Why Music should not be Censored for its Reflection on Society

Generational Perspectives on Music

Since before even the 1920s, new and up in coming music styles have been attacked by older generations. In the 1920s, the flapper movement was in full swing, and jazz was the new music that America’s youth were listening to. Only trying to express themselves in new ways that connected them to each other.

The jazz music style was attacked by the older public, who were saying, “Jazz will ruin our youth,” later, in 1960, rock music was accused of the very same thing.

Today heavy metal and rap are biting the bullet. The public eye is being blinded by media outlets like the American Press Association (APA).

Misconceptions About Music and Violence

Those media outlets cry out for censoring these kinds of music without seeing that this music benefits our community. Music Should not be censored from the youth to protect them from violent tendencies, as there is no correlation between music and violent actions. News outlets make accusations with little to no thought as to if the music actually negatively affects our youth. The media now accuses music, specifically heavy metal, and rap, for causing violence, in 1999 media blamed Marilyn Manson for giving the two boys who committed the Columbine shooting the idea to shoot the school, but in an interview with Sue Klebold (Dylan’s Mother) she explicitly stated: “he pressed that he didn’t listen to the lyrics” [in reference to music made by Marilyn Manson].

Psychiatric Insight into Music Preferences

In 1999, Kevin and David Weiss surveyed adolescent patients and their parents visiting a psychiatric clinic; it should be noted that they were separated into three groups; one that listened to Heavy Metal, one that listened to Rap, and one that listened to other kinds of music. it was determined “there is less association of the heavy metal and rap music with adolescent turmoil than was previously suspected” (Kevin J. and David S. Weiss). The study also showed that “these adolescents have a history of school problems at the elementary level before many of them began listening to heavy metal and rap” (Kevin J. and David S. Weiss). Knowing this, there is no way that music could influence violence. Even if academic and social truancies occurred after the student in question listened to Heavy Metal and Rap, would there be any correlation between music and violent actions?

Media outlets like the APA have already said yes over 1,000 times since the year 2000. While the media has blamed music for violence, socially, otherwise could be said.

The Positive Social Impact of Music

In a social environment, Heavy Metal and rap music can positively affect its listeners as “Music may be uniquely suited to managing or regulating emotions and stress in everyday life since it has the capacity to both distract and engage listeners in a variety of cognitive and emotional ways” (DeNora, 2010; Mitchell & MacDonald, 2012; Saarikallio, 2011; Sloboda & O’Neill, 2001). Regulating emotions means that a teen can work through or cope with emotions without outbursts of violence or aggression; doing this reduces the possibility of a violent emotion-based outbreak. This outbreak could be anything from self-harm to suicide to school shootings. Coping with life issues and being able to release emotions is immensely beneficial to the human brain. However, Heavy Metal and Rap are not the only songs given credit for violent tendencies.”

Beyond Heavy Metal and Rap: Opera and Its Impacts

In 2002, it was found that opera fans were more accepting of suicide…” (The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey) Opera is a theatrical work containing one or more acts, set to music for singers and instrumentalists. Opera also consists mostly of music concerning tragedies. Within some of those tragedies are death and violence, similar to Heavy Metal or Rap. That does not necessarily mean that opera makes people more violent, but it does show that Heavy Metal and Rap cannot be the direct cause of violence, as the media states.

Promoting Musical Diversity and Unity

Instead of censoring music and discriminating against the genres that people listen to, we should support people in their musical decisions. Allowing people to listen to their music unjudged and unhindered would allow people to not only express themselves, but people would also be capable of making more connections with others, improving the social life of our youth; America is called “the great melting pot,” and banning music would limit the number of relations in this “melting pot,” Of course, the media and older generations will always accuse newer music of “destroying our youth.” “Music aids [youth in] development of peer relationships, and learning about issues not communicated by their significant adults.” (Baker & Bor 2008)

Youth can use music to connect with each other, and this goes for all music. Youth can use Heavy Metal and Rap in ways that help them connect to other people and stimulate social behavior. By having these styles of music available, we create an avenue for youth members to connect with each other by listening to the same styles of music. Music is an art form that is supposed to be talked about and admired whether or not its ideals are depicted as violent.

Works Cited

1. 1. Baker, Felicity, and William Bor. “Can Music Preference Indicate Mental Health Status in Young People?”
   2. Kevin J. and David S. Weiss. “The Relationship between Heavy Metal and Rap Music and Adolescent Turmoil: Real or Artifact?” Adolescence, vol. 29, no. 115, Fall 1994, p. 613. EBSCOhost,
   3. Trzcinski, Jon. “Today’s Music: Poetry or Pornography?” Corrections Today, vol. 56, Dec. 1994, pp. 148–149.
   4. Baker, F., & Bor, W. (2008). Can Music Preference Indicate Mental Health Status in Young People? Volume 16.
   5. Sloboda, J. A., & O’Neill, S. A. (2001). Emotions in everyday listening to music. In P. N. Juslin & J. A. Sloboda (Eds.), Music and emotion: Theory and research (pp. 415–429). Oxford University Press.
   6. Macdonald, Raymond. (2013). Music, health, and well-being: A review. International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being.

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