What do you think about profanity in music?

[Feist]

I always try to obtain clean music because I feel like I can save myself some embarrassment should I be playing it in my car. I thought this was pretty straightforward and normal but I got a question the other day about why I listen to clean music, and it really got me thinking. I'm fine with swearing in my music and I'll keep it in, but one thing I cannot have is the n word. I think it is out of line and I feel uncomfortable just listening to it even thought it doesn't offend me personally.

What do you guys think?

1. Do we have a responsibility to play clean music if we're blasting it in our car?

2. What do you think about artists using the n word? Is it okay for us to listen to them?

3. Should we listen to clean music? Is it fair to censor what the artists originally intended for their work?

Just some food for thought.

Edited July 22, 2009 by Feist

[Abu]

1. I hate people who blast their **** music out of their cars. It's not nice and people shouldn't do it. Same goes for the people whose music I can hear from their headphones.

2. Why not? It's a free world.

3. Whatever floats your boat. People should only listen to music which they like. And I may be offending someone here, but whatever. The 'N' word is just as offensive as people make it out to be. A black person doesn't mind being called the 'n' word affectionately, so why should people of other ethnic backgrounds create a large hooplah over a word? It's the same with the word 'paki'. Someone in the UK would think that it's as offensive as the N word but someone in Pakistan won't give a damn. There are so many more things to worry about in the world, why are we all focusing on issues that aren't even remotely important?

[sweetnsimple786]

1. Hahaha yeahh try to contain the noise. I love driving with friends, windows rolled down, blasting music as the next person, but it's just common courtesy to tone it down when there are other people around. About headphones. Dude hearing aide at the age of 26 is not good. Clean music or not.

2. I do. I think it depends on the context in which it is used. If someone says "the n word" to belittle a human being, it's not right. But if it's used as a synonym for "dawg" or something [lol] then I don't see an issue. Kinda like I can call my friend a loser but her frenemy can't. I don't mean it badly.

3. Well I see the reason for edited radio versions. Hmm well I don't curse out loud ever. I do rarily online, and I think "bad words" in my head all the time. So while I won't swear, most of my friends do. I'm tolerant. It's a personal thing, and it should be maintained as such. When kids start using such words because it's 'cool' that's unacceptable. They should understand the social implications of saying stuff then decide for themselves. However, I am glad that it is unacceptable to curse in a professional environment. I swear some people think that just saying '****' in every sentence makes their argument logical. pshh. Did I answer your question? prolly not. I may just edit this later for clarity

[greaterthaninfinity]

1. No. People are free to play whatever the hell they want in their car, even if they are blasting it. Besides, you're going to probably drive by them anyway.

2. Agree with the above people. It definitely depends on the context. I think there are hardly any songs out there that truly use the n-word in a hateful context.

3. No and no. Music is essentially a medium of expression; people shouldn't be limited in such expression. I'm all for that freedom of expression stuff, so yeah. YAY hippieness.

Edited July 22, 2009 by greaterthaninfinity

[Sandwich]

1. Do we have a responsibility to play clean music if we're blasting it in our car?

Yes, I think we do, if only because we don't know what little kiddies are walking down the street or listening in. I play a lot of music outside round my house and since I worked out that the new next door neighbours have a 5 and a 7 year old, I've been delicately censoring it and putting on a volume cap after 21:00! I think we should be considerate and prepared to be considerate to people of all ages whether we're in cars or not.

2. What do you think about artists using the n word? Is it okay for us to listen to them?

I actually don't mind what words anybody uses about anything. If a word is going to be actually offensive in a particular scenario, I won't use it, and that's all that matters! Music is just prerecorded stuff, after all, and like Aboo mentioned it's often meant as some strange affectionate faux-insult between two people of the group it's aimed at (in the music). So unless you bought your CD saying the "n word" from "whitesupremacistscdcompany.com", it's very unlikely to offend people simply because anyone listening knows it's not you! Besides, with those sorts of songs, a lot of people get them for the rhythm etc. and don't pay much attention to the lyrics.

3. Should we listen to clean music? Is it fair to censor what the artists originally intended for their work?

On the radio and in public places, yes. Otherwise, like with your friends, in your house, on your mp3 and so on, there's no real reason because there's nobody to protect. Music is for appreciating, and if you find 'unclean' music makes you uncomfortable, you can censor it, but if it doesn't bother you, than it is part of the music and how the original artist intended to express themselves, so I think there's no point in taking it out without a reason.

[SharkSpider]

1.

Either, nobody should blast music out of their car really loud, or it shouldn't be censored. I'd be alot more annoyed hearing kid music or polka than listening to a guy rush down the street playing swear words and death metal. If we are allowed to decide on what we like, then either everyone keeps it down to a certain level, or we just let people do whatever. Regulation on swear words in music shouldn't need to be there to override regulation in general. I personally think that people can keep it down to a reasonable level in their vehicles or otherwise. It's common courtesy.

2.

Listen to whatever you like, really. As long as its not illegal by other means, (which I cant really think of) you're free to do whatever you like to your own ears. The N word is no worse than some of the swearing in songs that I find perfectly acceptable for my own listening.

3.

Censorship should apply only to the public sector, as soon as the choice of listening becomes private, the content shouldn't be restricted except by age of audience. That being said, radio stations is a tough one, though if they did really want to play profane music it would have to be via satellite, due to the issue of people tuning in randomly.

[godofib]

1) Yes, if you are going to make other people listen to music from your own car, then you should keep it clean, since noone else wants to listen to the music you are listening to on the road.

2) Why is is there a special consideration only for the 'n' word? There are many other words that would offend other people but they are not considered as bad. So, I feel it is ok to use the word in a song as long as it serves a meaningful purpose for the song.

3) I agree with aboo's comments on this question.

[Shorty]

1. That purely up to the listener him/herself. Since We have freedom of choice we have full control over the type of music we listen to. As for blasting the music, I tend to turn up the music a tad bit when I'm driving but when I'm stopped at an intersection I turn it down because I know it may be irritating for other drivers.

2. Artistic Freedom.

3. Again, its up to the person and it wouldn't be fair to the artists since it may alter their hidden message in the song's lyrics.

[Taigan]

1. Do we have a responsibility to play clean music if we're blasting it in our car?

I do not think we have a responsibility to play clean music, I think we have a responsibility to not blast our music when in the car. Two words: Noise Pollution. Nobody wants to hear it so might as well keep it to yourself. If everyone blasted music in their homes, cars (anywhere really) the world would be a very uncomfortable place to live in.

2. What do you think about artists using the n word? Is it okay for us to listen to them?

Really, I don't mind if they use it. I think that it is OK for us to listen to them but that doesn't mean that it's OK for us to use the language they use. Also, like previously stated, the N word is only as horrible as people perceive it to be. You can only make it uncomfortable for yourself if you want it to be uncomfortable.

3. Should we listen to clean music? Is it fair to censor what the artists originally intended for their work?

I think we should listen to whatever we prefer! Some people get annoyed at censored songs, so I don't think they have to listen to them. The point of music is to be enjoyable! Also, we do have a right to censor the work of artists. We do have a right to control the things going on around us.

[Tilia]

I hate when people blast music loudly out of their car, regardless of what music it is. Keep it at a decent level.

[meh]

1. I agree with Taigan on this one. I think it's inconsiderate to be blasting music in your car no matter the genre/lyrical content.

2. I don't think it's really any worse than using any other swear word. So many people casually use potentially offensive terms nowadays, so I think it's fine for us to listen to artists who use the word.

3. Whatever you're comfortable with. As for censoring the work of artists, I don't know that it's fair, but I think it's certainly necessary when music is being played publicly, say on the radio, because other people may be offended by it.

[inginair]

1. Do we have a responsibility to play clean music if we're blasting it in our car?

Your not supposed to be blasting any type of music because it just bothers others.

2. What do you think about artists using the n word? Is it okay for us to listen to them?

If they want us to listen to their music with swear words, then yeah its okay.

3. Should we listen to clean music? Is it fair to censor what the artists originally intended for their work?.

Frankly, I hate clean music and censoring words just ruins the songs. Its like having a painting of naked woman without her reproductive organs; it just ruins the masterpiece.

[Moe]

Well where I live, its pretty natural too see people playing loud music in thier cars. It's what I'm used to seeing. And see alot of my friends doing.

[Caustica]

1. Do we have a responsibility to play clean music if we're blasting it in our car?

I typically dislike 'blasting' music in cars because I dislike listening to other people's music. And of course, if you're not 'blasting' it and it's just your car which can hear it, then you can play anything you like.

2. What do you think about artists using the n word? Is it okay for us to listen to them?

It is DEFINITELY okay > I am against political correctness and whatnot, and if this is a term that we have gotten used to, then by all means it is now part of our language, even if the language is not desirable. And music should reflect that.

3. Should we listen to clean music? Is it fair to censor what the artists originally intended for their work?

If the artists don't mind themselves being censored, then it is 'fair' I guess - but that is a strange word to use. I understand how some parents might not want their children to listen to swear words etc., but sooner or later they will have to face them and come on - in a hundred years' time, the swear words we know today will probably cease to be swear words, and there will be newer, meaner ones invented.

[Crazy Canuck]

1. Do we have a responsibility to play clean music if we're blasting it in our car?

2. What do you think about artists using the n word? Is it okay for us to listen to them?

3. Should we listen to clean music? Is it fair to censor what the artists originally intended for their work?

1.I HATE WHEN PEOPLE BLAST THEIR MUSIC.

2.Depends.

3.We should listen to whatever we want. As far as censoring goes, its pretty annoying

[Heisenberg]

I don't mind profanity at all, in music or otherwise. Simply put, "bad" words are simply words. Unless shouted extremely loudly into someone's ear, it won't hurt anyone.

[bookloverforever1294]

1. Music if played at a moderately decent level in a car is fine.

2. I think so long as the n word isn't being used in negative way that it's fine (I listen to hip hop and rap, the word is sometimes used as a filler with no alternative, negative meaning).

3. Freedom of speech. Unless the lyrics are extremely provocative, explicit, controversial etc. then I think that music should be listened the way is was written.

[JoeG]

I find that profanity can take away from music if it's used too frequently within a work, but if it's part of the message of the song, then it's perfectly fine.

[Grumps]

I only listen to songs with profanity.

**** that gay ****** clean **** "music"

[TTSFIB]

Respect others, respect yourself

Swearing can't ever be pleased to listen~