Here Are the Songs Bethany Cosentino Is Playing for Her 6-Month-Old Daughter: The Byrds, ‘Elmo’s Song’ & Absolutely No Kidz Bop

“As a musician, and as somebody who is very musical, I listen to music a lot throughout my day,” Bethany Cosentino tells Billboard. “Whether I’m working on stuff around the house, or I’m cleaning or cooking, I like to have music on.” 

The tone of that music has drastically shifted over the past six months, after Cosentino and her husband welcomed a daughter, Luna, in December. Around-the-house playlists naturally evolved for the Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter — who broke through as one-half of the indie rock duo Best Coast in the early 2010s, notching four LPs on the Billboard 200 albums chart, including the top 40-charting sets Crazy for You (No. 36, 2010) and The Only Place (No. 24, 2012). She also released a captivating solo debut, Natural Disaster, in 2023. 

Since becoming parents, Cosentino and her husband are coming up with more silly songs of their own, leaning into Sesame Street and Raffi — but also playing Luna, who turned six months old earlier in June, some of their decades-old favorites. A lot of those songs have been on repeat, to say the least: “With kids, you just end up listening to the same song 9,000 times,” she says with a laugh. And as they’ve been played over and over, Cosentino has gained a new appreciation for the songs, including some of the Sesame classics that she grew up with herself.

Below, Cosentino takes Billboard through a tour of the music that’s been dominating her household since her daughter was born, in her own words, and explains how motherhood had already affected her creative instincts. (Ed. note: this interview has been edited for clarity.)