The first thing that teenagers will do when they get into their car is to turn on the radio. They flip through the channels hoping to find that latest hit that all the stations are playing. Whether it’s the newest pop rock song, or that catchy country tune, everyone wants to hear it. This is an example of how powerful the radio can be in influencing what teens listen to. Here is a closer look at the specific genres and how these styles are effecting today’s teens through the radio.

By: Chris Gregory

Hip-Hop is one of fastest growing music genres in the United States as its trend has made hip-hop explode everywhere. Hip-Hop comes from the streets using street slang incorporated in the music. Hip-Hop music is rebellious and frightens parents due to the explicit lyrics that it uses. As any type of new generation beat that is rebellious is going to scare a parent. Parents are frightened that if their kids listen to this music it will promote violence, sex, and drugs. Parents need to know that the vibe that teens get from Hip-Hop is just like the vibe our parents got from rock and roll. As teens are influenced by the Hip-Hop culture by the way teens dress themselves wearing brand names like Tommy Hilfiger, Nautica, or Polo to represent the hip-hop culture; getting away from the preppy clothes like for example Abercrombie and Fitch. Hip-Hop music has no color barrier so anybody can listen to the music. Hip-Hop has even reached magazine shelves attracting more teens to read about hip-hop magazines like The Source, Jive, and XXL are devoted to just Hip-Hop music. Hip-Hop has influenced a lot of teens and will continue to grow as the new generation of music the so-called “feels good music” that teens love to hear.

By: Joe Griffin

The music style of rhythm and blues first came about between the years 1939 and 1945. This was during the Second World War. It was very rebellious at the time to listen to Rhythm and Blues music. Its lyrics were very controversial at the time. It was like today’s Eminem or Nine Inch Nails. Ever since its origin, however, it has had a profound influence on people, especially teenagers.

Some parents will say that they do not like some of their children’s styles of music. This is very strange because if you ask our parents what kind of music they like, they would say the Rolling Stones or the Beatles or maybe even the Supremes, the Temptations or James Brown. The one thing that they do not realize is that their music was just as controversial, if not more, than ours today. Often, parents do not realize that many kinds of music that are listened to today branched off from Rhythm and Blues. Think about it. It started off with rhythm and blues. From that, it branched off to Rock and Roll. From Rock and Roll it went to Motown and Soul Music. Motown and Soul eventually turned into Funk and Disco. After that era was finally over, Dance music and Rap found its origin. All of these styles of music have ties to Rhythm and Blues. These styles are only the mainstream styles. Rhythm and Blues can also be traced in forms of Country and Western, Gospel Music and Jazz.

Rhythm and Blues was also ground breaking in the sense that it involved instruments and equipment that had rarely been used in music before. These two inventions were the electric guitar and the German-invented tape recorder. These put new and interesting sounds into this new style of music. All teenagers like new and interesting sounds. The techno and electric fad is a good example of this.

Teenagers will always be changing the styles of music that they like.

It is only a question of when this style of Rhythm and Blues will not have influence on these new styles. In the history of music, there has never been a more influencing style of music than Rhythm and Blues.

By: Deborah Hampton

Overall, music has become a big part of the common teenager’s life. Music lyrics have undergone dramatic changes since the introduction of rock music more than 40 years ago (Browning 2002). The original intent of music was used to lower blood pressure, treat mental illness, depression, mental retardation, insomnia and many others problems one may encounter (Browning 2002). Music today is not used for those reasons anymore. Although there are some types of music that convey the original meaning of music, some are used for other reasons.

We can see how influential celebrities are just by looking at teenagers’ lives today. Pregnancy, drug use, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (and other sexually transmitted diseases), injuries, homicide, and suicide have all become part of the landscape of everyday life for many American teens (Browning 2002). Not only are these things controversial in a teen’s life, but also many of these are being mentioned in music. Music has a negative effect on teenagers because they come in contact with it daily. What they are hearing is the same thing they are doing because they think it is right. This is an important issue of vital interest and concern for parents. Many parents don’t like the change that music is having on teens. The way teenager’s dress and how they imitate there idols is an example.

Music can be very powerful and there have been numerous stories in the news of teenagers trying to commit suicide or committing crimes and then blaming it on song lyrics. Many people like Sandy Johnson, a parent of a Columbine student, believes that the Columbine School attack happened because of the influence the group Marilyn Manson had on other students (DeZengotita, 15 ). She blames the rock star because of the awful lyrics along with the persona that is given to fans for the shooting attack that happened at the high school (DeZengotita, 13). Perhaps, the music itself is not such an influential agent, but the artists are and if they are behaving in such an unbecoming manner, many kids will try to imitate the actions of those they idolize.

By: Chris Gordon

When Rock music comes to mind what do you think of? Some think of hard drums and fast playing guitars while others think of the slow beat of Elton John on the piano. Rock music today has changed dramatically. Rock music has gone from great playing music by AC/DC and Led Zeppelin to Ozzy Osborne and Marilyn Manson.

The Rock music of today has a big influence on teenagers and their lives. Rock music negatively affects teenagers by repeatedly exposing them to themes such as substance and violence. Rock music influences teenagers to use drugs. As many artists today integrate in their singing, they are telling hidden messages to the listeners to use and abuse drugs and other illegal substances. Many artists in rock music use teenagers as their main bait into the listening of hidden messages. Many rock musicians use foul language in their songs in order to show violence, and rebel against authority. Many rock artists are singing and telling to their listeners that it is ok to use foul language and not listen and rebel against authority. In the case of the Columbine, the two high school students who shot and killed some of their classmates were affected and portrayed by the bad influences of certain rock artists. Also rock music encourages sex and other sexual activity. Many rock artists sing and tell their listeners that it is ok to physically and sexually abuse women. Many artists sing to the listeners that sex is the best and many encourage sexual activity. Rock music also encourages violence, killings, and suicide. Many artists encourage in their singing to commit rapes and acts of violence even if you need to rebel against authority. Many artists sing that it is ok to own and use guns and when necessary take actions into your own hands and commit a crime.

Although rock music does have many bad messages in its music, it also has many good aspects to go along with it. Rock music is easy listening and many teenagers enjoy listening to artists that are passing along positive messages. Many teenagers enjoy to listen to the positive singing of Christian rock such as Creed and many teenagers enjoy to listen to old school rock music with positive messages such as Guns-n-Roses, Led Zepplin, and Tom Petty to name a few. With the teenagers in today’s society enjoying the old school rock, there are getting many positive and influential messages through the rock musicians of the old days.

By: Adam Gregory

The argument about lyrics in popular music among teens these days has usually been concerned with one genre in general. Rap and Hip Hop music does have questionable lyrics in their music, which is the cause of a lot of attention. The most criticized artist in this category of music has been Marshall Mathers, or as known by his rap name, Eminem. The album that he has been criticized for is the Marshall Mathers LP, which came out in 2000. This album was an angry answer to all the critics who said nothing but bad things about him and in a sense an introspective look into his own life at the time. Many organizations around this time targeted Eminem for his hateful, sexist and crude lyrics; the most prolific organization was GLADD. In the New York Times Neil Strauss wrote an article entitled THE POP LIFE, a new look at Eminem. In the article he proceeds to say how he reviewed the Marshall Mathers LP and praised it yet condoned it at the same time. Upon interviewing many people who criticized the album, he played it to them and ironically found themselves liking it. The whole time these people were complaining about him they had not heard the material at all. Too many people relied on what others had said about the music, following like the sheep that they are living in today’s society. If you listen to the album you realize that not all the songs are violent or sexist, one being “Stan” which deals with an obsessed fan and the lengths they go to meet or be like their idol. In “Who Knew” Eminem states that he never knew his music would cause this much controversy.

In one specific line from the song he says, “When little Jimmy jumps off the terrace, obviously you weren’t watching him. Obviously you weren’t parents.”

In Newsweek Eminem is compared to another famous rapper, he is compared to Nelly who has the opposite lyrics of Eminem’s. To compare lyrics is easy, Nelly raps about girls, cars, money and the good life. Whereas Eminem raps about some fantasy situations he does rap about serious situations, the messages sometimes hidden in the lyrics. One other thing that Eminem is known for in his lyrics is his truthfully ironic words in his songs. The aspect of Eminem speaking his mind is necessary, holding back what you have to say about a certain situation or person should not have to be done. An individual should be allowed to speak their mind through lyrics if they chose to. I understand that some people and situations are not to be spoken on. In general, lyrics in any song that seem objectionable or violent should be taken as only lyrics, and the person listening to them realizes that it is just music after all. But the reality is that music can affect a person, that’s where the parents come in, that’s what I believe. In the future take lyrics with a grain of salt and parents should tell their kids that it’s only music do not take it as the truth.

By: Christopher T. Hamad

During this era many people between the ages of 18 to 25 really don’t like country music; they listen mainly to pop rock, classic rock, or rap music. This essay will explain that there are people out there that do enjoy country music and are big listening fans. Also why country music is growing through young children and the reasons why this occurrence is happening.

Country music has been around for some time now, but in the past decades the billboard charts haven’t been on a rise until just recently. The fall of the billboards definitely targeted young listeners generally because of the style of the music. Since the artists caused the style of music, the billboards were never on a steady rise as they are today. With up and coming artists, according to Ed Shane consultant of Shane Media Services, “ The artists who are selling well represent a vast array of styles and generations; artists are so diverse that I’m struck more by the differences than by the commonality.” With the different arrays of styles in country music there is a larger range of listeners. Lately artists are tying together pop rock and regular country music to allow for a broader type of listener and this is doing wonders for country music.

Another key factor in why country music is back on the rise of the billboards is because of the television shows that are being aired. The Clark Family Experience is a new sitcom that will be aired in March and it is a group of six brothers that travel around the country, but while they are traveling, the background music that will probably be played is country. “This is going to help them work at country radio, as well as a wilder horizon,” says Sherman Halsey executive producer/ co-creator of their TV show. Due to television shows many musicians have had broken through the billboards and through airtime at radio stations, this will allow new and old country artists to have break through performances.

Country music is back on the rise because the artists have realized that to compete in the music industry they need to join in variety styles of music and with the help of factors such as television, Country music will be back on top of the charts as they once were.

By: Kyle Gebhart

Teens across the nation get their musical influences from listening to the AM or FM radio. However, what many do not realize is how controlled the music they hear actually is. Much of this can be accredited to corporate media giant Clear Channel.

Clear Channel owns and operates approximately 1,225 radio stations. They dominate the market and its programming. Much of that programming happens to be music. Clear Channel owns 60% of the rock genre programming. Therefore, rock artists do not have too much of a choice when it comes to getting their music on the radio. “Clear Channel has the ability to make or break a recording artist,” (Sharp, 2002). Clear Channel is also not the only radio media giant others exist, including Infinity Broadcasting, Cox, Entercom, Citadel, etc. With all of these corporate giants in power, it makes it extremely difficult for independent artists to be heard.

This has an extremely large effect on teens. The only music they get exposed to is the music that is played on Top 40 formatted radio stations. Teens also tend to only want to listen to music they “know.” Therefore, it becomes a viscous cycle. Music is fed to teens through corporate radio. Teens then are re-enforced with those same songs on MTV. Then teens download these songs, buy the CDs, and then again request these songs on Top 40 radio stations. Independent music has little room for teens’ listening array.

There are alternatives however, to corporate owned radio stations for ambitious teens to turn too. One of these alternatives is the Internet. Through file sharing and websites such as mp3.com, teenagers can expose themselves to new music. Another way teens can introduce themselves to independent music is college radio. Here at Bowling Green State University, there are two college stations, WBGU-FM and WFAL-AM, as an outlet for teens and musicians. Both stations play a variety of music for their listeners. WBGU focuses specifically on underground music, with the slogan, “Return to Radio Freedom.” They play a wide range of independent artists from Hip Hop to Punk, Indie to Jazz and more. WBGU plays artists that would otherwise never get played on commercial stations.

Teens are highly influenced by what they hear on the radio. It shapes their musical tastes and horizons. However, this is extremely limited because of corporate control in the industry.

From Country to Rap, the music provided by the radio is influential, no matter what way you look at it. Hopefully the information provided will allow teenagers to make their own decision about how the radio effects them, and what stations they’ll listen to the next time they get into the car.

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