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Critical Thinking Paper
Music has affected the lives of youth into their adulthoods from their conception. The popular genres of today’s music test their audience’s innocence and willingness to buy into the lyrics, which are written to explain of a daily life that has digressed into drug use, sexual behavior, violence, and racial slurs. “We Are Young”, Fun’s current number one single on the Billboard Charts, idolizes the essence of being young in a bright ballad. The chorus “We Are Young/ So let’s set the world on fire” encompasses the stereotypical conceptions of Youth’s reckless behavior (Fun). Aided by the bright piano in the background, and the background chorus, which evokes a sense of community, the song includes “friends in the bathroom getting higher than the Empire State”, and begs that “between the drinks and subtle things” that a lover forgets the singer “gave it to [him/her] months ago” (Fun). Youth are thus provoked into participating in such behavior, oblivious to the consequences the lyrics might entail. Rap, a division of Hip-Hop culture, is more popularly accredited with negative lyrical influences, as it promotes the N-Word, drug use, violence, and is particularly degrading towards women (Thao). Rock Music, polarized from Rap’s culture, asserts many of the same values onto its young listeners, as it cherishes “sex, drugs, and Rock and Roll”. Heavy Metal, a division of Rock culture, promotes antisocial behavior, as many of its values include suicide and rape (Adonais). The youth exposed to such lyrical content have been documented to be more violent, careless, and irresponsible. The advertisement agencies that sell these lyrics are to blame for much of lyrical influence; however, the record labels who transmit these lyrics onto radio stations and produce artist’s content, must prevent the negative influences of lyrics upon first review. Record labels must monitor and censor Hip-Hop, Heavy Metal, and popular music lyrics broadcasted to teenagers in order to reduce


Bibliography: Akon. “Smack That.” Metrolyrics. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. <http://www.metrolyrics.com/smack-that-lyrics-akon.html>. Associated Press. “Dirty song lyrics can prompt early teen sex.” Letter. MSNBC. MSNBC, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14227775/ns/health-sexual_health/t/dirty-song-lyrics-can-prompt-early-teen-sex/#.T25PWjGvKSo>. Friedrichs, Ellen. “Homophobia in Music.” GLBT Teens. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://gayteens.about.com/od/glbtteenlifestyle/ss/homophobiamusic_6.htm>. Fun. “We Are Young.” Songlyrics. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. <http://www.songlyrics.com/fun/we-are-young-lyrics/>. We Are Young lyrics profess of drugs and careless behaviour. They are also number 1 on the charts. “Hip-hop: Negative Effects on Today’s Youth.” BookRags. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://www.bookrags.com/essay-2005/9/21/202351/048>. Melbourne, Katrina. “Heavy Metal Music Has Negative Impacts on Youth.” Medical XPress. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-heavy-metal-music-negative-impacts.html>. “The Negative Effect of Rock Music on Youth.” Saching.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2012 <http://www.saching.com/Article/The-negative-effect-of-rock-music-on-youth/631>. Parker-Poe, Tara. “Under the Influence of...Music?” The New York Times Online. The New York Times, n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2012. Reuters, and Nielsen. “Third of hit songs mention alcohol, drug use: study .” Reuters. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/11/09/us-lyrics-idUSN3134139920071109>. “Rock Music and Violence.” Orthodox Photos. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/rock/violence.shtml>. Samantha. “The Effects of Negative Music on Today’s Youth.” Vox Juvenis . N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://voxjuvenis.wordpress.com/2011/07/12/the-effects-of-negative-music-on-today%E2%80%99s-youth/>. Tropeano, Eliana. “Does Rap or Rock Music Provoke Violent Behavior?” Journal of Undergraduate Psychological Research 1 (2006): n. pag. PDF file. T-Wayne. “Hoes and Ladies.” Killer Hip Hop. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. <http://www.killerhiphop.com/lil-wayne-t-pain-hoes-ladies-lyrics/>. Westhoff, Ben. “The N-Word Still Alive and Well in Hip-Hop.” Dallas Observer. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. <http://www.dallasobserver.com/2008-03-06/music/the-n-word-still-alive-and-well-in-hip-hop/>. Winterman, Denise. “How ‘gay’ Became Children’s Insult of Choice.” BBC News: n. pag. BBC News. Web. 25 Mar. 2012. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7289390.stm>.
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