Over time, society has been influenced by various musicians across all music genres.
The censorship of music has been a controversy for decades. Adults have fought against what they deem as profane music, resulting in attempted bans. The banning of music has a history dating back to the 1950s when some songs were considered too suggestive for public jukeboxes. Despite ongoing criticism, limits have been pushed and some musicians still create controversial album artwork and lyrics. Is it worthwhile to ban and censor music, or has it all been in vain?
Is it necessary to ban and discriminate against any of these things? In 1985, the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) fought for a rating system for music. This was one of the most well-known cases of society opposing music. The PMRC leader was Tipper Gore, wife of Al Gore, and she and
...the other PMRC members testified before the Senate Commerce Technology and Transportation Committee. Dee Snider also attended to defend music against allegations that it glorifies rape and violence.
As the frontman of the glam metal group "Twisted Sister," Snider made a strong argument in defense of music. Despite intense media scrutiny, the outcome of the case was a mandate for warning labels on albums featuring profane lyrics. Though it may have appeared as a defeat for rock, ultimately it proved to be beneficial for the genre.
Back in the 80s, it was a trend for children to crave explicit music, and album stickers played a significant role in boosting sales. When ???Motley Crue??? member Nikki Sixx learned about the new regulation, he urged for its implementation, acknowledging the potential it had in increasing sales. While som
albums were within reasonable limits and only required the stickers as a precautionary measure, others went beyond acceptable limits. However, during the 90s, there emerged musicians whose lyrics were excessively extreme, leading to condemnation from adults who fought against Satanism. One such incident occurred in 1990 when a judge in Tennessee deemed rap group ???2 Live Crew??? as obscene under state laws.
According to some, songs such as "Me So Horny" and "The Fuck Shop" were responsible for a rap group's own controversial behavior. N. W. A also ran afoul of authorities with their song titled "Fuck the Police." As a result, they received correspondence from the F. B.
The agency's lack of appreciation for the rap group's song was possibly due to its vulgar lyrics. This raises questions about whether supporting such groups could lead to trouble, as seen with high school students in 1998 when Eric Van Hoven was suspended for wearing a "Korn" band shirt without inappropriate content.
In 1998, a high school band faced a ban on performing an instrumental rendition of "White Rabbit" due to drug references. However, it is unclear if the reasons for the prohibition were valid. Some parents restrict their children's music access by forbidding certain groups or requesting edited album versions. They may view current music as immoral and demonic for their kids' generation, though it is no more dangerous than the music they enjoyed during their own youth. Although there are explicit songs about sex, drugs, and violence with offensive language, these levels of offensiveness are equivalent to those in past generations.
Comparing today's children's appreciation of music to the way kids revered Elvis Presley in the 1950s, parents
may have concerns about their children's music tastes that they cannot fully understand. However, as time passes, attitudes and standards change. The same adults who lived through the 1950s can perhaps best comprehend this evolution. Some believe that disputes surrounding music and parental advisory labels only exacerbate issues. Those who display hostility or prejudice towards certain genres of music likely listened to it and formed their own judgments regarding its content.
There are instances when individuals become upset with their interpretation of music's meaning and express their views and attempt to oppose it. An example of this is when Tipper Gore objected to "Twisted Sisters" album, "Under the Blade," because she believed it was concerning sadomasochism. However, the album is actually about undergoing surgery at a hospital. This is what happened to Mrs. Gore.
Gore voiced her interpretation of the album, which Snider dismissed as stemming from her own impure thoughts. However, her statement may have led confused teenagers to mistakenly associate Twisted Sister with the promotion of sadomasochism. Snider corrected her, but had Mrs. Gore refrained from commenting, many youth would not have formed negative opinions about the album. Adrian North conducted a study on the influence of music and public opinion.
Eighty people were divided into two groups by his team, and four songs were played for both groups. One group was given a paper that suggested that the music was controversial and had negative connotations, while the other group was provided with a paper stating that the music had profound significance. After listening to the music, most individuals believed what was written on their respective papers, even if it was entirely implausible. The point being
made is that when adults censor and express their anger towards music, they create the impression among many young people that the music is bad even when it is not. The beauty of music lies in its individualistic interpretation, but if someone imposes a certain meaning on a particular piece of music, others will accept it as true.
Music's impact on society has often been met with exaggerated reactions. The presence of parental advisory stickers on albums often leads to negative perceptions, both helpful and harmful. The outcome of legal disputes and explicit music has led to banned music, warning labels, and the punishment of American youth.
The controversy surrounding music appears to be detrimental to adults and results in negative perceptions of the music. It may be best to simply allow individuals to interpret music without any external influence.
Works Cited
http://www.classicbands.com/banned.html
http://www.nndb.com/org/374/000128987/
http://www.theroc.org/updates/korn.htm
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