing to fit in. As usual, the band doesn't shy away from using the word f--k, though they don't rely on it, either. read more

Age 15+
Road to Revolution: Live at Milton Keynes
3
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Dark Horse by Nickelback
Parents Need to Know...

that this album is more sexually charged than some of Nickelback's previous releases. Also, several of the songs on this album glamorize drinking and smoking marijuana. read more

Age 16+
Dark Horse
3
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David Cook by David Cook
Parents Need to Know...

that American Idol winner David Cook delivers family-safe songs dealing with relationships, loneliness, and life on the road via well-written, personal poetry. And while Cook may rock an unshaven look, he's no rebel. There is nothing ... read more

Age 10+
David Cook
4
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Don't Tell Me (CD Single) by Nolan Gerard Funk
Parents Need to Know...

that this spirited track about not living by other people's rules is really a healthy tribute to the importance of being yourself. read more

Age 9+
Don't Tell Me (CD Single)
3
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Everything Can Change (CD Single) by Nolan Gerard Funk
Parents Need to Know...

that this upbeat song about the unpredictability of life has a positive message about accepting change. read more

Age 9+
Everything Can Change (CD Single)
3
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Unbeautiful by Lesley Roy
Parents Need to Know...

that this talented young musician's songs are visceral and honest, and her lyrics deal with real issues. There's a cigarette or two, a song called "Psycho Bitch," a couple of references to sexuality. read more

Age 13+
Unbeautiful
5
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"Shackler's Revenge" (CD single) by Guns N' Roses
Parents Need to Know...

that this single -- which debuted in the Rock Band 2 video game -- has some dark, violent lyrics, painting a portrait of a man who's thinking about shooting a bunch of people ... and maybe himself, too. Unpleasant as that sounds, it's ... read more

Age 14+
"Shackler's Revenge" (CD single)
3
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Death Magnetic by Metallica
Parents Need to Know...

that this album -- which made its debut as the first full downloadable album for the video game Guitar Hero III -- has all the trademark heavy metal staples: lyrics about death, dying, and pain accompanied by driving guitars and furious ... read more

Age 14+
Death Magnetic
4
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All Hope Is Gone by Slipknot
Parents Need to Know...

that this is a band that's increasingly popular with teens. With deep foreboding vocals, aggressive guitar riffs, and angry lyrics, the album creates a dark, menacing atmosphere filled with violence and agony. Although many of the band's ... read more

No Kids
All Hope Is Gone
4

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Common Sense Media's music reviews and ratings for all ages are based on child development principles. We give you trustworthy information so you can pick what's best for your family. We may know media, but you're the expert on your kids.

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