Music Censorship Is Quite A Controversial Issue
Music censorship is quite a controversial issue. It came under fire during the late 1980's and early 1990's. Al Gore's wife, Tipper Gore, headed the Parent's Music Resource Center in an effort to get censorship addressed regarding heavy metal music. The organization was successful in getting warning labels added to albums and CD's featuring explicit lyrics. This was designed to help parents make informed choices about their children's music selections.
While popular bands of the time including Bon Jovi and Poison were forced to change their album covers because one was of a girl in a see through shirt that read Slippery When Wet and the other featured a sadistic looking creature with a very long tongue, teenagers everywhere rebelled heavily against the music censorship guidelines. What was put in place to prevent the selling of such music to young children actually fueled the sales! This was because it became more interesting to teenagers because their parents were against it. Also, the censorship regulations of music only stated that a warning label had to be placed on the packaging. It didn't prohibit the sell of the music selection to teenagers.
Tipper Gore and her followers had their day in court regarding the issue, as did the heavy metal bands it threatened. Many showed up to state in court that censorship of their music was a violation of the first amendment. It is interesting to note that the music of this generation is a lot more sensual and provocative than the music of the 80's and 90's even thought of being.
The issue of music censorship continues to be heated. Many artists who offer songs with explicit materials and lyrics avoid the issue in the public domain by offering a clean version of the songs as well as their uncut version. Both versions are available at the same retailer, allowing the consumer to make an informed choice as to which they prefer.
The issue of music censorship doesn't stop with just the sell of the music. Controversial artist Marilyn Manson was not welcomed for some of the stops on the Ozzfest tour he was part of. The Six Flags theme parks clearly banned him from all concerts they were promoting. The country arena has its issues as well. The Dixie Chicks came under fire for their comments regarding George Bush during a concert in Texas.
