Censorship in Music (or our culture today)

If there is one thing that makes my blood boil in our culture today and that is censorship. But what really flips my lid is censorship in music. Aesthetics is a privilege in human rights and is our greatest pasttime. However, when aesthetics such as art or music is blocked because of being too graphic for our society, everything comes to a halt. Governments or organizations such as the PMRC target music that is offensive to our "so-called youth" or society. When I think of this, I have one thing to say: bullshit.



Censorship has been around for centuries and is a thorn in the side of culture in its long agonizing history. For example, when a book takes shot against politics or religion then the world thankfully agrees or deals a good argument to it and moves along. However, when we hear lyrics in music that is graphic or too explict, the world is thrown into calamity. What the hell?! Hammer smashed face?! Multilation?! Give it a rest. How is lyrical content like Cannibal Corpse no different from a B-horror movie or a grotesque slasher flick? The PMRC was the first organization to take action on graphic lyrical content in music. The PMRC lead a huge crusade into banning graphical contents that were too offensive for children or even adults and banned many albums from bands like Motley Crue, W.A.S.P, Venom, Judas Priest, Cannibal Corpse, and many others. They are responsible for our Explict Content label on all CDs today. However, the PMRC's activity died little after the mid 90s.

However, how has this been impacted today in music? Well many record labels today are very picky about what musicians release based on lyrical content and album art. But honestly why are we offended by this? Are we too civilized to find anything that defy our morality? Censorship is the cause of all this. Music is an art and expression that can defy any nature that is brought in place. Freedom of expression comes in mind and we indicate that with this right, we have the ability to say whatever, correct? Unfortunately, that is not the case.

Graphical content in music such as blood & gore, hell, satanism, sexual express, and others shouldn't really deem as offensive, in my own perspective. I like to take a band like Cannibal Corpse, for example, as to defend when it comes to graphical content. Before judging a book by its cover, think about what you might be experiencing. Most of there albums look like they came from undead horror movies if I'm not mistaking. Their lyrical content can be counted as the same. Are they trying to promote this? I don't think they are. The band itself quoted that they like to write gory lyrics based of horror books and movies and think a better to write. They don't promote it at all, they just want to have a good time. Now do you see a problem in that? I think not. This is why censorship is a bore to our cultural arts today, especially in music. To whatever extreme whether its gore, religion, politics, or sexual content, its more expression than promotion. Censorship takes out the fun in everything.

In conclusion, I believe music doesn't do any harm to our own kind. We take things too seriously. Our society is boring enough and economical to take music offensive in certain regions. We can never understand other cultures without even understanding our own.