About
Music is possibly the most ubiquitous art form in existence and is the borderless language of the world. Even before recorded music, the powers that be have always sought to control this language. How we talk, how we dress, even how we think is all influenced by music and the people who create it, making it a powerful and concerning art form. Whenever there is a clear movement bubbling up in the music industry, whether it be the rise of jazz in the 1920s, the Satanic Panic of the 1980s or explicit hip-hop of today, we can always see a public outcry questioning the influence these musicians have. Since the inception of recorded music, artists who were deemed raunchy or taboo have faced suppression from censors while label profits continued to grow. Now with new streaming platforms and direct to consumer outlets dominating the sales, the discussion of what is appropriate for the public consumption is as relevant as ever.