What Messages Are Kids Getting From Music Lyrics?
posted 5:55 pm Wed November 07, 2007 -
DO YOU EVER WONDER ABOUT THE MESSAGES KIDS MIGHT BE HEARING WHEN THEY LISTEN TO POPULAR MUSIC?
SOME RESEARCHERS DID… AND THEY PRESENTED THEIR FINDINGS today AT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION'S NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN D.C.
Andrea McCarren:
TO PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE, KEEP IN MIND THAT KIDS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 8 AND 18 LISTEN TO AN AVERAGE OF MORE THAN 12 HOURS OF MUSIC A WEEK!
USING BILLBOARD'S MOST POPULAR SONGS OF 2005, RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT A THIRD OF THEM CONTAINED REFERENCES TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL.
RAP MUSIC LED THE WAY-WITH 86-PERCENT OF THE SONGS INCLUDING LYRICS ABOUT DRUGS OR ALCOHOL.
Russ Hall: "That's what makes money. That's business."
37-PERCENT OF COUNTRY MUSIC LYRICS REFERENCED SUBSTANCE USE… MOSTLY ALCOHOL.
Meredith Esham: "Instead of being more taboo, as it might have been in the past, it's easier to accept. Which probably isn't a good thing."
R & B AND HIP HOP WERE THE THIRD MOST LIKELY GENRES TO HAVE LYRICS ABOUT SUBSTANCE USE-29-PERCENT OF THEIR SONGS.
Mark Leverrier: "I've heard a lot of songs that mention drugs or alcohol, but I still listen to music if it's good. I don't really listen to the lyrics."
Sharena Daniel: "I think the music does influence them but I think one main reason kids listen to music is because of the beat and not really because of the lyrics."
RESEARCHERS SAY MOST SONGS DEPICT THE CONSEQUENCES OF USING DRUGS AND ALCOHOL AS POSITIVE. AND THAT'S REFLECTED IN MUSIC VIDEOS TOO-FOR EXAMPLE, A GUY WALKS INTO A BAR… AND MEETS WOMEN ONLY AFTER HE'S BEEN DRINKING.
Dr. Brian Primack: "Generally when people used substances, they felt better, they did not feel worse, which of course is also not the reality of what I see as a physician in my practice."
IN FACT, NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES ARE RARELY HEARD.
Dr. Brian Primack: "Alcohol is the number one cause of male impotence. That's not a message that adolescents are going to see, are going to hear about in these kind of songs."
ONE SURPRISE THAT EMERGED FROM THE STUDY: REFERENCES TO TOBACCO USE WERE RARE.
IN FACT, LYRICS ABOUT SMOKING ONLY MADE THEIR WAY INTO 3-PERCENT OF THE MOST POPULAR SONGS.
Not a member yet? Click Here to sign up.
Please leave your comments below:
Messages that harass, abuse or threaten other members; have obscene or otherwise objectionable content; have spam, commercial or
advertising content or inappropriate links may be removed and may result in the loss of your posting privileges.
Please do not post any private information unless you want it to be available publicly.
Never assume that you are completely anonymous and cannot be identified by your posts.
© 2007 NewsChannel 8, a division of Allbritton Communications Company-
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The 'RUNNING MAN' icon is a registered trademark of America Online, Inc.
NewsChannel 8 to leave comments on news stories.