1 in 3 Hit Songs Mentions Substance Abuse, Smoking

[Fugga]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/1in3hitsongsmentionssubstanceabusesmoking

I listen to rap and most do invole drugs/drinking(plus shooting). Do your favorite songs include any of these?

[Con-Con]

A lot do. Surprised the figure is that high though.

[Xambesi]

People like to fantasize about being a hardcore rebel
So I guess they like songs that make them feel hardcore

[Raxo]

I don't Like to fantasize about being a rebel but my music does have a lot of references to substance abuse.

[Spiffy13]

Enter Sandman doesn't mention any of those :indiff:

I don't think Self Esteem does, either... or Symphony of Destruction. So... yeah.

[CnGy]

People like to fantasize about being a hardcore rebel
So I guess they like songs that make them feel hardcore

So because I listen to iron maiden I want to travel through time and fight indians?

Okay.

[Triple J]

Well I live on a golf course but I still listen to Hollywood Undead and stuff like that.

Here in America (or at least Minnesota) their is definitely a tolerance of drug references in songs.

[I_Smell]

Very few of my songs do. I'd say out of about 400 songs, 10 or 15 do at most. Unless you count it like subliminally. Plenty of alchohol, violence and abusing women though.

I listen to old-school rock and hibbidyhop, as well as general funky shit or anything I find funny. I really don't have a defined band or genre.

Oh wait- Most of the rap songs do. That makes sense cos life's tough on the streets.

[TheHighwaySong]

Well of course Rap is going to have the majority of that number, but I still find it hard to believe the number is that high.

[Kenneh]

It's because you listen to rap.

[Godly]

It's because you listen to crap.

Fixed that for ya.

I think most, if not practically all, of the songs I listen to don't reference drugs/smoking. A song can be good without having to pretend to be hardcore or other stupid stuff like that.

[Hickabod]

Next time I habe the radio on I'll listen out for that 'cause all my cds are about broken hearts :emo:

[CrysCoinz]

meh people make songs about what they like.....maybe substances (especially alcohol as that link said) are just what people like nowadays

the link also said that most of the references were made in connection with partying...which seems about right to me

[elsunchips]

I'm pretty sure some of the songs I listen to are about drugs mentioned in a subliminal way... as for my hip-hop, a lot have drug mentions. Some in the lets chill and smoke a joint kinda way, the other in the hey lets stop this madness kinda way.

[natalie137]

I don't think the majority of my songs do. I think about a sixth, probably lower than that? Amy Winehouse mentions drugs in a few of her songs and a few of my other songs mention smoking, but then again I don't tend to listen to rap.

Edit: I forgot I listen to Nirvana. So yeah, I see your fact a lot clearer now

[McGruff]

I'm not too surprised actually. A lot of my music doesn't mention it, but I've listened to the radio and heard a lot of stuff like that. I think it might be a fad, or at least I hope its a fad because that get old.

[alrightDARLING]

I noticed that a long time ago, but I didn't think the number would be that high. Then again, what do I know? I don't listen to rap. The closest song I have that involves drugs, drinking and abuse would be The Vicodin Song by Terra Naomi, but it's more of a love song than anything.

[rnbwsparkledreams]

rap is awesome. screw all of you


-love. veronica

:-]

USER WAS PUT IN TIMEOUT FOR THIS POST. (http://forums.explosm.net/bankamp/)
Reason: Shit post, signing your posts

[BlackHood]

A whopping proportion of my songs don't actually mention drugs/substances, they all seem to be about either:

1. Love being great
2. Love being shit

Mind you, having said that, most of my songs are either 80's/90's hits or modern Metal or Heavy Metal. I'm thinking Rap and Hip-Hop are the main targets of this notion, as they tend to embody a lifestyle.

*Edit*

Having looked through my collection, a few notable exceptions include:

She's Like Heroin - System of a Down
Cocaine makes me feel like I'm on this song - System of a Down
Cocaine - Jackson Brown
Golden Brown - the Stranglers

[BilkEmDanno]

All this talk of substance abuse in music really makes me want to light up a joint and grab a bottle of vodka while firing off a 'gat into the sunset humping a broad with a bunch of peers pressuring me to push deeper all while they hang around me with cigarettes and say disrespectful words to my 'bitch' and 'hoe'.

Anyway, this is ridiculous. Sure a lot of songs reference it, but that doesn't mean that its seriously influencing kids more then movies or anything else.

[BlackHood]

I would argue that that's not true. There are many notions in the music that I've been listening to that I've responded to. If I listen to Slipknot, then I do tend to feel that little bit more bitter about my own existence, and want to kill people, whereas playing a game like GTA, or watching Reservoir Dogs doesn't.

Music is the key simply because it "sets the mood" of our lives. If you walk down the street, with Summer Breeze playing, you're gonna have a spring in your step; but on the other hand if you listen to something heavy (or Rappy) you're gonna walk with more purpose.

[Silver-Salvia]

My favourite songs include these things but in a less positive light, i.e how they mess people up and how people use them to get away from their problems, etc.
I like to progressive rock, grunge and artistic rock like "Tool" though. I very strongly dislike now-a-day's rap. I find it boring.

[Silver-Salvia]

I would argue that that's not true. There are many notions in the music that I've been listening to that I've responded to. If I listen to Slipknot, then I do tend to feel that little bit more bitter about my own existence, and want to kill people, whereas playing a game like GTA, or watching Reservoir Dogs doesn't.

Music is the key simply because it "sets the mood" of our lives. If you walk down the street, with Summer Breeze playing, you're gonna have a spring in your step; but on the other hand if you listen to something heavy (or Rappy) you're gonna walk with more purpose.

I disagree. I listen to mostly depressing music, doesn't make me depressed, but everyone thinks I am. Maybe that's just you.

[BlackHood]

In fairness, if everyone thinks that you appear depressed, maybe your music has given you a more ... fatalistic approach to life? It doesn't necessarily mean you're depressed, but you may have a rather depressive outlook on life, mirrored by your music?

[Fugga]

rap is awesome. screw all of you


-love. veronica

:-]



Yes... yes it is.

[timbot]

This doesn't really surprise me much. Especially since the most common reference is to alcohol use. I basically never listen to the radio, so I'm not up on "hit songs," but when I am somewhere where I do here more popular music, drugs and alcohol do seem to be pretty common to at least mention.

[Voracious32]

I listen to System of a Down. Some of their songs mention drugs, but none of them really are in support of their use.

[Allen]

None of the ones I realy listen to paint substance abuse in a positive light. Alcohol maybe, and few things I listen to do tha even. AC/DC, Queens of the Stone Age, and maybe a couple of other things, and that about it for support of anything of drug/alcohol nature. Actually, now that I think about it, James Blunt has some drug related material.

[gizzalove]

I don't think any of the songs I listen to are about drugs, maybe a couple. Most are about sex.

[timbot]

The article doesn't say the songs are about drugs, alcohol...only that they mention them.
Sure, a song like Feel Good Hit of the Summer by Queens of the Stone Age is all about drugs. But, I would imagine that most of the songs aren't obvious.
For example The Underdog by Spoon--which was one of the first songs I could find on my computer that I know I've heard on the radio--mentions smoking in the first minute, in the second line of the song. "Picture yourself in your living room/Your pipe and slippers set out for you." It's pretty innocent, but probably in the study they would count that as a reference tobacco use.
The number may seem sort of high...but I don't think it's probably as dangerous to our youth as the writers of the report would like people to think.
What makes a reference "explicit" anyway? It sounds serious, but it's not defined--not in this little news clip at least.