Tweens: Song by song, lesson by lesson
By Ann Powers, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
Put together your teen pop sampler using this gallery featuring emblematic songs from the hottest acts on the scene, with notes on where came from, and what messages they impart to young listeners.
THE
Song: Goodnight and Goodbye
Sounds like: My Chemical Romance
Minus: The existential dread
Music lesson: Cabaret rock is cool.
Moral lesson: Selfish girls get dumped. (Bryan Bedder / Getty Images)
Song: Old Blue Jeans
Sounds like:
Minus: The edge, and plus a synthesizer
Music lesson: Heavy guitar can still be sweet.
Moral lesson: Dont be fake. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)
Song: 7 Things
Sounds like:
Minus: Avrils sullenness
Music lesson: Pop-punk has room for songbirds.
Moral lesson: Love is confusing. (Bill Kostroun / Associated Press)
MIRANDA COSGROVE / iCARLY
Song: Leave It All to Me (theme from iCarly)
Sounds like: Grease
Minus: The doo-wop
Music lesson: Show tunes are fun.
Moral lesson: Dreams can come true if you work for them. (Evan Agostini / Associated Press)
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THE NAKED BROTHERS BAND
Song: I Dont Wanna Go to School
Sounds like: Crocodile Rock
Minus: The campiness
Music lesson: Pianos rock.
Moral lesson: School is tough, but then theres summer. (Kevin Winter / Getty Images)
THE NAKED BROTHERS BAND
Song: ‘Eventually’
Sounds like: Hanson
Minus: The Jackson 5 fetish
Music lesson: Everybody needs an anthem (and a choir!)
Moral lesson: Stay optmistic (Astrid Stawiarz / Getty Images)
