Based on what your parents listened to in their youth, what do you think they'd listen to if they were young right now?

Dad would probably be a country guy like he is now -- he always liked rock and roll in the fifties growing up, but not feedback overdriven, so it seems logical. A Toby Keith fan more than a Big and Rich fan, I figure.

Mom, not sure. She's not a country fan at all but did love the same stuff my dad did, she was only a couple of years younger. I remember her loving Abba in the seventies. I'll hazard that she'd enjoy Xtina's ballads.

Well-established, mainstream, upbeat, as uncontroversial as possible.

Mom : Clay Aiken, Kelly Clarkson, Jamie Cullum, Josh Groban. (actually, she does listen to all this stuff today. No wonder my parents got divorced).

My mom does not like Steely Dan

Dad.
Then: Country
Now: Jazz

This was shortly after my dad borrowed my brother's iPod, put on "Hey Ya!", and proceeded to spaz out in his chair for the next three minutes. And actually, I think if my dad were younger, he'd be into some hip-hop. He's always been awfully curious about it, but I think he figures he's too old to really "get it." When he was my age, the only records he bought were jazz. My mom liked Joni Mitchell and Laura Nyro, so she'd be into, I dunno, Tori Amos and Ani DiFranco?

Mom then: Elvis, the Beatles, Aretha
Mom now: Eric Clapton, Eric Clapton, Eric Clapton

Mom loved the Crooners in the '50s and early '60s, people such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Bobby Darin, Pat Boone, that sort of thing, so she'd probably be big into Clay Aiken, Michael Buble, Josh Groban, Jamie Cullum, and Harry Connick, Jr. Uh, like she's into them right now. She was also a HUGE doo-wop/R&B fanatic, so... hm, I think Angie Stone, Usher, Alicia Keys, R. Kelly, and Beyonce would be up her alley. Though I also think she likes about half of those artists already and would like all of them if she heard all of them.

I don't know with the same amount of assuredness what Dad would listen to. He loved big band music, classic country, and assorted songs such as "American Pie", "Alone Again Naturally", "Lowrider", "Little Red Riding Hood", and the theme from Shaft. Oh, the love my dad had for the theme from Shaft -- MASSIVE. He loved loved LOVED that song. So. Um, aside from maybe still being into big band music (though with a nod toward the short late '90s swing revival) and being into all manner of country artists from Toby Keith to Faith Hill, I am not sure what Dad would be listening to now. Hm.

As you can tell, my parents TOTALLY influenced my musical tastes. ;)

Dad - Shadows, so maybe Sigur Ros

Mom then: Billy Joel, Dan Fogelberg
Mom now: Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Maroon 5

Mom then: Philly singers like Fabian. Saw Elvis early on and hated him.
Mom now: Obviously a nonthreatening facsimile of something else. Something very mainstream. Maybe Coldplay? Mom and I don't really talk music.

Dad then: Apparently jazz and salsa.
Dad now: Norah Jones? Actually, I think he'd be open to Wilco, Radiohead, the White Stripes and other alt (but not too alt) stuff.

Mum then: First Cliff Richard/Shadows, later Beatles and hippie folk music
Mum now: Might have gone for Coldplay/Keane, but also stuff like Katie Melua
Dad then: Blues and jazz, later hippie folk music
Dad now: Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone and Duffy