Recently, there has been a debate surrounding the question: Should musicians censor their lyrics? In their latest issue (Issue 323), Alternative Press released the results and comments of a poll involving a similar question: Should artists be accountable for their lyrics? The results of that poll were 57% said yes and 43% said no.
As a musician and a lyricist, the question of censoring my lyrics or a musician censoring any lyrics is a prominent and important one. Personally, I don't think musicians should censor their lyrics to please any single person. However, I do believe that musicians should take responsibility for what they have to say. If a musician writes something, records it, and performs it, they should be more than willing to stand by what they have written. This is especially true if they want their fans and listeners to do something specific, like a call to action.
I think censoring music takes away everything music is meant for. Music is meant to provoke something in people, it's meant to make you feel. Censoring the words or even the sounds of the guitars and drums to make it more pleasing to a wider audience makes the music lose that edge, and it then loses the whole effect.
Anyway, it's impossible to please everyone. Just try to please yourself.
What are your thoughts on music censorship? Leave your comments below!
What a contraversil subject and a good one! I wholly believe in the freedom of free speech which comes into play here, but music is far more complex that just an opinion. I wholeheartedly believe that music is special because oftentimes personal perspective and emotion comprise the lyrics. I agree with the author that if the message is put out there and Is edgy enough for it to be a problem the artist should stand by It. The power of the words and music together is what make it special and if that is what it takes to get the emotion and point across I don't believe lyrics should be censored. On the flip side of the coin we have marketing and it is the masses that buy the music which in turn supports the artist to be free to concentrate of their craft.....so sometimes sacrifices need to be made, not selling out but maybe an alternate more mass appropriate word or phrase needs to be offered by the artist.
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for commenting. You raise a good point about music for the masses. I feel that, yes music for the masses should be made, but I still believe that artists should own up to what they write and sing.
DeleteThanks! :)
Here here! I agree! I just wish every artist's message could be heard and accepted at as it is meant to be without the need for censorship!
ReplyDeleteI just think censorship takes away the whole edge music has when it contains such a message. So long as musicians say "Yes, I wrote these words and this is what I mean and I believe what I mean" then they can say it. I may not agree with it, but as long as they are standing by what they believe in and stuff, then that's cool.
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