Morality
Music has historically been, and continues to be, censored in an attempt to enforce morality. It’s not a coincidence that music censorship in America began to accelerate during the 1950s, when traditional and conservative values began to unravel. At the time, order, strict obedience to authority, and conservative values were part of the accepted mindset. With the advent of rock ‘n’ roll, however, young America began to loosen attitudes on issues relating to morality. Technology also played an important part in shaping the moral power struggle in the 1950s. For example, the 1920s era saw similar complaints against flappers and jazz musicians; however, radio wasn’t as dominant at that time. In the 1950s, radio provided access to new types of music that challenged traditional morality and created the dynamics for music censorship.
Moral authorities aim to determine what behavior is “acceptable” for individuals and for society. Drugs, violence, and especially sex are topics moral authorities attempt to regulate. The end of the 1950s witnessed many members of society, particularly young adults and teens begin expressing new attitudes about these topics: Sex and drugs were no longer hidden and secretive acts, but something to be exposed and celebrated. This shift in outlook began breaking down the traditional moral order in many aspects of society – especially music.
Racial motivations
Race may seem a strange factor in music censorship, but it has played a significant role. In particular, the 1950s and early 1960s saw a new genre of music -- rhythm and blues -- emerge onto the national music landscape. R&B music included freely expressed sexual desires, clear drug references, and other features that were not as prevalent in other forms of popular music. R&B was – and still is—dominated by black musicians and traditionally was enjoyed mainly by black audiences. When its audience expanded to include mainstream white youths and young adults, this was a problem for many older whites who considered R&B music as a threat that corrupted young people and promoted immoral behavior.
This phenomenon prompted moral authorities to take action. In 1955, for example, Houston’s Juvenile Delinquency and Crime Commission banned more than 30 songs – many by black artists. A Chicago radio station promised to censor “any controversial music, especially R&B,” after receiving letters from angry listeners. (Sparrow)
Racially motivated music censorship is not a practice limited to the past. More recent cases involve MTV refusing to air videos from many black artists in the infancy of the network. In 1983, during a live interview, David Bowie suddenly asked, “Why are there practically no black artists on the network?” (“Why it Took MTV So Long”) Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” from the album Thriller, released in 1983, is credited with being the first black video aired on MTV in heavy rotation.
The argument can be made that racial motivations also played a large role in the FBI’s 1989 letter to the rap group N.W.A. (Nuzum) The F.B.I.’s intent was to notify the rap group that their song “fukk Tha Police” wasn’t appreciated by the government. N.W.A. supporters argue the group was only expressing the frustrations of inner-city blacks and holding a mirror to their everyday reality. While no legal action took place, the example helps give context to the pressures behind government and music censorship.
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