music in the car

My kids are at the age where we are slowly transitioning to music that I can stand listening too. Don’t get me wrong – I love me some Laurie Berkner – but it’s not so bad to have some music that is a little more grown up. We’ve moved away from the Disney classics and moved into some Jonas Brothers and Taylor Swift. I don’t usually listen to them by myself in the car but it’s kind of fun to have pop music that we can all enjoy.

We live in the sticks so I can’t get the Disney channel in my car unless we drive to Chicago or Indy (I obviously don’t have satellite radio). And I don’t have an mp3 adapter in my car either so we listen to CDs. On our recent road trip to Virginia I let the kids pick out some CDs and we listened to Taylor Swift’s latest approx 676 times. I don’t care if you like her or not – that’s too many times hearing about some girl who is sad about losing her boyfriend.

Then this weekend Michael Jackson died (what? you hadn’t heard?!) and Matt dug out our box of CDs to find Michael Jackson’s Greatest Hits – that’s right we own Michael Jackson’s Greatest Hits, you got a problem with that? While the box was sitting there I looked through it. A tiny light bulb went off… I could get some good, solid ‘classic’ tunes in the car. It would be something new & different for the kids. I already know I like them. And then I’d be adding a cultural dimension to my children’s musical education. (which is a very fancy way of saying that when we go to a family wedding and they play Dancing Queen my kids will be all over it.)

I pulled out a few CDs and I’m gradually introducing them to the mix as we drive around town to various sports camps and activities. First up was Abba’s Greatest Hits. They liked most of them – especially Dancing Queen. Some of the others I pulled out are Jimmy Buffet’s Songs You Know By Heart, Alicia Keys’ first CD, the Best of the Doobies, CCR, Sheryl Crow and The Brian Setzer Orchestra.

I’ve obviously got some pretty diverse taste in music and it’s going to be interesting to see what the kids like and what they beg me to stop playing. I’m definitely going to add in some Michael Jackson as soon as Matt’s done with it (wonder if the people in his office are sick of it). Oh! I totally need to find my Air Supply’s Greatest Hits CD!