Is preventing teens from listening to explicit music necessary?

Adults are often badgering teenagers about the music they listen to being too ‘vulgar’ and ‘setting bad examples.’ But does explicit music really influence the mind and behaviors of teens, or is it simply parents attempting to shield their children from anything causing potential harm?

A majority of us teenagers have already been exposed to the language, and behaviors of the millennial culture, that parents deem is corrupting our minds. Yet for us to hear those concepts is a norm, as said before; it is part of our culture at this point. Protecting your children from hearing what they already know is completely unnecessary. Just because one hears a curse, does not result in anything negative.

“There is a difference between what is said and what is done,” elaborates student, Kurt Stentiford, “You could listen to songs about drugs, alcohol, and partying all the time…but it is the person who makes the choice to do so.” As Stentiford highlighted, it is not the song that causes one to behave a certain way, it is their character.

Teacher at KHS, Ms. Slack, discussed her childhood, saying that she herself listened to explicit music, such as rapper, Ice Cube’s album, Death Certificate

“I grew up listening to certain songs because I felt like it spoke to me, but it didn’t make me go out and do things,” says Slack. Judging by her successful teaching career along with her role on Kennebunk High School’s Civil Rights Team, the music did not impact her life in any detrimental way. It was simply music. 

“Music is designed to evoke emotion through what the artist wants you to feel,” explains teacher Ms. Slack, “bottom line is that kids listen to music that speaks to them and parents do not need to prevent them from the explicit lyrics.” It is important for kids to have some sort of freedom of expression. Although all parents worry about protecting their children’s innocence, teenagers are mature enough to control their behaviors.