Question: Does modern music such as rap and metal have a negative influence on youth today?

I would say that it mainly depends upon the person subjected to the music, their background, and also their mental state and situation as to how much influence is caused. All media influences - think of propaganda, advertising, etc. - however, whether this influence is positive or negative depends upon the text.

In general, I feel that rap music has the main influence upon youth, mainly to do with the change in lexicon and attitude. For example, women are often belittled and itemised in rap music, being referred to as 'bitches' etc. and so therefore I believe this is why this has shifted into the lexicon more and does shape the representation of women.

I am not so sure on metal though. I do not believe this has much of an effect, although I suppose if in an enraged state the beat of the music could accentuate anger and lead to violent incidences, although yet again, I believe this to depend heavily upon the person subjected. Where metal is concerned, I think it is the tone of the music that influences, and not so much the lyricism.

I think it isnt so much the music but the lyrics today. It has made vulgar language the norm. Personally I like a lot of the music today. I like the way alot of it makes you really get up and dance and sing along. But then again the language just turns me off. It is making words like n----r and m-----rf--k, b-----s acceptable and to me they are not. Such language to me shows that someone else has no pride and decency if such trash has to come out of a mouth. The music would be just as good without it. So what is the point of it. Personally as a woman I am nobodys b---h but my own.

I agree with whats been said. It's not the music it's the Lyrics, and it's also the image that artists portray.
Also it's only negative to this kids that don't know better, and are easily influenced to begin with. So it's only a matter of finding 'better' (sorry bad wording), to get their minds off of wanting to be

"gangsta' rappers, who commit drive by shootin's, and treat their women like trash"

A friend of mine's opinion on rappers.

This is an old and tired debate that has been waged against every new style of music to EVER come out. In the 20's: Jazz was the devil's music that led sweet and innocent children to commit sins of the flesh. In the 40's and 50's: Rock-n-Roll was the devil's music that led sweet and innocent children to use drugs and commit sins of the flesh. And now, Rap and Metal are the devil's music that lead sweet and innocent children to use drugs, steal, murder, and commit sins of the flesh. It's all built out of this disconnect that has been rising between parents and their children because of the independent nature of the world today. (This is all a theory I've been working on for a few years now, but it fits the discussion so I decided to answer with it.)

Also, if you're going to use the genre's rap and metal you have to dissect them. There are several different kinds of rap and several different kinds of metal, not all are bad, not all are good. I personally have more personal knowledge and experience with metal so I'll talk about that one. There are Christian Metal bands, believe it or not. I've seen a few perform, and honestly, it's hilarious. Then there are those like Death Clock that are more of a Death Metal. They have much darker subject matter.

Either way, I don't think anything has to do with the music or the lyrics. Kids aren't stupid. They understand that there is a difference between song lyrics and reality. They don't go out and shoot someone because the music they listen to told them to. People are simply using the music as a scapegoat for their kids behavior.

Originally Posted by Shtona

Either way, I don't think anything has to do with the music or the lyrics. Kids aren't stupid. They understand that there is a difference between song lyrics and reality. They don't go out and shoot someone because the music they listen to told them to.

Sadly, I have to disagree. Kids that actually are this stupid are on the increase, but it has nothing to do with this or that music, but rather with how disconnected today's parents seem to be from their own children.

When I was in school, detentions where hell for all of us, since we perfectly well knew that at home fuming parents would be waiting for us, ready to give us the lecturing of our lives.

Nowadays? A lot of parents simply sign detention notifications and then just go ahead with whatever they were doing before.

People are simply using the music as a scapegoat for their kids behavior.

*nods*
Whenever a kid did something bad, people always start to look for those oh so evil things that tend to turn innocent kids into killing machines. Just take a look at media coverage after school shootings (isn't it terrible that we already have a name for that since it's becoming almost normal for youngins to take up a gun and go into a killing spree?) - the first thing they do is look for the kids playing "killer games", listening to "satanic music" or watching "gore movies". Nobody ever ask whether, maybe, just eventually, it might have been because of their upbringing, the lack of love in their family or personal problems.

No, it just has to be one of those favourite scapegoats, something you could ban in order to feel save again. But banning music/games/movies won't change anything.

(Sorry for ranting, but I'm pretty sick of people trying to blame everything but those who actually have the most influence on adolescents.)

I dont think music makes kids do bad things but the lyrics desensitizes them to vulgar language, demeaning women, glorifying violence. This in itself creates the impression that all that is acceptable. And certainly they said the same thing when rock and roll came out. But it is bad now as our rock heroes didnt kill people and todays rappers do. So I do think this is affecting our youth.

Music certainly has an influence on the generation which grows up with it. Let's look at the Baby Boomers. To whom did they grow to? Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and so on. What did they do? They staged peaceful sit-ins against war and violence, got us equality for minorities and women, etc., etc. What were the lyrics of the music of the time like?
Well, do look at "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan or "Imagine" by John Lennon.

Then look at the "music" of today, and you'll such a great difference. It seems that it used to be about the soul, and now it's about the computers which make bad musicians good.

I think it just depends on the person.
If they're easily molded or not.
Same with the rest of the media.
It ALL has propaganda.
It just depends on if the person can see through it all or not.

@Kris: lol I miss good music don't you? xD

Personally, I don't think it has an effect on kids, the way they turn out is mainly on how they are raised by their parents and their friends around them. I listen to all music, including metal and rap, I don't curse much, I'm not violent, I help people whenever possible, it has had no negative effect on me. Music is meant to be enjoyed and if that kind of music is entertaining then whose to say that it is bad for you? If anything it could mean that it matches your personality and that you'd end up "bad" with or without the music. I've noticed the biggest difference between old and new music is that older music were much more subtle about the way they made references which could be considered "bad". New music doesn't feel limited to being subtle, it feels as if it can say what it wants which it should be allowed to... (I think i just personified music)

I would certainly not say that it brainwashes kids or makes them do things they wouldn't otherwise do, but it does change the way they think. Sometimes, like with me, it was a positive influence. When I was just really finding myself, good musical influences helped shape me into someone proud of who I am, loving toward others, and pretty much a neo-hippy minus the drugs. But with a whole lot of teenagers, it's very much negative. Artists regularly reinforce horrible and degrading ideas about women, claim (and considering how important music is to many kids, make it a reality) that wholly unhealthy and dangerous activities are normal and cool, and pretty much take no responsibility for the amount of influence music has on people.

It's not just rap, metal, and rock, however. More "mainstream" stuff also teaches kids some not-so-great lessons, they just do it with fewer cursewords and usually younger messengers. I'm not in any way blaming the artists for society's woes or suggesting censorship, but I think things would be a bit better if they'd put a little thought into how much power they, and their words, hold with such an impressionable group.

I think it depends. Some rap and some metal is bad. A lot of rap that I know of has swearing and inappropriate things in it, but I know that not all rap is bad because I have listened to decent rap, and know others who have, same with metal. I listen to a lot of metal personally. There really isn't as much bad things in it as people think. Modern I think should be more about how sex, drugs, and all that other junk is in music today in general. Targeting certain genres of music really isn't the answer. Theres inappropriate country music, inappropriate soft rock music, etc.

But then again other people have their definition of bad. Do I think all modern music is bad? no.

I believe that modern music (such as rap and pop and gospel[since I am an athiest]) has a negative effect, but only has that negative effect because it came from a culture which already had the twisted moral sense that they created in their music. The music does not create the problem, it is a symptom, but also helps to continue the problem. However, stopping the music will not solve the problem, so it's really a non-issue to me.

I honestly don't think any music has negative influences. Sure, your mood can be changed by music, but it isn't so much that it would change your entire psyche.
Most people don't really even pay much attention to the lyrics, anyways, so, unless you think instrumentals have an effect, close attention to lyrics are a must to believe in what the song is saying.
That said, I do believe the combination of music and visuals can be used to train a person to behave a certain way, in the right environment, as is exemplified in A Clockwork Orange, but I don't think it's limited to a certain genre or era of music.

it depends mostly kids don't even pay attention to the real lyrics, just the chorus, but for the people who do take it sierously it can effect, i actually know an underage smoker they thinks it cool

I listen to A LOT of rap and i am still an all A student who is very respectful - so are my sisters and brothers and they also listen to rap - in the end no matter what music you listen to your going to make your own decisions
Most parents just blame music when really they aren't up to par. Everyone needs a scapegoat these days

In the late 70s, I recall being dragged off to symposiums where concerned parents and their children were presented with the why rock is evil lecture. I think that what amazed me the most at that time was that the adults - including some of the parents - devoted so much time trying to micromanage what kids were thinking via control of their choices in music. So, I popped my old Sex Pistols 8-track in when I got home, and life was good once again.

I'm 44, so I've heard this debate hashed and rehashed. Perhaps I think people have too much common sense when I say this, but most people actually do gravitate toward music that they can relate to. I don't believe that the music itself influences what people do - that's giving too much credit to lyrics and music and not enough to one's decision-making skills. My 11yo tends to like a lot of what I do - metal, alternative, blues, jazz, retro 80s/90s and so on. I thank the gods above daily that she doesn't like pop.

it depends on the person, and if they listen to music for the lyrics or learning what is stereotypically "cool" in the music; or if they just listen to it because they like how it sounds and dont care about the negative messages in the music.

To me, it really depends on the person.
personally, I hate the music from USA now, except for some, like DDR songs, but stuff like rap music....just trash to me.

and dont even get me started on Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers......geh.....what the hell happened to disney songs from the movies and not the remix versions from wannabe kid/teenage singers like those two.
thanks, but I'd rather hear "Part of your world" from the original singer, Jodi Benson!

I also miss the good old days of The Beatles, Elvis, etc. T3T

I think it's important not to paint any music's influence with a broad brush. Does some Rap and Metal cause people to do things most wouldn't. Sure. Is it likely they would have done that stuff anyway. Probably. Does it mean everyone that listens to Rap or Metal is going to be bad. Not even a little bit.

I have listened to Metal for years, and I think I'm awesome (or at least not a psycho who wants to hurt people). I just don't like rap because I don't agree with the overall subject matter (Pimp'n, disrespecting the police, and illegal substance promotion)

Sure, some of that is in Metal too (mostly the illegal substance promotion) but I don't listen to those songs often, and it's overall not about that.

Music, in general, can affect a person. But no one points a gun to their head and makes them do whatever they do.

I personally don't like rap because of the talks of drugs, hos, and shooting people is the way to go.

I don't like most metal because I can hardly understand it and I don't see how it affects youths.

Music on its own does little to influence real action from youth.

What does prompt certain behavior is the culture surrounding the music.

For example: I like rap (not top 40 rap most of the time). But, I don't wear skinny jeans, ecko sneakers, vest jackets, mint-condition ball caps, or "bling." I don't speak in ebonics. I don't "pimp my ride." I don't disrespect police, or sell myself to a pimp. That's because I don't participate in the culture.

Another example: My fiance is a metalhead. He likes epic metal mostly (also referred to as operatic metal). He's got long hair (longer than mine) that he likes to headbang with. I'd like to think that he's an upstanding member of society. He doesn't do drugs (not even tobacco), he never drank when under age, he's only had one sexual partner (me), and he's never been in trouble with the law (not even a traffic ticket!). He's not violent or confrontational. The "metal culture" that propagates harm to self or others isn't something he participates in (it's also arguable that epic metal isn't really the same, culture-wise, as death metal or black metal).

I like a lot of music, but sometimes the lyrics just... I don't know. Sometimes I can handle it, sometimes I'm just like, "Couldn't they have chosen a better word?"

I don't know. Sometimes they were a little more respectful to women, but like I said, other times I could care less. I don't know. It's complicated. I don't really listen to a lot of rap or metal, but when I do, its never too bad in language.

I think that modern music needs originality more than anything else. It used to be each band had a sound. Think of the band Cake. They had that off-beat sound and stacatto notes. Red Hot Chili Peppers? Killer bass line. Offspring? That rock with latin spice sound. The problem with modern music is the repetativeness of the sound. Or "they all sound exactly the same."

As for the violence? I think the *bleep* word *bleep* type of music is just a lack of imagination. Take Kid Rock, that guy swears enough to make my granny blush, but he does it art fully. And he doesn't just do that, he throws on other types.

The imagination that is missing from today's music is what draws me to oldies. I had to think to try and get some modern stuff in my examples

As for the kids repeating the lyrics? Sometimes it is cute but horrible. "Boom, Boom, Boom" by the Vengaboys has a very catchy chorus... but hearing a five year old singing "Boom, boom, boom. I want you in my room..." etc is embarassing for a parent. Or any other inuendo laced song. But inuendo versus blatant "I want to F*** your *** And ****" is still better music.

That's a small sample of my opinion.

it depends on people listening to it.
and what the songs are.
not all rap and metal are bad
though it can change a person outlook on the world