The Dangers Of Music Censorship In Music

Censorship has long been an issue in Rock and Roll music. Although our American society celebrates “classic” rock that emerged in the 60’s and 70’s, today, artists such as: The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Doors, The Sex Pistols, and Bob Dylan were harshly judged for their music and image they projected because some members of society feared they were too suggestive, or just completely inappropriate. These rebellious artists fought against their music being censored in the best ways for their bands.

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.

Transition: To begin, I will first talk about why the current music censorship laws are a problem.

Music has been around since forever, dated back from the late 1800s (music censorship debate). Music has become an important element of our life, and we are affected by it because there has come a point where we cannot eat, sleep, nor breath without its existence. Music has always been in our hearts. However, music has its own downside, this happened to be the controversy that surrounds it. Controversy often comes from the creative control of the artist’s work which are reflected in music videos, lyrics which are express openly with contents containing profanity, use of sexual innuendos, or even an act of Satanism. On the other hand, censorship viewed by many as a form of restriction on an artist’s creation, therefore

“Censorship, like charity should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there,” is a quote by Clare Boothe Luce (Fitzhenry, 84). Some parents are against the censorship of music. They believe that they should raise their kids, not some politicians who believe one nasty word will change a whole child’s future.

Music is one of the most popular ways of expression and has been for generations. It makes us want to dance, inspires, soothes, relaxes, and sometimes tells us a story. Music is something the whole world shares and has brought together different kinds of people. However, there has been a question on whether some music has affected society negatively and crossed the line with some of its lyrics, content, and the persona of the artists. Certain music has been boycotted and even banned in the U.S. Pro-censorship supporters say that music is something that can deeply affect our society especially children who should not have to be subjected to things like violence, sex, drugs, or hate. However, being that music is a form of expression,

The aim of this essay is to argue that independent musical celebration should be readily accessible to the ordinary citizen. Censorship is never healthy for the civilian population, and a country that oppresses its people is quickly heading for its downfall. Controlling artistic expression results in cultural stagnation. Not only that, but this censorship violates freedom of speech as well, seeing as how music is also a form of speech. Finally, this practice reduces the happiness of a country’s people.

As much as, music is the food of the soul (Shakespeare, Twelfth Night), is also the virus that is spreading through a town. The profanity, unacceptable sexual nature and horrific thoughts that are evident in music are being heard by the young future generations of our country, our nation, our world. Is that right? Should it be deemed today’s normality? No. Many can agree that the content that music holds often isn’t the most appropriate for anyone to hear, on the contrary, there are people out who enjoy hearing these lyrics and also the words help convey the story or the emotion the artist is trying to convey; they can hear the artists thoughts and ideas. Who are we to stop people from telling their story and others from hearing

Research Essay According to Google, censorship is the suppression of books, movies, and music that offends people. Objects have been censored since the beginning of time. Music is one of the most censored objects in today’s society. Music is censored because of language that is considered offensive and topics addressed in the songs.

In defence of music and music industry Rosen says, “It’s true that the most controversial lyrics in popular music reflect the violence and despair in an artist’s imagination or in society. But they reflect it—they don’t create it” (82). Therefore, music does not cause violence. In fact, it gives chance to parents to understand their children through lyrics of music, and provide children with proper guidance, if they are going on wrong path. Moreover, “Recording company executives constantly make choices not to put out certain songs or albums because they don’t meet the test of artistic credibility or they believe something is sensationalist but empty of meaning. But for record companies to deny opportunity to an artist with a difficult

Music is an expressive, vivid form of art. The influence of music has a huge impact with every age group in the world. When people think of music they automatically think of how it makes them feel which most of the time is good.They don’t comprehend the provocative lyrics or what the song’s meaning really is. People have become used to this insulting and offensive language found on just about any song. Every song being released today contains some sort of graphical, sexual, or explicit lyric. Today’s graphic music encourages violence, degradation of women , and influences young children negatively.

Currently, censorship in music is possibly the most relevant form of censorship. One of the more disturbing signs of censorship in music is a condition nearly snuck into the USA-PATRIOT Act that would allow the government “to hack private citizens’ computers to delete what they consider to be illegal MP3 song files” (Blecha 179).

Musical censorship is incredibly important in certain venues and environments. However, any form of overarching censorship towards all musicians in all forms is not needed and potentially harmful. It is true that music can be hurtful, inappropriate, and racist but if the edges of normal and safety aren’t pushed, than society will never grow.

Music is perhaps the most accessible form of art in the world, and it is used regularly for people to cope with issues, to gain inspiration or to simply raise moral. The possibilities of music are endless, and one could consider music a great example of freedom in general. Music with lyrics that are entirely up to interpretation are commonly censored by the radio and the music industry, even the lyrics are acceptable on a concrete basis. This proves that sometimes the mind is dirtier than the lyrics in general. Even in times of sensitivity, songs were banned from the radios that were not lyrically involved whatsoever with what occurred.

Music has changed a great deal since the first melody was discovered, and to this day music is still very influential . In such situation, lyrics cound potentially hold words that are not seen as clean, so do we censor any sort of bad language or let todays artist pursue what ever content they choose.