Music Videos Debate
Music Videos DebateMusic is prominent in adolescent lives: teenagers spend between 4 and 5 hours a day listening to music and watching music videos 1 and name music listening as their preferred non-school activity. 2 Therefore, it is not surprising that government officials, researchers and parents alike are concerned about the impact of music on teenagers. Disturbed by the amount of violence portrayed in modern music, adults worry that these messages are contributing to the rise in violence among kids. Forty-eight percent (48%) of Americans say that violence in popular music should be more heavily regulated 3 and 59% would like to restrict violence in music. 4
Music Lyrics
Forty-seven percent (47%) of mothers with children in public schools believe that violent messages in rap music contribute “a great deal” to school violence, 5 and 66% of 13- to 17-year-olds believe violence in music is partly responsible for violent crimes like the 1999 Columbine High School shootings. 6 However, no studies have documented a cause-and-effect relationship between violent or sexually explicit lyrics and adverse behavioral effects. 7 Studies show that the preference for heavy metal music may be a significant indicator for alienation, substance abuse, psychiatric disorders, suicide risks, sex-role stereotyping, or risk-taking behaviors during adolescence, 8 but music is not the cause of these behaviors. It is hypothesized that teenagers already struggling with those issues may be attracted to heavy metal music, because the lyrics express their own troubled feelings.
Nonetheless, music may contribute to the atmosphere of violence that some argue is generated by popular media. Critics claim that music negatively affects teenagers by repeatedly exposing them to themes such as Satanism, substance abuse, murder, suicide and sexual violence, which may be heavily reinforced and normalized by the frequency of their portrayal. 9 Heavy metal and rap music are especially criticized for lyrics that many believe glorify violence. Music lyrics have also become increasingly explicit in the past two decades. Songs commonly make graphic references to sex, drugs and violence, whereas such sensitive topics were cleverly veiled in the past. 10
In particular, “gangsta rap” is distinguished by lyrics that often involve references to street gangs, gunplay, sex, drug use and violence, and has been accused of extolling violent behavior. Studies have found that exposure to rap music “tends to lead to a higher degree of acceptance of the use of violence.” 11 In addition, several major rap artists have been charged with violent crimes in real life, 12 and many worry that their actions seemingly condone the violent messages in their music. Their celebrity status also serves to glamorize their violent behavior.
Music Videos
Music Television (MTV) redefined music for future generations by creating music videos, and the unique fusion between rock music and visual images continues to be a hit. A 1996 study revealed that boys and girls ages 12 to 19 watch MTV for an...
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