Inappropriate pop songs

[ChilliMary]

Why are so many pop songs so inappropriate in their content? I hear my to young daughters sometimes singing songs that they hear at birthday parties or after school clubs etc and often the lyrics are so inappropriate! Why is this becoming more acceptable?. And the swearing in the lyrics? The same with music videos. Why does everything need be constantly so smutty in order to be seemingly provocative?! I am constantly switching off the radio when popular songs come on as I really don't want them hearing this rubbish!

Chill Mary, what songs are you talking about in particular?

Just play them Phill Collins like I do. DD loves a bit of pop/prog rock

Completely agree. We use Spotify and dd1 is at the age of listening carefully to the words to sing along and we have to screen bloody everything. Annoyingly the catchiest music, like Nicki Minaj etc, can sometimes be the worst.

Yep. I did an exercise with some kids once where I got half to watch a 1D music video, and half to just read the lyrics, and then paid up and discuss what it was about. Eye opening all round.

Pair up.

I have to say it's a bit stomach churning watching my DD sing swalla.
And impossible to explain to her why I hate it so much.

Missb00 - the one by Neiked, for example. The radio was on and suddenly this song comes on and both kids are listening!! It makes me quite angry. It's so inappropriate!!

Some of the lyrics are disgusting, but the videos... they are something else.

I cannot believe my eyes when I see a lot of these videos, they contain too much of everything at once. Very provocative clothing/hardly any clothes at all, slutty dance moves and actions and over the top hair and makeup - and then you get the inappropriate lyrics too. It's like watching soft porn, and I think they are so damaging to young people in particular.

I used to enjoy watching music videos that pushed the boundaries when I was a teenager, it's part of being rebellious and helps you to fit in too. This is what makes them so dangerous. Now that I'm older, I can see that the videos were very inappropriate, but at the time I thought they were funny, or wanted to be like the people/person in them - and that's true of many young people today.

Today though, young people have these videos, the internet where everything is available instantly, and social media. The pressures, imagery, expectations and advertising are non-stop, and I do not believe that children and young people can cope.

I am so thankful that I finished school before social media began, and the internet was readily available on phones. Before becoming a SAHM, I was a Teacher, and the problems that all of these influences and pressures used to bring into the classroom and playground were immense, and an everyday occurrence.

I play my kids so much of the 80s stuff which they seem to like! Yeah, like Phil Collins!

Pop music isn't just for kids, so why should artists have to make their songs and videos child friendly? It's up to you as a parent to restrict your child's access to that material if you don't like it. Or you could take the issue up with radio and music channels. But don't expect artists to censor their work and compromise their creative vision.

My five year old has developed a passion for Katy Perry. 😳

The 80s

My oldest DD loves Little Mix, I cringe hearing her sing things like Shout Out to My Ex. Luckily she makes up words that fit, so doesn't sing the bit about sex etc.

YABU.

I'm sure my Mum was horrified when I was listening to Relax by FGTH & her Mum was horrified when she was listening to the Stones.

I put it down to two things, having children & getting older. Not worth sweating it OP

Do you not think there might be something in the fact that, 40 years ago, people like you would have been saying exactly the same things about the Rolling Stones and transistor radios??!

Every generation seems to suddenly wake up one morning and think the youth of today are somehow much worse/more sexual/not like they were at their age.
Every generation eyes new technology and it's ability to get things to thei kids with great suspicion.

I'm no fan of chart music, but some of the modern punk I listen to would have most on here clutching their pearls, I don't whinge about how punk in my day was less heavy/ less shouty/ less sweary etc etc.

And please don't use the word "slutty", there are no such things as sluts, it's just a term used to put women who embrace their sexuality back in the box.

brilliant and timely x-post with TheNaze!!

I agree!

My niece was in a dancing competition when she was about 6. One of the songs the kids had to dance to was the uncensored version of Blurred Lines. I'm no prude but, come on! On what planet is that acceptable?!

I agree. You don't realise how inappropriate the lyrics are until you hear your six year old merrily singing along. We listen to 'Kids UK' in the car but it still has its fair share of pop songs with slightly lyrics

LanakanesLeftNippleTassle - I did not use the word 'sluty'. I said smutty.

Ah now this takes me back to go ol 1999 with Sisco's Thong Song and Mouse T's 'I'm horny'
Everybody sing along!

helpless snort

When I was 6 years old, I used to sing Diana Ross' Chain Reaction at every possible opportunity. I had no idea of the filth the lyrics described. Needless to say, I didn't turn into a raving maniac or sex addict later as a result of this corruption in my youth.

Obviously just had to Google 'Chain Reaction' lyrics... 😱 Never realised quite how .... Descriptive.... that song is!
Also remember singing it a lot as a small child!

Part of me thinks "the Stones weren't aimed at 8 year olds which Little Mix seem to be" so there is a difference that isn't purely generational. But then I loved the Spice girls and it was years before I understood 2 become 1.

Seren!
I've literally only just got the '2 become 1'

Have to say, although I hate myself for it as I love all types of music and encourage DCs to do the same, that I somewhat agree with the OP.

Watching the 4 year old singing along to I hope she's getting better sex, I hope she ain't fakin it like did made me wince. Worse when the 6 year old says but WHAT IS SEX? BUT WHAT IS IT?

It's not a case of restricting their listening even if you wanted to. Bands - aimed predominantly at kids like Little Mix are played everywhere. Not just the car radio, but shops, events, the other day at the park. 

I love a bit of Biggy Smalls, NIN and many other sexually explicit artists, but those I can monitor because it's acknowledged that they may not be suitable for smaller listeners.
ignores time I left Killing in the Name ofon in the car for the school run

"slutty = embracing their sexuality"?

I thought it meant an inability to keep your knickers up.