The Power of Lyrics
Musicians in this time are thought of as idols or role models. Children strive to be exactly like their favorite rap or pop artist. Because they are so popular, musicians can be influential in everything they say, whether that be to the media or in their music. Their lyrics become so influential, that people take them quite literally, and can even act upon some of the things sang by the lyricist. Although this can be dangerous at times, like with Marilyn Manson being blamed for school shootings, musicians reserve the right to speak freely thru their music, much like everyone has the right to free speech. Musicians are beloved celebrities because people feel they can connect directly to the musician thru their lyrics. If musicians are not able to express themselves freely thru their songs, then their music loses all meaning. People no longer will be able to connect to it, because it usually would not show the artists true emotions. For example, rap artists rap about many different things (drugs, girls, and death) but a lot of times they sing about their lives, and how they got to where they are. Often, this includes inappropriate content, but this is how the artist chose to represent how they were feeling, and that should be accepted. Consumers can choose to buy any music they want, thru iTunes, Spotify, Sound Cloud, etc. These consumers know exactly what they are buying when they purchase explicit music. This is mostly due to them already knowing of
Music has had an influence on society from the very beginning of musical history. The message portrayed in each genre is based on what society perceives and wants to listen. Musicians often times produce music that sells and this sometimes are only beneficial to their pockets and in turn creates havoc in society. People interpret music differently and this causes them to react a certain way to different
Many people believe that music should be filtered because it provokes violence or sex within society. There may be some truth in this but for the most part it is merely myth. People who have any common sense or are not legally insane can understand fact from fiction and what not to imitate. Anyone who listens to Eminem and decides to go and kill their wife should have been locked up long before the actual crime. When people do things that resemble what an artist says in a song, it is usually by pure coincidence and all are negative incidents. Frank Zappa was quoted to have said “I wrote a song about dental floss but did anyone’s teeth get cleaner?”(Jackson 1).
Musicians are protected under the First Amendment equally as any citizen in the United States of America. They deserve the same basic human rights we all practice, "however the freedom of expression has special relevance for musicians (Hald 1 of 8). "This offers a special protection of musicians against arbitrary censorship and persecution" (Hald 1 of 8). Not only does censorship of music threaten the freedom of speech, but it also threatens a musician's right to promote their work through free enterprise. "Musicians have the freedom to play music in public or private domains, give concerts, and release CDs" (Hald 1-2 of 8). Some concert
Through songs many people express their feelings of the world threw the words they have wrote. Many songs talk about civil rights of the people and how change should be an option. In the world we live in today we have social issues that people have to face such as: police brutality, racial profiling, discrimination etc. Through Kendrick Lamar, Public Enemy, The Game, Bebe Winans, and N.W.A they will use their voice as a weapon for change among all people. Music with a message thrives in a live setting, for obvious reasons, and many politically conscious musicians aim to channel the heightened emotions
Music is the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity.Music provides a powerful form of expression that at its most basic level helps to entertain while containing the power to cause revolutions. It is a way for people to express themselves through beats, lyrics, pitches and ranges. Imagine owning a music store, and a new album about police brutality is brought to your store for you to sell. An undercover cop came in and bought the album, and told you that if you didn’t take the albums off the shelves you would be arrested and your store would be shut down. There are debates today on whether the government should censor the music that we listen to.Some believe it has a negative effect on the listeners and cause them to become the lyrics. Since music is a form of expression, censoring the music would be a violation of our rights.
This would occasionally include expressing their passion or disliking of something. Some would argue that it was not okay for musicians to express themselves in such matters. I argue that these musicians have the right to sing whatever they like. Musicians aren’t forcing anyone to listen to their music or to do what the message of their music says. Like everyone else, musicians have the right to exercise their freedom of speech. The First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press...” Therefore, the moldy figs have the same right to say what they dislike about the music just as much as the artists have the right to sing about what they
Music censorship is the editing and cutting of specific words or phrases for a purpose in order to bound distinct subject matter from young minds and to prevent more wrongdoings in the inferior generations. The problem with censorship isn't just the reigns on the free mind, but on what the mind can bestow as a gift to others. Music serves more than just as a means of entertainment. Music conveys messages to the world, and professes problems that are puzzling to deliberate with parents. The bad thing about censoring music is the fact that our right to expression is denounced by other people uncomfortable with certain musical topics (Lombardo, 2017). Censorship is meant to mask certain words and phrases from younger audiences as to not warp young minds into thinking that doing drugs, drinking and suicide are acceptable (Lombardo, 2017).
Encyclopedia Britannica defines music as, “art concerned with combining vocal or instrumental sounds for beauty of form or emotional expression, usually according to cultural standards of rhythm, melody, and, in most Western music, harmony”. Music was considered beautiful at one time. Musical artist in this day and age put their drive to succeed well before their personal morals. The explicit language warnings on music covers are not enough. The foul language used in music is not the only thing that is influencing the younger generation. Pop, country, R&B, and rap music is having a big impact on influencing the American youth. Most of these music lyrics are just flat out detrimental to all involved.
So overall, Music has it’s own particular area of censorship which is unique and flawed in it’s own way. Although there have been some more recent changes in music to support the freedom of artists, the past has been condemning and rough for artists to easily “express,” themselves through their
In 2003, <management of the Six Flags Amusement Park in Darien Lakes, New York, banned Marilyn Manson from performing at the park as part of the Ozzfest tour. In 2003, radio stations across the country removed songs by the Dixie Chiks from airplay because of a comment from the group’s lead singer saying that she was “embarrassed the U.S. President George W. Bush was from her home state of Texas. ”The list of examples, as extensive as it is, only includes some of the major events in music censorship history. The reality of censorship is, as common or persistent as it may be, it really does not constrict the music that is heard. It is becoming increasingly easy to discover and download music online, where, faced against the infinite expanse of the Internet, censorship can be borderline humorously ineffective. There are not even any studies proving the exact effects of music on youth, or people in general for the matter. As Victor Lombardi put it, “An extensive study encompassing psychology, physiology, behavioral studies, sociology, and music would have to be do to prove a form of music is capable of causing harm. The researches would have to be trained not only in research methods but in all these fields and the music involved. A willing, impartial musicologist proficient in the music of
Others believe that the music should not be on the market for the public to access at all. Many believe that censorship should not be allowed at all because it
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,
There is no disputing that society is influenced by its choices of entertainment. Some ways in which people are influenced are positive, but others are harmful. In the society we live in, the harmful ways always outnumber the positive. If we gravitated toward the positive forms of entertainment a little more often than the negative, then our society would have fewer problems. Popular music has a negative effect on society and endorses a lack of creativity.
Music is respect. Respect to ones self and to others, whether it is someone that has the same taste in music as you, or someone that has the complete opposite taste as you. That’s something I see happen way to much, people bashing on other people because of what they listen to. Instead of accepting that everyone isn’t going to like what you like. Music is supposed to be something we all have in common, it’s supposed to bring us together and create peace, not turn us against each other. It’s something that we all do, including me at times. Not only in music but in everyday life.
The definition of music is very different to many people. Some say that music is the arrangement of sound and silence. Others like myself say music is that and much more. Music is an aural form of art that is used to express emotion and touch the hearts of the listener through the use of phrasing, dynamics, style and tone color. Music is a very universal art form.