My kids are teens and young adults, 2 boys and 2 girls, and my two girls are the bookends of my kids. Each of them listen to a variety of music, and they all have their own style of music they prefer – or so they claim. My youngest who is 16 and a female, listens to everything from the soundtrack to the Phantom of the Opera to Colbie Callait to Incubus and everything in between. She also listens to some Praise & Worship music along with music by Christian artists. I can say that she does not listen to country, rap or hip-hop.

My 18 year old son is always searching for the most unique music, but still under the rock genre. Incubus is his favorite, but he also likes Coheed & Cambria (who sounds like Rush-remember them from the late 70′s, early 80′s?). He listens to some other bands as well, but I don’t know the names of them because they aren’t hugely known.

My 23 year old likes the scream-o, metal bands.  He listens to anything that’s hard-core metal.  There are several Christian bands out there that play this type of music as well, and he listens to them all.

So, pretty much, my house is filled wih all kinds of music all the time. My 23 year old will be rockin’ out downstairs and my 16 year old will be singing to the Phantom upstairs.  We won’t even mention my husband, who listens to Christian metal, rock and ska. There is always some kind of music playing in my house somewhere! Do I mind? No. Not at all.  I’m glad they’re focusing their energies on music rather than some other things they could be doing.

One time, someone complained that my daughter listens to the same album (on her iPod) over and over and over and if they heard it one more time they were going to scream.  I simply said, “If that’s the only thing to complain about, then don’t; there are much worse things she could be doing, so if she wants to listen to the same album over and over and over till we all want to pull our hair out, or hers, then that’s okay by me.”  They never said anything about it again.

As far as what they are listening to, I don’t love the name of the band Incubus and what it means, but once I heard them a few times, I’ve come to appreciate the talent all the members of the band have. Brandon Boyd, the lead singer,can really sing! He has an amazing, clear voice that’s fun to sing along with. Their lyrics aren’t horrible either.

So, what kinds of music do your teens listen to? Do you approve or disapprove and why?