Ed Sheeran, Bob Marley and Tracey Chapman. They might not sound like they have much in common, but they all feature in a list of the top 10 pop songs to sing to your baby.

According to new research from baby and parenting website Emma’s Diary traditional lullabies are out, and contemporary pop songs are in when it comes to sending little ones off to sleep.

Of the mums they surveyed 46% said pop songs are a more effective way of getting their kids to sleep, 35% said they’re more familiar with the words of pop songs than lullabies and 68% said singing to their babies before bedtime calms their child.

So forget Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Hush Little Baby, and think Ed Sheeran’s Thinking Out Loud and Bob Marley’s Don’t Worry About a Thing instead.

I have to say I’m in the pop song camp. My two are quite familiar with most Take That songs, although the song I’ve sung both of them since they were babies is Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Edelweiss from The Sound of Music.

Sadly neither feature in the top 10 list of pop songs to sing to your baby though.

Top 10 pop songs to sing to your baby

1. Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud
2. Adele – Hello
3. Bob Marley – Don’t Worry About A Thing
4. Adele – Someone Like You
5. Sam Smith – Stay With Me
6. Tracey Chapman – Fast Car
7. Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do
8. Beyoncé – Halo
9. Oasis – Wonderwall
10. Taylor Swift – Shake It Off

You wouldn’t catch me attempting either Adele’s Hello or Someone Like You – that would be more likely to keep my two awake and rattle the light shades than send them drifting off to sleep – but I like the Bob Marley and Oasis offerings.

Do you sing pop songs or lullabies to your kids? What’s your favourite song and does it feature in the top 10?

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