Decency[edit]

Songs are often edited for broadcast on radio and television to remove content that may be considered objectionable to an outlet's target audience—such as profanity, or references to subjects such as sex and drug usage. This is typically done to comply with any relevant broadcast law or codes of conduct, and to make the songs more marketable to a mainstream audience.^[1][2] Songs edited for content in this manner by are often referred to as a "clean version" or a "radio edit" (the latter also referring to songs that may be edited for length on radio airplay—a practice which dates back to the space limitations of 45 RPM vinyl records).^[3][4] Common editing techniques include distorting vocals to obscure offending words (including muting, bleeping, and backmasking), or replacing them with alternative lyrics.^[5]


The amount of censorship required may vary between.... broadcasters, depending on standards and practices and their target audience; for example, Radio Disney imposes stricter content guidelines than conventional U.S. radio stations, as it primarily targets a youth audience and family listening.^[4][2] By contrast, some radio stations may relegate unedited versions of tracks containing objectionable content to airplay during time periods deemed appropriate, such as late-night hours.^[4] Joel Mullis, an Atlanta sound engineer who became well known in the industry for his work on radio edits, noted that his job was often complicated by differing standards between broadcasters (such as BET and MTV), requiring different edits to meet their individual needs. Mullis' edit of the Ying Yang Twins' "Wait (The Whisper Song)" was constructed by splicing in vocals from other Ying Yang Twins songs, but Mullis eventually had to bring the group back to his studio after facing demands for additional edits.^[2]


In some cases, a record label may choose to withhold a release entirely if they believe that its subject matter would be too controversial; Ice-T and Paris both had gangsta rap albums withheld or indefinitely delayed by Warner Bros. Records over content concerns, with Ice-T's Home Invasion delayed due to the 1992 Los Angeles riots and controversy over "Cop Killer"—a song by Ice-T's metal band Body Count, and Paris's Sleeping with the Enemy over its songs "Bush Killa" and "Coffee, Doughnuts, & Death". Insane Clown Posse faced similar issues after they signed to Disney-owned Hollywood Records; despite compliance with the label's demands to censor specific songs and lyrics, The Great Milenko was recalled almost immediately after its release (but not before selling 18,000 copies out of 100,000 shipped). All three acts moved to different labels (including Priority Records and Island Records), which released their respective albums without objections.^[6][7][8][9]


The ideas that make up censorship differ greatly from country to country. However, even if no pattern can be observed, it is normally set about through power.^[10] Censorship as a whole terminates unwanted messages in hopes of keeping the targeted listener's vision and actions in check.^[11] It is known for being dependent on three different conditions. The first being that the censored body or subject is not authorized. The second being that censorship takes place to avert the object of what is restricted. Finally, it is put in place to deny existence of the censored issues.^[11]


The motivation behind music censorship is associated to the circulation of popular music through numerous mediums.^[10] Reasons for why music may be censored include that music is deemed contentious, aggressive or disrespectful. Music censorship therefore aims to minimize the exposure to controversial topics such as sex, drugs and the challenging of social norms. Constituting to restrictions to one's freedom of speech with the goal of shielding society from detrimental expression.^[12]


Music censorship was impacted by the religious influences on governments before the modern nation-state.^[13] The Catholic Church’s Index Librorum Prohibitum is an early sign of censorship, later translating into the music censorship of the 21st century.