Almost 50 years ago, in 1963, the Beatles released ‘I want to hold your hand’ – their first Number 1 hit in America. The popular tune topped the UK charts for five weeks; it was rhythmic, innocent and romantic.
Notably, times have changed since the Beatles stormed the music world, with factory made singers being projected into the limelight via Saturday night television. However, the most pernicious change in the music industry has to be the growing misogyny and sexualisation of women - a growing problem embedded in the mainstream.
In 2000, the vulgar Iranian-Danish euro-dance producer, DJ Aligator, released ‘The Whistle Song.’ The club anthem opens with the lyrics, ‘blow my whistle bitch, open up and put it in, let’s begin’. Regardless of the misogynistic tone of the song, its catchy rhythm distracts listeners from the innuendo, which allows the abuse to go unnoticed in the public domain.
The highly criticised rapper, Akon, and international DJ, David Guetta, kicked the summer of 2009 off with a collaboration that dominated the club scene for months. Titled ‘Sexy Bitch,’ the chorus cites Akon’s frustration of ‘trying to find the words to describe this girl, without being disrespectful’. At what point do women’s features become so appealing that they can’t be described without being rude?
Rap music is renowned for gloating and glorifying guns, sex and drugs. The song title ‘Candy Shop’ by rags to riches rapper, 50 Cent, sounds innocent enough until you dissect the lyrics: ‘I’ll take you to the Candy Shop, I’ll let you lick the lollipop, go ahead girl don’t you stop, keep going until you reach the spot.’
The demeaning and forceful lyrics may be swept under the carpet within a nightlife environment, but that’s where they should remain. Disappointingly, through pre-watershed exposure, Candy Shop reached number one in America, the UK, Austria, Germany, Belgium and Sweden. The song was also nominated at the 2006 Grammy Awards for Best Rap Song and the video – which was extremely sexualised, was nominated for Best Male Video at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2005.
Two years later, Soulja Boy reached number two in the UK charts with ‘Crank That.’ The tune features the line: ‘Superman that hoe.’ According to the repugnant website urbandictionary.com, ‘superman’ is when a man ejaculates onto a sleeping woman, sticks the bed sheet to her back, so when she wakes up in the morning she has a cape.
Women who are striving for equality must surely detest Barbadian-born Rihanna. Some may consider her outlandish approach to music as doing wonders for women. Others may disagree with Rihanna’s skimpy clothing, raunchy videos and seedy lyrics.
Rihanna’s hit, S&M, which focuses on sadomasochism, bondage and fetishes, reached number two in the UK, yet her video, which was restricted to over-18s only on YouTube because of its salacious content, couldn't be broadcasted in the UK. The video shows Rihanna sucking a banana, imitating sex with a blow-up doll, and prancing around in white latex. Her lyrics are equally as crass: ‘Sex in the air, I don’t care, I love the smell of it.’
The youthful ears of the present generation have without doubt become desensitised to the sexist remarks made by artists who profit from offending and degrading women as an art.
The question is: are we concerned? A recent survey conducted by the Chartered Institute of Marketing, found that nine in 10 parents are worried about the vulnerability of their children to advertisement. Despite broadcasters and marketers being forced to abide to strict guidelines regarding the commercialisation of youngsters, the vulnerability of children is left open to the influence of pop music.
Having said that, there’s no doubt that the music industry has always had an element of sex appeal. But what’s concerning is the concealed sexism, which is hiding behind upbeat tunes and catchy beats.
Women are being objectified with lyrics that are overpowered by the music. Yes, women are slowly nearing equality. But, the respect that’s being shown for women – in an age where obscene pornography is easily accessible, may be changing for the worse.
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