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 JONAS BROTHERS

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)

Sept. 16, 2014 9:49 AM PT

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MILEY CYRUS

Song: Old Blue Jeans

Sounds like: Joan Jett

Minus: The edge, and plus a synthesizer

Music lesson: Heavy guitar can still be sweet.

Moral lesson: Dont be fake. (Gus Ruelas / Associated Press)

MILEY CYRUS

Song: 7 Things

Sounds like: Avril Lavigne blended with Faith Hill

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)

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)

Entertainment & Arts

Tweens: Song by song, lesson by lesson

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