We each have our own favorite type of music. Many different aspects contribute to the kind we choose. Researchers believe that personality, how we see ourselves, our level of intelligence, our mood and level of self-esteem all have shown to influence our tastes in music. They have also found that not only do our personalities influence our music choices but the music can also influence our behaviors. It has been proven before that classical music helps with fetal development and is calming. Then, on the other end of the spectrum, heavy metal is most often looked at in regard to music’ effect on violence in adolescents. Heavy metal has many branches like death metal, and screamo music. Most of the songs these genres produce have harsh lyrics and melodies. But this does not necessarily mean that metal music is to be looked down upon. Whether it has good or bad effects lies in the hands of the listener.
Music’ lyrics today are a concern among many parents. I spoke to a parent of a child who listens to metal music and she said “The lyrics in the music she listens to disgusts me but I know it is her choice to listen to whatever type she wants to. It just scares me that this music will get in her head and influence her is bad ways.”(anonymous) One would think if a parent did not approve of something his or her child was doing then they would put an end to it but it is found that most parents do not. I was informed of one of her favorite songs called “Hammer Smashed Face” by Cannibal Corpse. Some of the lyrics are “There is something inside me. It's coming out. I feel like killing you. Let loose of the anger, held back too long.” This is a general idea of what most death metal songs are like. They have flashing red signs around them...
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As with any other Sunday of the year, it was time to mow the grass yet again. Me, my brother and my father are the men for the job on these nice hot days. We all plug into our headphones into our ears as if to escape from the labor that is mowing. This day however, is very different from all the rest. My father, instead of listening to his calming house music while on our riding lawn mower, decides to listen to heavy metal. Next thing you know, our lawn mower has a bent wheel and blade from him crashing into things. This is just one real life example of how music can take you from calm, cool, and collected to angry and destructive. From seeing how one person can react to angry music how would a whole society react to music as a whole group?
Is music powerful enough to incite antisocial and violent behavior? According Johnson, Jackson and Gatto’s study on the deleterious effects of exposure to rap music, subjects in the violent exposure conditions (rap music) expressed greater acceptance of violence. Subjects in the violent exposure condition also reported a higher probability that they would engage in violence (Johnson). Music plays an i...
Cursed by controversy since it's inception, heavy metal music has often been thought of as offencive and bombastic in it's approach to music. Even now, the controversy brought about at the top of heavy metal's popularity in the 80's still seems to linger over the genre. Controversy could easily be seen as a part of heavy metal culture as a whole, the committee hearings in 1985 putting the musical genre in the public's eye as offensive and dangerous due to it's lyrical content (Hjelm, Kahn-Harris, LeVine, 2011 p.8). To many, these out of context looks into a larger culture seem to paint a picture of violence and delenquency, but seeing the genre from within offers a new view. Research suggests that heavy metal music can have beneficial psychological
The lyrics of metal music are often misunderstood to be a call to action, advocating violence to listeners. In reality the lyrics are meant to comfort the listeners and help them deal with the negative emotions they feel from this situation. Especially amongst teens who most frequently feel the negative effects of being different. The most musically "heavy" kind of metal there is is called death metal. Originally, the name was coined because of the lyrics of this subgenre of metal. The lyrics dealt with death caused by, murder, war, and any other kind of unnatural death imaginable. Now, the name is used to refer to a kind of metal with especially driving rhythms, energetic instrumentation and vocals (usually of the screaming and grunting sort), and incredibly low end and heavy sounds. Death metal is basically as far as you can go into the genre of metal. Even in this subgenre, the lyrics often spread positive messages.
It cannot be denied that there is an excess of violence in today's music. Eminem raps about spousal abuse and murder sprees, Marilyn Manson sings of anarchy, drugs, and atheism, and Limp Bizkit urges fans to "break stuff." Some critics argue that fans will take these words seriously, and act out on the urging of their beloved artists. However, if listeners aren't mature enough to know the difference between the fictional world these lyrics invoke, and the reality that they personally live in, perhaps they aren't mature enough to listen to it. If a young person seriously believes in the message he or she hears, perhaps it is because the parents have not done a sound job of teaching the difference between fiction and reality, between right and wrong. Too man...
Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation, Meng-Jinn Chen Ph.D, Brenda A. Miller Ph.D, Joel W. Grube Ph.D, & Elizabeth D. Waiters Ph.D (2006). Music, Substance Use, and Aggression. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 67(3), 373-381 .
The idea that music leads its listeners to participate in deviant acts can be left up to each individual’s opinion. The truth is, is that there is not sufficient research to prove or disprove whether music has a strong influence, if any, on the listener’s choices to engage in deviant behaviors. One thing for certain is that music can influence a population’s appearance and culture. Whether or not music causes listeners to be deviant, music will continue to be produced and played around the world.
Have you ever heard someone say, "I hate all music."? Lately though music has been criticized for corrupting teen's minds. Hip Hop is being blamed for all the crimes and murders in cities all over America and heavy metal is being blamed for giving teens only dark images and thoughts in their minds.
No matter what you listen to, music has a way to “play with our emotions”. For example, if you listen to Tchaikovsky (classical) you may feel calm, and if you listen to Eminem (rap) you may feel hyper. If the music you listen to makes you feel good, it is good for you, Daniel Levitin, a Neuroscientist who focuses mainly on music, explains in an interview.
...o the words used by musician. In case of vulgar language, it is easily adopted and used by them. Fashion trends set by various musicians are also followed by a large number of teenagers. Alternatively, music has both positive and negative effects. For instance, some musician may inspire teenagers through their songs while others can encourage violence and immoral behaviour in their actions.
People are surrounded by music every day of their lives. They hear it in their homes, on the radio on their way to work; some people have even caught themselves humming the tune of their favorite song to themselves. But how many people actually listen and not just hear the music they are listening to? Teens in particular don’t realize the message behind the music they are quoting the lyrics to, or the effect it has on them. In today’s culture where rap music has become increasingly popular, many teens aren’t realizing what they are listening to. A lot of teens would argue that the music they listen to has no effect on them, but they are wrong. Rap music, especially, has had a major impact on teenagers in today’s society.
Teens and the human populous have been draw to music, and the relief it gives off. As recent as the 1990’s, we’ve seen an increase in explicit and violent lyrics and deviant behavior in the music industry surrounding such genres as heavy metal, rock, rap, and gangster rap. During this past decade, lyrics are becoming more violent and sexually explicit. It is approximated that teens listen to an average of 40 hours of music a week, and somewhere along the way, a child will hear something derogatory, or cruel. Along with this, teens don’t necessarily interpret what is said through lyrics in the right manner. In one study, only 30% of those somewhat questionable lyrics by popular bands were comprehended by the teen population.
Heavy metal music grabs a hold of rock’s most rudimentary elements; youth, rebellion, sex, fantasy, and a good time at all costs. It is directed towards the alienation and trauma that plagues adolescent life, particularly among the lives if teenage boys. They tend to see their lives as controlled by parents and teachers. For many others, it is a way to release frustration and anger. For instance, a heavy metal concert to those who like heavy metal, is not just a musical performance, full of elaborate costumes and settings. It is a community of teenagers who participate in a shared celebration of youth. (Ragland 1-2).
...al of Pesonalities“Adolescents' music preferences and personality characteristics” Mar2008, Vol. 22 Issue 2, p109-130. 22p
Cooper, Belle. " How Music Affects and Benefits Your Brain."lifehacker.come. N.p., 11 22 2013. Web. 3