What happened to lyrics such as “Make It With You” by Bread, “You Make Me Feel Brand New” by The Stylistics, or “Love Can Make You Happy” by the band Mercy. These songs left the meaning of the lyrics to the imagination of the listeners. Even the song “I Feel Like Making Love To You” by Roberta Flack was not as explicit as the songs are today. Even though the song “I Feel Like Making Love to You” clearly states what the artist wants to do—make love to someone with whom she is in love and not just have sex with him—the song is not offensive. It is a beautiful love song. It is written in a milder form than a lot of songs are written today. Today’s lyrics can be crude, degrading, and nasty. Should the radio medium play them on the radio? Are these songs appropriate for younger teens to hear? Are they offensive to older generations or even to women? How do these songs get so popular? Do parents hear the words that these artists are singing? Songs that are obscene, profane, corrupting, and distasteful should be banned from all radio stations to be played.
According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) which regulates radio air waves, obscene material is not allowed to be broadcast at all. Music is censored and standard requirements are in place. Indecent and profane content are prohibited between 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. During this time block, there is a realistic possibility that children may be listening (The Dynamics of Mass Communications, 400). But who defines indecent and profane terms? What terms are included? Why does the FCC allow indecent and profane content aired after 10:00 p.m.? Will censoring or blocking the profane words help younger audiences not learn the true and profane lyrics?
These distasteful songs are aired on the radio, but the offensive lyrics are bleeped out. How effective is bleeping? Bleeping out objectionable words by radio disc jockeys may lead listeners to listen to the original versions on YouTube. These YouTube versions are uncensored and unrestricted in what is heard. Younger audiences can download, listen to, and even see anything they want to hear or watch on YouTube. It is a great education for younger audiences to learn offensive words, shocking acts, and unacceptable treatments of others. The radio bleeping out offensive words is a start to hide the offensive words, but most young listeners can guess what the words are and what the artists really mean.
For instance, in an article posted by Billboard on November 6, 2014, written by Elias Leight, the song entitled “I Don’t F**k with You” sang by Big Sean was ranked at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 website. Billboard Hot 100 is the music industry’s ranking of top songs in the United States for a song, published weekly by Billboard magazine. Rankings are based on sales, radio play, and online streaming. This song was Sean’s second-highest-charting hit (Billboard). Big Sean uses the “F” word 45 different times in a song that is just over five minutes. There are many other expletive words and insulting phrases in this song: stupid is sung eight times; as* is sung thirteen times; b*tch is sung twenty-one times; sh*t is sung five times; hoes is sung one time; bird brain is sung one time; and blunt is sung one time. This song is the pinnacle of degradation—comparable to slavery and its atrocious ways. Playing this song on the radio for all listeners to hear, young or old, has no benefit for those who have not learned these distasteful words or do not want to hear them, nor does it teach a good lesson for life. In fact, it may teach invaluable and immoral ways to treat others and talk to others. One cannot say “I Don’t F**k With You” if they are experiencing a problem with someone. This song does not teach any valuable communication skills, coping skills, or confrontational skills.
Unfortunately, there are too many other songs that are played on the radio that have to be bleeped out. A lot of songs that are played on the radio are disrespectful, humiliate women, and demonstrate horrible morals. Does this not tell American listeners that there is something wrong with the American music industry that allows this kind of music to be recorded and distributed?
It is unconscionable and shocking that songs are even written in this manner. It is no wonder that there is no respect, no fear of authority, or even daily conversations without the use of curse words anymore. Radio personalities are hometown celebrities and they and radio stations are in a unique position to challenge this form of art. It is in their best interest to consider the public’s demographics and closely examine their playlists. No person, with principles, scrolling through the different radio station channels, wants to hear a song that talks about blunts, drugs, sex, or swear words that are easily guessable—especially with children in the backseat of a car. It is in their best interest to figure out what young people should and should not hear for the future. If they continually hear this garbage, they will believe it is acceptable to act and talk this way. They are in a superb position to stop this degrading trend in music and not play these artists’ songs with bleeps. Stop the hatred and stop this so-called music.
In conclusion, even though radio stations need to reach a target audience and hit their ratings goals, they also need to realize the influence that these famous artists have on their listeners. Song lyrics have a huge impact on how people act. Unfortunately, these kinds of song lyrics—rap songs—can put a lot of people in reckless and thoughtless personality modes that allow them to think that acting a certain way is acceptable since the artist is acting that way or singing about something a certain way—for instance, treating women terribly. Radio stations may think they are doing good by bleeping out dirty words, but listeners still know what the song is about. Lastly, most listeners play the radio while they are cleaning, working out, and driving a car. According to Tom Gardner, writer for Daily Mail: “Ear-splitting rap and rock music played by teenage drivers increases their risk of crashing, researchers have found. Teenagers listening to their preferred music commit a greater number of errors and miscalculations on the road…” (Daily Mail). Let’s all drive safely; listen to respectful music; and not degrade women with the music that is played on our local radio stations—even if “b*itch” is bleeped out.
Works Cited
Dominick, Joseph R. The Dynamics of Mass Communication. 12th Edition. New York:
McGraw-Hill Education, 2013. Print.
Elias Light. Billboard.com. November 6, 2014.https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/ the-juice/6311887/big-sean-dj-mustard-kanye-west-idfwu-video. Web. March 23, 2018.
Tom Gardner. Dailymail.co.uk. August 26, 2013. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article- 2402152/Teenagers-listen-rap-rock-music-drive-higher-risk-involved-crash.html. Web. March 22, 2018.
