00:00Ever flip through your music collection and seen that little black and white sticker?
00:05You know the one that says parental advisory explicit lyrics or explicit content these days?
00:11It is so common now it's easy to take for granted.
00:14But its origins lie in a fascinating and often fiery debate from the 1980s,
00:20a clash between artistic expression and parental concern.
00:24The decade of big hair and synthesizers also saw a growing unease about the lyrical content of popular music.
00:31Parents, fueled by concerns about sex, violence, drug use, Dungeons and Dragons,
00:37yeah Dungeons and Dragons was part of it as well, satanic panic, look it up.
00:42They started to push back against what their kids were listening to,
00:45and at the forefront of this movement was the Parents Music Resource Centre, the PMRC.
00:51Now in 1985 the PMRC, a group of influential Washington wives released their infamous Filthy 15 list.
00:59These were 15 songs that they deemed particularly offensive,
01:03from Prince's suggestive darling Nicky and Sheena Easton's metaphorical Sugar Walls,
01:09to the raw aggression of Motley Crue's Bastard and the occult themes of Merciful Fates into the Coven.
01:15These tracks became the lightning rods of a national controversy.
01:19The PMRC didn't just compile a list, they took their concerns to Congress.
01:24Senate hearings were held, bringing the debate into the national spotlight.
01:28And it was here that artists stood up to defend their creative freedom.
01:33One of the most powerful voices was Dee Snider, the flamboyant frontman of Twister's sister.
01:39His articulate and passionate defence against censorship became a defining moment in his battle for artistic expression.
01:46And incredibly, Dee Snider wasn't the only one to speak out.
01:50Even John Denver, yep, John Denver, known for his wholesome country music, lent his voice in defence of artistic freedom.
01:58He argued against a slippery slope of censorship, by saying that when you drunk, emphasising the importance of allowing artists to explore different themes and perspectives.
02:08But despite the artists' compelling arguments, the pressure from the PMRC and concerned parents was significant.
02:15The recording industry, facing potential government regulation, eventually agreed to a compromise.
02:21Instead of outright censorship, they opted for a voluntary labelling system.
02:27And so, the Parental Advisory Sticker was born.
02:31Initially, it was a simple, explicit lyrics warning.
02:34But over time, it evolved to the more recognisable black and white designs, sometimes accompanied by specific warnings about content like strong language or violence.
02:44But still nothing regarding satanic panic.
02:46Take that, Dungeons & Dragons haters.
02:48But decades later, the question remains, was the Parental Advisory Sticker a worthwhile solution?
02:54Did it genuinely protect young listeners?
02:56Or did it inadvertently sensationalise the very albums it intended to warn against?
03:01For some, it provided a valuable piece of guidance.
03:04And for others, it simply acted like a badge of rebellion, making those forbidden albums even more appealing.
03:11And in today's digital age, with instant access to virtually any song, the impact of a physical sticker might seem diminished.
03:19But its legacy reminds us of an ongoing tension between artistic freedom, parental responsibility, and the ever-evolving relationship between music and society.
03:29The Filthy Fifteen may seem tame by today's standards, but they ignited a debate that continues to shape how we talk about and regulate potentially explicit content in music.
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