Songs for Japan

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Earthquake victims get boost from CD of worthwhile songs.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Songs for Japan is filled with songs about courage, optimism, and other uplifting attitudes. While the long track list includes a few tunes by artists who are known for releasing mature music (e.g. Eminem and Nicki Minaj), even their tunes are fairly clean, with any profanity bleeped out and fewer hardcore references to sex, substance use, and violence than normal. One song includes a line with references to sexual orientation ("no matter gay, straight or bi
/ lesbian, transgendered life"). Overall, the record is an age-appropriate choice for tweens and teens who want to buy good music while supporting a worthy cause.

  • Largely positive messages about weathering the storms in your life and having courage.
  • Many model behaviors and attitudes are represented here, ranging from sticking by someone you love who's having a tough time to accepting people for who they are.
  • Occasional reference to acts of aggression, like "I laid hands on her / I'll never stoop so low again, I guess I don't know my own strength."
  • Some light allusions to sex and sexuality, including "no matter gay, straight or bi
    / lesbian, transgendered life."

What's the story?

SONGS FOR JAPAN is a double album of smash hits by various artists new and old who have each contributed a single to this compilation supporting relief efforts for Japan's devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Each disc includes 19 songs that run the gamut from Lady GaGa's "Born This Way" to Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody" to John Lennon's "Imagine." No matter what era they came from, all of these songs share common themes, such as helping others when they're down and hope for the future. Though the release contains some tracks by artists like Eminem and Nicki Minaj, who typically release more mature music, their contributions to the album are still fairly tame -- making the record OK for tweens and younger teens.


Is it any good?

 

Musically, you can't really go wrong with this record, since it offers some of the best songs released across various genres, from pop to rock to country. Pop fans will be excited to hear big hits by Katy Perry, Pink, and Bruno Mars; rockers will love the tracks from the Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and U2; and country fans will gravitate toward tunes by Lady Antebellum and Keith Urban.


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What families can talk about

  • Families can talk about the potential effects of Japan's massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami on the children and families in that country.

  • Besides buying Songs for Japan, name five other things your family can do to help the Japanese kids and families who were victims of these disasters.

  • Why do you think artists decide to contribute to albums like this? Do they get anything out of it beyond helping a good cause?


This review was written by Stephanie Bruzzese
Kid, 12 years old
May 26, 2011
 
Love Love LOVE!
OMG, this is awesome! Born this way, Firework, and Sober are VERY uplifting and tell you to be yourself no matter what! :)

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 13 years old
May 15, 2011
 
Help
Stop trying to save the enviroment and save JAPAN

Flag as inappropriate 
Teen, 17 years old
April 20, 2011
 
SING it for Japan!
Its great to see different singer coming together to help Japan. And My Chemical Romance is going to release another video for SING and its going to have messages for Japan that their fans came up with. Should be a pretty cool video and its just another example of how things get better when we all come together to help.

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 8 years old
May 2, 2011
 
fine
Songs for Japan is good because Japan had a earthquake.

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Parent
July 30, 2011
 
Come on people.
It's helping Japan!!!Whats so wrong about helping Japan?!

Flag as inappropriate 
Kid, 11 years old
February 4, 2012
 
Fine for anyone
It is fine for any age. Nothing wrong with it. It is good that it is put together with Japan in mind after the multiple disasters in there.

Flag as inappropriate 

This review was written by Stephanie Bruzzese
Artist:Various Artists
Release date:March 25, 2011
Label:Universal
Genre:Pop
Parental advisory:No

This review was written by Stephanie Bruzzese
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

 

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