Youth Violence and Music

The prevailing opinion in the media is that listening to violent lyrics tends to lead to violence. This idea permeates nearly all media, news and entertainment. According to the conservative organization Empower America, the issue at heart is such music leading us on a “slide toward decivilization” (Bennet and Tucker, 1995). The idea being that by glorifying subjects like rape, murder, suicide and homophobia [the fear of homosexuals and their lifestyle], these lyrics erode the judgement …

…Web site address: http://www.aap.org/policy/01219.html Manson, M. (1999) Columbine: Whose fault is it? Rolling Stone. [Online] Web site address: http://www.rollingstone.com/sections/news/text/ newsarticle.asp?afl=&NewsID=8050&LookUpString=54 North, A.C. Hargreaves, D.J. O’Neill, S.A. (2000). The importance of music to adolescents. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 70, 255-272 Youth. (2000). Youth violence in the United States. [On-line] Web site address: http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/yvfacts.htm