Heavy Metal Music Disorders

The film industry was like a toddler learning to walk. The community found it necessary to guide that walk according to its beliefs and values. Above all, a concerted effort was made to protect children. That was perhaps the good thing that arose out of the censorship of the early film theaters content. It is easy to understand the logic and the need to monitor content that would have an impact on children

Billy Joel said, “I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music” (Music Quotes). Whether we realize it or not, music affects our lives greatly. The only thing for us to question is how. How does music impact your life and the lives of others? What does music do for us? People of all ages benefit emotionally, physically, and academically from music.

“The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) defines music therapy as ‘an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals’” (Barnett & Shale, 2013, p.48). Music Therapy (MT) is shown to be able to help people with many different kinds of mental health problems such as anxiety, stress, and minor cases of depression. There have been many studies done showing that MT is an effective form of therapy that can improve someone’s overall Quality Of Life (QOL). MT is known as an alternative technique therapy. It is often used instead of, or along with, medication to produce a result in the patience who need it. MT involves all aspects of the music process, including listening to, writing, singing, and analyzing music. Overall MT addresses physical and emotional problems and is used to enhance the life and health of the patient. This review is simply to inform readers of the effects music and MT has on mental health, specifically:

Rock and roll music emerged as a part of American teen culture during the notably conservative time period in the country’s history which shortly followed the traumatic events of World War II. Being that the genre’s target audience was white teenagers, many Americans- already overwhelmed and on-edge due to the anti-communist movement inspired by the Cold War- were apprehensive about the influence that this up-and-coming style of music might have on their country’s future. America’s youth openly accepted rock and roll’s racially integrated culture of performers and embraced the relatively lewd nature of many songs and performances associated with the genre, much to the dismay of their elders.

The person I chose for my topic is Kurt Cobain, not only because he was famous, but also because I was surprised that I didn’t know much of him until I researched his name. Kurt Cobain died of an egoistic suicide, which by definition means his suicide occurred because he was under extreme individualism, which in other words means low social-integration. The people who commit egoistic suicide are not strongly supported by their loved one. Whatever it was Cobain didn’t really have the same enthusiasm he once did. From what I understood by doing my research, I found out that he was constantly haunted by his thoughts. He was always just spacing out, even when they were partying it up. He had very low self-esteem and self-identifying factors that led him to get cling on hero personalities and led him to the same self-destructing ways.

Yet with all the wonderful things that music can do for human beings, could it possibly be responsible for them committing suicide, or murder? In this paper I am going to explore the chaos that occurred in the 80’s and 90’s when heavy metal music faced accusations that the music and lyrical content was driving adolescent and young adults to commit suicide and murder. I will argue that it is not the music or the lyrics that result in such violent behaviors; rather, individuals with underlying psychological issues such as depression, or anger disorders tend to be more attracted to heavy metal music.

The RIAA announced new guidelines on September, 1, shortly before the original Senate hearing (Holland). They included three major updates: that advertising for labeled records should not appear in publications or Internet sites where fifty percent of the audience is under seventeen, that all consumer print ads of explicit-content albums display the advisory sticker , and that all E-tailors clearly display notice of stickered material through all phases of the transaction (Holland). These regulations may help when trying to get CD's with explicit lyrics over the Internet or in stores but the advertising towards kids still continues. The federal trade commission shows that US Record companies continue to advertise violent songs on TV through such outlets as BET, MTV, and the WWF Smackdown wrestling show. The ads appeared during the after school and early-evening hours when children were most likely to be watching. The FTC also found that the five major labels placed ads for albums with explicit content in such teen oriented magazines as Vine and Right On, which focus on rap and R&B, and Thrashers and Metal Edge, which celebrate metal rock music. Only 45 off 147 (31%) print ads reviewed for labeled recordings displayed any parental advisory label, the FTC noted, and those were frequently "a black-and-white blur, often too small or inconspicuously placed to be noticed or seen"(Holland). So why can't parents just go out and fight these advertisement companies

The PRMC targeted the genres of heavy metal and rap. Heavy was the “prime offender of decency and decorum” (Garofalo, 325). Rap was not much of a threat because during the time, it was not as popular compare to heavy metal. Both caused outrage in the conservative community because of how “violent” and “sexual” the music is. These kind of music are the reason why there are bad things happening. They say that it is a “cause and effect” (Brackett, 407). The parents

Now a days, we are used to shocking lyrics and eye catching looks. It seems that every artist now is fighting to be so different that everyone is drawn to them. It was not always like this. In the late nineties and early two-thousands, most artists tried to fit in with the other blonde, processed pop stars that the industry was spitting out. When there was an artist who was not always happy and did sing about PG rated topics, they were blamed for what was wrong with the world, especially teenagers. In his article ‘I’d Sell You Suicide: Pop Music and Moral Panic in the Age of Marilyn Manson”, Robert Wright delves into and debunks claims that rock music, especially that of Marilyn Manson, is a main cause for teenage suicide.

Consequently, approximately 1,400 stores dropped the album. Many major retailers such as Woolworth's and K-mart will not purchase, and therefore not display, an album with any kind of parental advisory sticker on it. While it is true that legally these labels do not prohibit sales to anyone, the labels "amount to an elegant form of censorship, elegant because it is censorship made to look like consumer information." (1) As controversial as records like Ice T and other artists who use either swears or sexually explicit material are, artistic pieces no matter what kink of message they send, or however unpopular they may be, are still protected by the first amendment to the constitution. The people who vote for and pass the laws prohibiting free speech are taking it upon themselves what they think is moral and right for the rest of the country. I feel I can make up my own mind about what type of music I listen to, how about you? One organization claiming to protect the children is the Parents Music Resource Center. At the center of the music labeling controversy, the P.M.R.C., "feels that current levels of violence, racism, brutality towards women, drug and alcohol glamorization in music, lyrics, videos and stage shows need to be addressed through public discussion and debate"(Hull 23). "The P.M.R.C. hopes to prohibit the sale of records to minors that contain lyrics about sex, drugs and alcohol, murder or suicide"(Weinfeld 46). If that were the case, even the bible may be

Labeling music with warning labels is not applied in today’s society. First, violent and hateful lyrics in music will continue to be prevalent and people will continue to purchase and enjoy such music, despite the negative effects it has on young children. Take one example, in1996 Marilyn Manson release “Anti-Christ Superstar” album brings the topic of violent lyrics into the national spotlight. In the same year, a 15 years old North Dakota boy suicide attributed to the music of Marilyn Manson, and lyrics glorifying violence, bodily harm and suicide. Second, the parental advisory sticker has become a relic in nowadays. Those stickers are beginning to encouraged sales among rebellious youth. Thirdly, the advent of downloading and streaming services also led to the warning sticker’s obsolescence completely. Young people do not need to spend money on the albums. They can just go to online and google it, then they can easily listen to the music and see the violent

Censorship in music has been a major problem plaguing America since the early nineteen forties. It came to a head during the nineteen sixties with the Vietnam War and the hippie movement. During the nineteen seventies and eighties heavy metal and hard rock were getting the brunt of the censorship heat. Now in the nineteen nineties the major focus of censorship is rap; primarily gangster rap. Some of the main factors of music in general that cause legal ramifications are sexual content, suggestive violence and obscene language. Censorship is an attack against our first amendment right guaranteeing the freedom of speech. However if a song or album is deemed obscene the first amendment does not protect this.

After these incidents of suicides, “people were forced to now take a look at the family life instead of the actual music” (Osbourne). Ozzy had to go to court because of tragedies to explain the lyrical content of the song. He was not charged in any of the cases. It would have been ridiculous if he had been charged. It is not his fault for people to misinterpret the meaning of his songs. Some people do not listen to the lyrics closely. Some just listen to the music and do not follow along with the lyrics.

Throughout the years, music has evolved and transformed in many ways. However, there are restrictions in today’s music, otherwise known as, censorships. A crisis has emerged concerning the issue of censorship. This argument consists of two possible stances: one, supporting the continuation of censorship, and two, eliminating the status quo of censorships in the music industry. There have been countless debates and arguments regarding the issues of censorship ever since the U.S. Congress passed the Radio Act in 1927 (The History). The time has arrived for censorship to be brought to an end. The government should release their grip on the censorship of music for the following reasons: it obstructs the public’s freedom of choice, it

The cover showed a human-like head made of metal being impaled by colorful light beams. Instead of fighting against a broken system, the band wrote songs such as “Exciter” and “Saints in Hell” coming from the perspective of authority figures, using their music to cry out in a protesting manner (Christe 22). Later in 1985, this album was suspected of subliminal messages brought forth by the families of two young men by the names of James Vance, age twenty, and Raymond Belknap, age eighteen, while drinking beer and smoking marijuana, listened to the Stained Class album for six hours, resulting in the two attempting suicide with a shotgun at a church playground. Belknap succeeded the attempt while Vance lived for three more years, but with a disfigured face (Bowe 59). A judge by the name of Jerry Whitehead delayed the trial against Judas Priest for lack of evidence, giving them thirty more days to give over the original recording (Oklahoman “Subliminal Suicide”. Web). It is unclear whether they handed over the original recording, however in 1988, Nevada Supreme Court refused to dismiss the lawsuit. Then, on August 25, 1990, the band was cleared because there was no evidence of subliminal messaging (Bowe