"Who writes the nation's songs shapes the nation's future" (Temple 240).
Did you know that the lyrics in songs that you listen to have a stronger effect on you than you thought? Songs you hear every day contain lyrics that talk about sex, drugs, alcohol, and violence. These songs have led many teenagers to do exactly what they are talking about. There have been researchers conducting expirements that prove this fact.
Over the years, the music produced has had more explicit lyrics than ever before. Also, the teenage pregnancy rate has skyrocketed along with alcohol and drug use. The birthrate in the US has gone from 3,500,000 a year to 4,100,000 a year in just the course of two decades! If you think about it, the way music has changed from a somewhat innocent state to a state where they have to bleep out every other word can have a huge effect on the country. It can, not saying it has, lead/led to a rise in pregnancies and drug and alcohol usage among teens. You can; however, come to conclude that this kind of music has hadan effect on these teens.
Have you heard the song "Stoner Boy Swag" by a group called Dot Dot Curve? This song talks about drug use in practically every line. Now if you think about it, we all have that one friend who is strung out on something or is constantly getting high. This isn't just the only song out there about drugs. In the 70's, you had Bob Marley who was an icon to a people who we call "hippies." These people didn't take up 9/10 of the country, the druggies and stoners today are spread out everywhere and ther is at least one in every town and city. This didn't start until music was written about drugs.
Every other teenager I know drinks alcohol. It's either an everyday thing or it was a one time thing. Either way, they were exposed to alcohol at some point in their life. There is also a song called "Blame it on the Alcohol" by Jamie Foxx and I'm sure you all have heard it. It talks about how what you are doing at the time is all because of what you are drinking. In that song he basically says blame it on whatever liqour you are drinking. If you've heard it then you know what I'm saying here. This does not send a good message to our nation's youth now, does it? There are more alcoholics these days as well, and music is possibly one of the main factors.
In conclusion, music does have more of an effect on us than we thought. Did you ever take the time to think that music could be the reason for teen pregnancies? Studies have shown that it can also increase a person's heartrate. So maybe now you'll take a second look at the music you listen to.
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ReplyDeleteJust because the lyrics talk about sex, it doesn't mean that that is what is causing the rise in pregnancy. Maybe the rise in pregnancies is caused by the simple fact that we, as a society, are moving farther away from the "Bible Ages", where sexual intercourse was looked at as completely wrong. However, this is a rather interesting view on the subject. It was a very well written article.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought about it from that point of view. Thanks for the input :)
DeleteI like that you explained what songs make teenagers think.
ReplyDeleteI respect this but I don't agree with it. My opinion is that people choose what they listen to. I think that teens who already get high are more likely to listen to music that talk about it, as a person who already likes theater would listen to theater music. Today's generation has skyrocketing numbers of drug and alcohol abuse, I agree. I don't agree that the reason is the music. I think it has more to do with peer pressure and other issues. Good job on reasoning, though.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the lyrics can have an affect on the people who listen to it, but not in every case. Some people have more self control and the lyrics in the music has no effect on them. But in other situations, people turn to music when they may not have a person who they can talk to, and the lyrics really do affect them. I think it just depends. Good job on writing this essay though!
ReplyDeleteYes! Lyrics affect everyday people. I think you have a very good article, and got the point scross really good. I personally think music makes the world a better place.
ReplyDeleteAs do I, I also believe music makes the world go round
DeleteI agree with you. People should not be influenced by lyrics we need to form our own sense of wrong and right. If a song says go shoot up a bank are you gonna do it no. We all make our own decisions.
ReplyDelete