Should Explicit Lyrics Be Banned Outright?

Currently in the music industry it is common for a record label to heavily promote an artist because he or she seems likely to make a great deal of money. They will make sure that the person is on all of the most influential radio stations, appears in the right movies and TV series and is seen to be romantically linked with the right person or people. Essentially, the artiste is a product that the company cultivates. This is a rule to which there are a growing number of exceptions with new eclectic styles and interesting messages. One of the key features of this industry that has been problematic from time immemorial has been the use of ‘foul’ language in the lyrics attached to the music. This essay answers the question stated in the topic.

Yes they should

This argument is fairly simple. Children are fans of music just as much as adults are and they have very good memories. This means that when they hear catchy music they will retain the lyrics much easier than an adult listener woulds. This can be especially worrying when you stop to consider that some of the songs they are listening to are full of very unsuitable content. Many rap artists, although not all, promote misogynistic lyrics. These can lead to spikes in violence against college aged women on their school campuses. There are also many heavy metal bands that promote self injury which can exacerbate tendencies toward this practice in listeners that are already depressed. If these songs are allowed to play unedited, they may affect many people negatively. Other examples in other genres can also be cited.

No, they should not

As much damage as can be done by exposure to music of this nature, there can also be problems from overzealous censorship. Artists and artistes who feel unable to fully express their visions may not be as creative when forced to censor themselves. They may have deeply emotional stories to tell or bawdy jokes that have been part of the human experience for as far back as history has been recorded. Some music is simply not meant to be consumed by young children. Attempting to hold all of music to those standards would be extremely wasteful of original talent.

There may be no definite answer to this as many artists can be held up of ask good examples to further either cause.