by Lexi Oybkhan
An exploration of the ways that music censorship, specifically on the radio, puts certain kinds of artists and themes at a disadvantage, and what that means for their artistic expression and livelihood.
There are many joys to being a college radio DJ: the community, events and having your friends and family listen to your show. But the biggest joy is the music— that’s really what brings us (DJ, artist and listener) together. Getting to play and listen to whatever music you choose on-air is the best. If you listen to the radio and don’t hear something you like, become a DJ and play it yourself! No music is off limits!
Well, actually, that’s not quite true.
Music censorship has a tight grip on what can and cannot be played on the radio. College radio and other stations associated with corporations and institutions are further restricted by the guidelines set in place by those institutions.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the government agency that regulates all radio, cable, television, satellite and wire communications, and is responsible for enforcing radio censorship rules. In an article on radio censorship by Mitch Levy, he says that when the FCC was created in 1934, “The primary concern was for the lyrics of songs that might be viewed to encourage negative behavior in teens and younger adults.” According to the FFC, there are three kinds of content that may pose this threat.
Obscene, indecent and profane content
Per the requirements of the FCC, any music that is considered obscene, indecent or profane cannot be played on the radio. But what exactly do these terms mean?
To be considered obscene, the most severe of the terms, content must meet three criteria: it must appeal to an “average” person’s prurient interest, depict sexual conduct in a “patently offensive” way and “lack serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value,” according to the FCC website. The other two terms pertain to sexual organs or activity portrayed in an offensive way (indecent content) and “grossly offensive” language (profane content).
Factors like time of day can complicate whether indecent and profane content is allowed on air, as they can be played from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. (essentially the middle of the night). If indecent or profane content is played outside of this time slot, or obscene content is played at any time, the FCC can: issue a warning, impose a fine or even revoke the radio station’s license.
But the radio station is not the only entity that can potentially be hurt by these rules: Artists, whose music may be perceived as falling into these vague and subjective categories, can also suffer. And certain songs and artists are at a greater risk for censorship than others.
Who and what is being censored?
Black artists
My first week as a DJ I learned fairly quickly what kinds of music I could and could not play. No one sat me down and told me “you can’t play rap,” but after spending so many hours weeding through my playlists to find rap songs free of expletives, I pretty much gave up that fight. I could still play them—that is, if I want to sit with my finger on the level fader and diligently mute the song every few words or so. It became clear that most rap is off limits.
In fact, rap and other predominantly Black music genres like jazz and hip-hop, have a long history of being restricted by censorship. A famous case of censorship in 1990, concerned 2 Live Crew’s album, As Nasty as They Wanna Be. The album, which was deemed obscene for its raunchy lyrics, later caused the detainment of two members of 2 Live Crew who performed it, and the arrest of a record store owner who sold copies of it.
Even today, songs like Cardi B’s “WAP,” have gone under intense scrutiny for their suggestive and explicit lyrics. This particular song also raises the issue of censorship on female sexuality, which is often subject to additional criticism.
Because many rap songs are deemed profane by FCC guidelines, artists must either alter them to be more palatable (i.e. create a radio edit/clean version) or risk not having them played at all.
But that risk, of not having your songs heard, is one that can come at a literal cost. In a New York Time’s article about the money that is made through music censorship, Ghazi Shami, the founder of Empire Distribution, says that many opportunities cease to exist for artists who choose not to create clean versions of their songs: such as not having them played in public spaces, restaurants and stores. Shami also said, “The existence of a clean version can increase some albums’ sales as much as 30 percent.”
It is clear that the livelihood of artists can depend on their willingness to compromise their artistic integrity. And because Black artists and the music they make are policed the most, they end up sacrificing their creative freedom and/or monetary profit the most.
Sex, drugs, and other “taboos”
Most of the topics that fall under the umbrella term of “taboo,” have historically been censored in radio.
The big, bad “S” word—sex—is considered one of the most offensive and is, therefore, one of the most frequently regulated. Even hugely popular songs like The Rolling Stone’s “Can’t Get No Satisfaction” have been banned for their sexually suggestive lyrics.
In more recent years, Lil Nas X’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” has been censored and ridiculed for its mentions of gay sex. While many radio stations still play it, they will often cut out any parts that allude to homosexuality, which dilutes the intended message and any instances of queer representation.
Drugs are also an extremely problematic topic for music played on the radio. Songs that make reference to drugs are not often given airtime and, in some cases, it's not the kind of drugs you’d expect. Because its lyrics mention birth control, “The Pill,” by Loretta Lynn, was rejected from playing on the radio when it debuted in 1975.
The list does not end there: other taboo subjects, like protest and religion, are not allowed on the radio for their divisiveness. All of these instances of censorship seem to promote the idea that if you want your music to be heard, it has to send a message that the masses or people in power agree with.
The consequence of censoring and banning music that references these subjects, is not just the stifling of artists' creative expression or limiting their monetary gains: It is also the perpetuation of ignorance on important topics and perspectives. Music can be a vehicle for awareness and a way to expose people to information, but radio censorship may diminish this effect.
Censorship today and tomorrow
The issues raised by radio censorship are perhaps less relevant in the digital world today than they were even a decade ago. The rise of music streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, mean that anyone can listen to uncensored, explicit content if, and when, they want to. Social media apps like TikTok also create their own sphere where even raunchy songs can become marketable.
This easy access to obscene content online, challenges present day radio censorship. If people would encounter the same content online that the radio is trying to censor, what is the point of censoring it? But even if restrictions became more lenient, radio censorship and the perspectives it disadvantages have still left a stain on the music industry.
Recently, there has been a wave of censoring words that aren’t actual swear words, such as the word “kill.” This raises questions of how far is too far for censorship? Are listener sensibilities more important than artist authenticity and creative expression? And, if we close ourselves off to everything that makes us uncomfortable, how can we promote inclusivity and empathy?
As our society evolves, so should the rules that govern it. Otherwise, we run the risk of further stifling the perspectives and experiences of entire groups of people, simply because we are made uncomfortable by their creative expression. While censorship rules seem to have good intentions in theory, they can have dangerous consequences in practice: consequences like silencing and disempowering minority groups and perspectives.
It always bothered me when I'd accidentally add the censored version of a song on my playlists or when the radio plays the censored versions of songs but I never thought about how it may be diminishing the artists who sing them. It was interesting to hear that they are even censoring more words that aren't technically swear words. It was also surprising to hear about that protest and religion are censored as well, it makes me wonder how far it will go. I feel like swearing is becoming more casual and accepted in public so who knows. - Maren Franklin
I was surprised to hear that the availability of a clean version can increase certain album sales by 30%. I noticed more and more that clean versions are hard to find and also do less to censor profanity. Also, I learned a bit about censorship in my History of Rock class and I am saddened that in the past racism and hate has been disguised as moral censorship.
We touched on this topic briefly in one of my classes about laws in the media and this always struck me as unfair to artists. Very few people listen to the radio between 10 pm and 6 am, unless you work the night shift. It never occurred to me until I learned this how censored the radio is that I listen to, because you're right, there is a lot of talk about radio DJs being able to play whatever they want and how freeing the job is. Thanks for sharing!
-Clare
How influential/benefits is the ability to play songs on the radio now, especially with the rise of digital platforms like you mentioned toward the end of the article. I feel that most success is judged by sales, and top songs lately can be explicit because of the easy access to play or purchase online. I understand the need to not play expletives in public, but the points you make about what is and isn't considered an off limit topic creates a strange censorship grey area.
It really is shocking as an American to hear profane music in public. A few years ago, I went to Iceland with a friend and there are no censorship laws like there are in America. I remember distinctly hearing an uncensored Kanye West song at some restaurant we were in and my friend and I just sat there in shock for a moment. Neither of us were offended by it playing, but we had lived our entire lives not hearing vulgar music in public and there it was, and no one batted an eye. It's very interesting how laws can effect culture like that.
-Elizabeth Roth