A reader responds:
So if anyone takes after Tipper Gore and objects to sleazy, tasteless, vulgar lyrics you label them as "uptight"? And yet, you want Americans to "raise their standards a little bit" and "invest a little prejudice" into their musical tastes. Doesn't that make us "uptight"? Which is it?
And why do we never expect the artists to take any responsibility for producing
that garbage? My motto for the entertainment industry: Give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile. Many performers have shown that they can't be trusted to govern themselves. Therefore, they may need to have some standards set for them.
John Hieger of NEXT answers:
Raising standards is a matter of collective intelligence. It doesn't require the government to hold our hands and tell us what their impression of expression should be. It means the consumer can differenciate between Limp Bizkit and Led Zeppelin, being able to recognize legitimacy in a sea of crap and forcing the market to drive itself towards credibility. It takes time but eventually it will happen.
As it stands today, Americans take what they give us and that's our fault, not theirs. We haven't forced the music industry to try harder because they don't
need to. We are in the 21st century's version of the late 70's early 80's--creative limbo.
One thing is for certain: we don't need the government telling us what's appropriate. Since when has a panel of politicians ever produced anything reflecting an artistic contribution? It's not for them to decide, let the free market sort out what's legit and what isn't.
Ultimately, sleazy lyrics aren't the problem, bad music is. But we don't need laws to rectify the stagnant pond that is pop music. If anything, laws will stimey future artists who are looking to expand on the narrow direction of the art.
If another Nirvana or Cream came out tomorrow, all the current pop stars would go the way of Disco and become outdated jokes. All we need is fresh blood, not uptight regulations from people who don't like or understand music.
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