As I think I mentioned, we’ve always listened to our “regular” music with the kids when we are in the car, in other words, we don’t curse ourselves with having to listen to children’s music whenever the boys are the in the car. I don’t fault anyone for doing that and I know how easy it is to fall into the trap because it only takes one time to start a habit with kids. So we just never started it so we didn’t have to keep it up in the car rather than listen to the endless complaints from the backseat for the entire length of any car ride. [Note: My approach to parenting is to take the route with the least headaches; while I am not a pushover, I also think that if I can handle saying yes to whatever they are asking for and save a tantrum from happening, I’ll do it. Plus, I don’t want to have to stick to my guns out of principle when I could have just said “yes” to a simple request.]
So while we aren’t beholden to listing to The Wiggles or Raffi (God forbid) in the car, we do often have to listen to the same songs as often as possible as my kids (mostly Liam at this point, though Jack is starting to show preferences) have their favorite songs. Liam, like his father, loves AC/DC but understands that he only listens to them when mommy is NOT in the car (that is one rule we’ll never be bending). And like his mother, he loves David Gray.
Other favorites:
Dancing in the Moonlight – Toploader
Apologize – One Republic
Umbrella/Singin’ in the Rain – Glee Cast + Gwyneth Paltrow
Forget You – Cee Lo Green [we try to stay away from the “other” version]
Free – Zac Brown Band [This is the first time I’ve heard this live version, it’s awesome with Van Morrison thrown in at the end]
Wild World – Cat Stevens [Liam calls this the baby, baby song and at first I thought he was asking for Justin Bieber]
These are definitely the ones that get the most play but whenever he hears a song he likes, he says, “Oh, this is my favorite song!” And sadly he does not seem to favor songs by female artists, “Those are girl songs” he says, “Let’s listen to something else.” He will allow Sara Barielles, Lady GaGa and Florence & the Machine.
ememby 
So glad to hear that you are showing your kids real music. I swore that my kids would know who the beatles and the stones were. My husband is more of the country guy so they also know who Johnny Cash and Merle Haggart are. I was singing Wild World and Sing Out to my kids as I rocked them to sleep. Let me tell you when my son was 2 he knew all the words to LaGrange by ZZ Top and Pretty Fly for a White Guy by Offspring (was the cutest thing) and my daughter’s favorite song was Big Balls by AC\DC, that was a little embarrassing, her belting it out while in line at the grocery store. I did have to go through the hannah montana and high school musical phase. Now my 14 year old son loves classic rock and coutry and my daughter likes almost anything. Last month her music teacher told her class they were going to sing I’m a Believer by the Monkees. She told the teacher she didn’t need the sheet music she knew all the words by heart but not the Shrek version and that Hey Hey we’re the Monkees is a much better song. The teacher’s jaw dropped.
Yeah – it’s not always the greatest when he starts signing AC/DC but really, if that’s the worst of it, I feel lucky! He’s a pretty decent drummer so hopefully he’ll keep that up and get into music when he’s older!
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