Censorship of music

Magic

Woman of the World
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
24,780
Reaction score
4,519
Location
Ohio, USA
Do you believe that music should be censored or banned for its content?

If so, what songs or artists would you censor? and why?


It is hard to believe that in this day and age musicians are censored, but it happens. There are a lot of reasons why songs or artists are censored, mostly for the lyric content and another reason may be images on the CD covers or questionable video content.

For example, in 2005 the USA Starbucks chain banned any music by Bruce Springsteen from the album "Devils and Dust" from being played or sold because of adult content. Starbucks did at one time sell CD's in the shops which makes me wonder if record label competitors may not have fueled this.

In 2003, several radio stations in New Jersey stopped playing Jethro Tull music after Ian Anderson made some negative comments about the US Flag to the Asbury Park Press. Ian Anderson was noted to make a comment about how he saw the Flag hanging out of every bloody house, car, and SUV, confusing patriotism with nationalism. The radio stations defended their ban by saying it was voted in by 99% of their listeners. A bit of an extreme reaction to his comments if you ask me!!

IMHO, if anything should be censored and banned it should be some of the questionable Rap artists or some of the newer Death Metal bands whose lyrics are definitely questionable.
 
Last edited:

LG

Fade To Black
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
36,862
Reaction score
71
Re: Sensorship of Songs

Not a fan of censorship especially now with the media being controlled by such a small handful of powerful people. The utter destruction of the great independent radio stations as they get taken over by corporate giants is already a form of censorship, they are all formula driven and have lost their unique identities as a result.

I do think that the most visceral demeaning lyrical content in some songs, especially the two genres you mentioned bear scrutiny, but I don't know if censorship is the answer, it never stopped us from getting our hands on questionable material and I think kids today have even more options in that regard.

I think it is up to the parents to decide what is acceptable in their homes and what is not, and when their children are grown up they will have to make those decisions for themselves.

No easy answer to this one Magic....
 

Magic

Woman of the World
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
24,780
Reaction score
4,519
Location
Ohio, USA
Re: Sensorship of Songs

I am not a proponent of censorship. I think the decision to censor lies within the "home", as you mentioned. I personally do not sensor what my kid sees or hears. I want her to grow up being able to make her own choices as to what is acceptable and what is not.

And you are right, things get censored whether we like it or not. What I like to sensor is the F-bomb. I do use the word myself, but I choose where and when to use it. I do not feel it is a publicly accepted word and should not be used for public viewing.

Example: I was in Walmart a couple days ago, and there were 3 young guys standing in line behind me talking very loudly. They used the F-bomb every other word it seemed. I just cringed at their conversation. I had to accept the fact that was how they communicated to each other, but it sounded terrible. Again, I feel this was the wrong place to talk like that, but who am I to judge!
 
Last edited:

LG

Fade To Black
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
36,862
Reaction score
71
:D...that happened to me a couple of years ago,,,and I told the punks that they sounded like idiots who couldn't speak proper English,,,and if they wanted to talk about it further I would be right outside and wait for them...:lmao: No one showed up and the other adults in the line-up almost cheered when I told them off.:grinthumb
 

0000

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Posts
5,316
Reaction score
10
Location
I
I agree with both of you well, to an extent, but pretty much I have the same views, public sensorship of music is fine I guess, if the radio doesn't want something that will raise controversy or the shop is more conservative they have the right not to play it for whatever reason, even if it is a horribly dumb reason, but whatever

and I agree that there is a time and place for swearing, and out in a public place where others can hear you is not cool, I use it, and I don't exactly have the cleanest language, but I'm not going to stand in line at walmart and yell it every other word....
 

rtbuck

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2009
Posts
2,385
Reaction score
69
Location
I live in Buffalo, NY
I don't swear much at all, in fact my wife kind of makes fun of me because she swears more than me but I never said a curse word including "HELL" until I was 18...unless it was in a song! Yes,sure my parents were agaist swearing but I made that my unwritten law: "Thou Shalt not Curse until I Turn 18...unless it's part of a song"
Hmm...No wonder "Star Star" by the Stones was my favorite song by them!
 
F

FoxyPage

Guest
Censorship is ridiculous.

It's not music or movies or video games that are responsible, it's how a kid is raised. I was watching horror movies when I was still sucking on a friggin pacifier and I never grew up to become a serial killer because I was taught what is right and wrong and what is real and fake. I didn't swear because my parents taught me it was wrong (though I can sometimes sound like a sailor these days).


If you are properly raised to know how to distinguish between what is acceptable and what isn't, musical content wont 'make' you do things you shouldn't.
 

Magic

Woman of the World
Staff member
Administrator
Joined
Apr 20, 2009
Posts
24,780
Reaction score
4,519
Location
Ohio, USA
How do you feel about "gangsta rap" page? I dont believe in censorship, but dang this crap needs to hit the road!! I realize the reality of gangs, and the horror stories of street life, but do we really need kids hearing this stuff on the radio, etc and thinking it is a glamorous life? Gangs don't come with bling and famous label clothes :lmao:
 
F

FoxyPage

Guest
Some of it annoys me. The whole gunshots and pimpin' and gangs thing is stupid and I don't think all of it is neccesary but if that is what they want to sing about, well.....what can ya say, lol.
 

Slip'nn2Darkness

Sub Sonic Soul Shaker
Joined
Jan 18, 2006
Posts
7,628
Reaction score
28
I missed this thread and it's a topic that to me is HOT!!
I liked the way Frank Zappa pointed out about censorship..
He said.. "There just words" what ever get's the point across with less words is most effective..
But as for content that would be un tasteful, I would say anything not PC would be more to my agreeing that it should be censored..
But being exposed to things that would shock a lot of christian parents only makes me think that I once again have been given a choice to decide what I want to absorb.
What dosn't kill you makes you stronger..I want to decide what I want to listen to or watch..
If all this is about protecting kids from bad influences, then I think they should find other ways to shelter their kids from things..
 

Find member

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
30,655
Posts
1,064,711
Members
6,354
Latest member
edmerka

Members online

Top