Censorship of Music:
The Problems and Limitations Music is one of the most widely popular art forms. It is used in many different ways such as a pastime in the car or to create or reflect one’s feelings or mood. But over the past two decades the censorship of music has become a controversial topic and will continue to affect the way one seeks and uses music. Censorship is defined as “deleting or prohibiting the publication or broadcast of all or part of written, musical, or artistic material or performances because of moral, political, or philosophical objections to its content or meaning” (Newton). Some people believe the censoring of music is necessary to prevent offending people in society and protect children from obscure language …show more content…
This would mean that both an anti-drug song and a song that promoted the use of drugs would both be affixed with a warning label (Rabkin). But that wasn’t the only problem. Another limitation was that the policy only applies to the thirty recording companies that were part of the RIAA and does not cover imported goods. While many of the lyrics the PMRC quoted as examples of obscenity during the meeting were from imported records (Anthony 20). An additional noted concern was that the thirty recording companies apart of the Recording Industry Association of America did not have to abide to a set of standards for placing labels on albums; each company oversaw its own sticker policy (Nuzum 34). Without a set standard of labeling one company could determine an album as explicit but yet another one would state that it was acceptable. The new “parental advisory” warning label quickly led to censorship. Many stores like Walmart announced they would no longer carry music products that had the warning label on them (Nuzum 42). Some stores would only sell stickered items to those over eighteen years of age (Anthony 10). The censorship of music retailers forced recording labels to create two editions of the music albums, an edited or “clean” edition and the original explicit edition (Anthony 10). Creating two different …show more content…
Madonna’s song “Justify My Love” provides evidence supporting this. Her music video of the song was set to premiere on MTV, but after viewing the first peak MTV backed out and instead banned the video. This controversy over her song only increased curiosity. Over 260,000 VHS copies were then sold and the song remained on the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks straight (Landman). Rap artist 50 Cent comments on the success of “inappropriate” music: “It’s difficult to find hip-hop that has had any success that hasn’t had content on some level that was a little racy” (Mitchell). By trying to abolish obscenity only stirs interest. For example, on radio edited version of songs when there is a sudden awkward pause in the lyrics or beep it creates wonder of what was supposed to be there. After the formation of labels the sales of the two separate versions were examined and the results were surprising. The versions with the stickered warning label for explicit content outsold the clean versions (Anthony 10). Not only does censorship create wonder but it limits the expressions and opinions of the
The Problems and Limitations Music is one of the most widely popular art forms. It is used in many different ways such as a pastime in the car or to create or reflect one’s feelings or mood. But over the past two decades the censorship of music has become a controversial topic and will continue to affect the way one seeks and uses music. Censorship is defined as “deleting or prohibiting the publication or broadcast of all or part of written, musical, or artistic material or performances because of moral, political, or philosophical objections to its content or meaning” (Newton). Some people believe the censoring of music is necessary to prevent offending people in society and protect children from obscure language …show more content…
This would mean that both an anti-drug song and a song that promoted the use of drugs would both be affixed with a warning label (Rabkin). But that wasn’t the only problem. Another limitation was that the policy only applies to the thirty recording companies that were part of the RIAA and does not cover imported goods. While many of the lyrics the PMRC quoted as examples of obscenity during the meeting were from imported records (Anthony 20). An additional noted concern was that the thirty recording companies apart of the Recording Industry Association of America did not have to abide to a set of standards for placing labels on albums; each company oversaw its own sticker policy (Nuzum 34). Without a set standard of labeling one company could determine an album as explicit but yet another one would state that it was acceptable. The new “parental advisory” warning label quickly led to censorship. Many stores like Walmart announced they would no longer carry music products that had the warning label on them (Nuzum 42). Some stores would only sell stickered items to those over eighteen years of age (Anthony 10). The censorship of music retailers forced recording labels to create two editions of the music albums, an edited or “clean” edition and the original explicit edition (Anthony 10). Creating two different …show more content…
Madonna’s song “Justify My Love” provides evidence supporting this. Her music video of the song was set to premiere on MTV, but after viewing the first peak MTV backed out and instead banned the video. This controversy over her song only increased curiosity. Over 260,000 VHS copies were then sold and the song remained on the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks straight (Landman). Rap artist 50 Cent comments on the success of “inappropriate” music: “It’s difficult to find hip-hop that has had any success that hasn’t had content on some level that was a little racy” (Mitchell). By trying to abolish obscenity only stirs interest. For example, on radio edited version of songs when there is a sudden awkward pause in the lyrics or beep it creates wonder of what was supposed to be there. After the formation of labels the sales of the two separate versions were examined and the results were surprising. The versions with the stickered warning label for explicit content outsold the clean versions (Anthony 10). Not only does censorship create wonder but it limits the expressions and opinions of the