Music Details
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Animal (by Ke$ha, Pop)

common sense media says

Dance-pop CD isn't graphic but is too suggestive for kids.


parents & educators say
  • 50% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking
  • 43% say sexual content is an issue

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that while ANIMAL doesn't contain hardcore swearing, exceptionally graphic sexual descriptions, or tons of references to substance use, it does include a smattering of each, making it inappropriate for tweens and young teens. The popular song "Tik Tok" is about partying and drinking to excess, without consequences.

Positive messages: The actions that Ke$ha describes -- getting drunk, obsessing about boys -- aren't things a parent would encourage a child to do.
Positive role models: Ke$ha isn't the train wreck that some of her peers have become (read: Britney), but the somewhat wild behavior in both her songs and personal life doesn't make her a good role model for kids.  
Violence: Not applicable.
Sex: Middle-of-the-road when it comes to sexual references -- more overt than Demi, but less than Britney. For example: " Boy come on get your rocks off / Come put a little love in my glove box  / I wanna dance with no pants on."
Language: S-word crops up here and there, with a few other eyebrow-raisers like "dick."
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Some mentions of drinking whiskey and beer and getting drunk, as well as getting stoned.

More on Animal

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about Ke$ha's background and how it contributed to where she is today. The singer was born in the Los Angeles area and raised by a single mom who was a musician herself. How might both of these things have affected Ke$ha's childhood?

  • After moving out of her mom's house, Ke$ha claims to have lived out of her car for awhile. How could her upbringing have contributed to both the hard times in her life and her recent success?

What's the story?

What's the story?

ANIMAL is the debut CD from Ke$sha -- the pop singer who collaborated with rapper Flo Rida on his wildly popular hit, “Right Round,” and has already had her own smash single, “Tik Tok.” On the full CD, Ke$ha covers a range of the typical topics one would expect from an early twenty-something girl, including young love, partying, and backstabbing friends. While she works some iffy content into the tunes, with some references to drinking, getting stoned, and having sex, the topics aren’t described in the same super-graphic ways that they are in songs by peers such as Lady GaGa and Britney Spears. Parents may feel better about having their older teens listening to Ke$ha than the latter two.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

In a sea full of young female pop stars, Ke$ha has managed to craft a somewhat distinct style by melding a little bit of Lady GaGa, Shakira, Britney Spears, and Demi Lovato. As a result, the songs on this CD -- particularly the slower track "Stephen" and the 3OH!3 collaboration “Blah Blah Blah” -- continue to take you by surprise: just when you expect to hear the same old (boring) synth-pop formula, the tune takes a turn with a quirky hook accompanied by the singer's catchy sing-speak delivery.

Music themes & details

Music Details
Released on: January 6, 2010
Label: RCA
Genre: Pop

This review was written by Stephanie Bruzzese
 
 

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What parents & educators say

13
Based on 14 parent & educator reviews:
  • 50% say there's too much drinking, drugs, or smoking
  • 43% say sexual content is an issue
  • 43% say language is an issue
  • 36% say there are positive role models

Most useful reviews by all members

pink.barbie
teen, 14 years old
 
13+ go for it
ke$ha is awesome and her lyrics are teen friendly. shes not as bad as other rapper/singers out there

Salimullah
teen, 15 years old
 
House Music, Where's the Depth??
Ok...so Kesha makes house music....very very catchy but not the best of music. Like it's great to dance to or cranking it up in your car...but the lyrics are not meaningful. If you like lady Gaga, buy it! If you prefer artists like Beyonce or Michael Jackson, u can pass!! Hope My Review Helped!

smallfry99
kid, 12 years old
 
Great Songs, Little Rude Though
Good song, little bit iffy in places though. She sings a little too much about getting drunk and stuff. Ten year olds who're mature and know most of the stuff (and won't think the stuff in the song is acceptable) should be able to listen to it. No one under ten though, it's just a little too dodgy.

Simkrazy
kid, 10 years old
 
Age appropriate!
Love it!

sweet4ng3L
teen, 15 years old
 
For anyone who loves a ride on the disco stick (lol jk).
I love Ke$ha!!! And no, actually girls 10+ will actually get what it means (since they reach adolescence early and their body/thoughts change quicky). I love Ke$ha soo mad much. I love her songs! She's my fav singer!!! <333

jp loves tabby
parent of 19 year old
 
you are smoking o,yea!!!
good love it

Kallik
teen, 13 years old
 
I hear worse in my middle school BUT...
I hear MUCH worse at school from people 10 years younger than her. I wouldn't let a 10 year old listen to songs like 'Blah Blah Blah' though. She references some innapropriate behaviors in a lot of songs, but it also has several songs that are fine for anyone to listen to. But I like every song on it =D

Tanked out
teen, 17 years old
 
One of the worst albums ever
If you asked me right now I couldn't tell you what kind of music Ke$ha does. It isn't singing because she couldn't sing if her life depended on it, it isn't rapping because she never rhymes and when she does it's so simple it's laughable and she can't flow to the beat, it isn't techno because the beats are REALLY REALLY simple and she doesn't even make them by herself. So what does she really do? I guess if you can write a song about being a drunk whore and look fairly attractive then BOOM record executives love it. What a great way to broadcast what teenage girls think about all day long. So she has no talent but is this album really bad content wise? Um..no, if your little 12 year old girl (that's the audience for this) is actually influenced by this music (I use the word loosly) she's incredibly stupid and really needs to grow up.

Renee5322
teen, 15 years old
 
Trashy
Very suggestive lyrics and TONS of mentionings of drugs and drinking. Also lots of swearing. I thought the single, Tik Tok, was a good party song, but the rest of this CD is just bad. I also can't stand Kesha's voice, it's so whiney. But even if you can stand the voice, this is NOT recommended for kids under 11. Dance music isn't my favorite kind of music, I like it occasionally though, but this is just trash. The world just doesn't need another drinking, talentless, drug-addicted singer chick. Sample lyrics: "girl you're such a sh*t talker" "d*amn Jeanie why you gotta tell the secrets about my sex life" "don't be a little b*tch with your chit chat just show me where your d*ck's at"

jacquie15
parent of and 6 , 13 , 16 , 17 year old
 
Ok for middle school and up
Good song. Ussaly herd by middle school and up on popular radio stations.

movielover45
teen, 14 years old
 
Pretty good album. The best songs that you have to listen to are tik tok and blah blah blah. Very fun!

kiwibananas
parent of 18 year old
 

 
Best music album I have ever heard.
Talented pop star Ke$ha makes fun pop hits that is appropiate for kids. Despite Common Sense Media's review, I found nothing explicit or sinful. This album was filled with talent and was well worth my money. If you can buy only one album, buy Ke$ha's Animal. It is the best music you will hear in ages. Ke$ha is truly an inspiration. A+

makeupmissy123
kid, 13 years old
 
umm love it but 12 yr olds can handle it, as well as me, im very mature for my age

 
Perfect for teens:}
I love this c.d And so dose my 11 year old sister i mean come on they wont know what it means! I love tik tok and some others great dance music a little to much cussing.....

Buffalo Gal
parent of and 11 , 14 , 16 year old
 
Not for my kids!
Nothing redeeming here to recommend.

cinnagurl
teen, 14 years old
 
perfect for tweens and teens i dont think that adults would like it
tik tok was my fave song when i was 11. i love tis cd. i really like ke$ha. my mom loves tik tok

naturallywonderful
teen, 14 years old
 
Good for middle school and up
It's good for 6th grade and up because during that time you change a LOT and you begin to understand these things. I would put this as "off" for fourth grade and under...

MeTheCrazyOne99TWO
teen, 14 years old
 
"I am in love, with" this album...!
BEST ALBUM SINCE "TEENAGE DREAM". I am so in love with this album! Though you say Ke$ha is not vocally talented, she is a wonderful singer, she CHOOSES to be autotuned, I've heard her sing back several years ago, I watched an old video of her before she was famous. Ke$ha fills this album with surprises, including awesome beats, good messages, strength, dancing, fun, creativity, weirdness, and kid-like features. But this album isn't the most appropriate. As for language: Several bleeped out "sh--"'s in several songs, but hey, they're bleeped out! A bleeped out "d--k", "hell", "a**", "b*tch", "sh--", "d--k", "p*ssin", etc. Innuendo: "junk", "v-g", "mang-na", "Blah Blah Blah" is filled with sexual phrases throughout the songs. Talk about "sleeping". Awesome beats though, and many positive messages and heartbreak songs. Songs with good messages: "Your Love Is My Drug", "Kiss N Tell", "Hungover", "Backstabber" (though that song has rather bad language), "Dinosaur", "Animal", "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes". In other words, most of the album. I recommend it! Lots of heartbreak as well, and "Stephen" and "Dinosaur" are hilarious!!! Innuendo: "Do you wanna have a slumber party in my basement", "Boys trying to touch my junk", "Lose your clothes in the crowd", The term "pimps" is used a few times, "dirty free for all", "take it off right now", "and they turn me on when they take it off", "You really should of kept it in your pants, I'm hearing dirty stories from your friends", "I can find someone way hotter, with a bigger- well..", "I can charm the pants off anyone else, but you", "I want to keep you as my pet to play with and hide under my bed forever", "Turn around boy, let me hit that", "Don't be a little b*tch with your chit-chat, just show me where your d*ck's at"/ "Boy, come on and get my rocks of, come put a little love in my glove box, wanna dance with no pants on?"/ "I wanna be naked and your wasted"/ "I think you got the best of me, you're sleeping with the enemy", "Keep that scruff lookin rough", "Dance til your pants come of, come on get naked". Mentions brushing her teeth with alcohol, and drinking all night until the sun comes up and she's passed out. She talks about partying til the break of dawn, and taking over a rich man's house, and entering the party, even though her and her friends aren't on the list. Good message: Though this album isn't the best for young kids like me, it is full of positive messages, and innocent heartbreak. "Kiss N Tell" Is about a dirty guy who she's trying to avoid because of his "grossness". Which is good. "Hungover" Is a great song about how she feels that she can't go on, she misses a boy she's lost, and is torn upon herself. "Backstabber" has some innuendo, she mentions her "sex life", and it has the use of "sh*t", "b*tches", "a**", "hell", and a bleeped out ". It is an angry song about how a friend of hers has gone bad and stabbed her in the back after Ke$ha was there for her. "Blind" is another sad heartbreak song about a boy who left her all alone without warning, and is now paying the price for what he's done to Ke$ha. "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes" is a sad song about Ke$ha realizing that she's gone too far, her true love is really gone this time, and she feels that it's helped wake her up to the fact that she's messed up and damaged her life. "Animal" is a strong love song about never dying love. Another good thing is that they are all SO catchy!!! I love the beats! You can even dance to the ballads!!! thats it for now

sydneysinger101
teen, 15 years old
 
Ke$ha, The Party Girl
Most all of her songs are talking about drinking and getting drunk. She isn't a good role model. Not really someone you want your kids to look up to or listen to.

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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age