The days of graceful and elegant celebrities like Marylyn Monroe and Gene Kelly are long gone. Also gone are the days when song lyrics were meaningful and a reflection of beautiful emotions. We’ve ushered in the age of Britney Spears in a transparent body suit, celebrities posing nude on magazine covers, Lady Gaga’s outrageous dressing sense and, of course, a naked Miley Cyrus on a wrecking ball. Times sure have changed.
Hollywood has hit a new low
Music videos and songs are all about sex today. From 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop” to the new “I wanna Channing all over your Tatum”, the lyrics are crude rather than being sentimental. This phenomenon isn’t new however. Even during the 70s and 80s, artists like Marvin Gaye and Prince often incorporated sex in their videos and lyrics. However, rather than being crude, those songs were purposeful and sensual. The celebrities today are oversexed, proud of prancing around half naked and provocative in a whole new way.
How music affects the younger generation
The world continues to evolve and things change. The music and TV shows we see today reflect the same. However, it is also important to pause and reflect on how this affects our younger generation. It seems like every song we listen to today is about sex. While sex is perfectly normal, the message we are sending out to kids seems to be wrong. Children are growing up far too early and they are growing up with the idea that the only way to get noticed in the society today is by being provocative and sexy. Our oversexed celebrities are broadcasting a social message that the only value of women in society today is their sexuality. They are constantly objectified and treated by commodities by their record labels and even by themselves. We have to draw a line somewhere.
Artistic expression or a survival tactic
Artists like Lady Gaga dress provocatively in the name of artistic expression. Others say they have to be sexy in order to survive in the industry. With the music industry so competitive today, only the sexiest can survive. It seems that the only way to be popular today is by being raunchier and by creating “soft porn” videos. The fact is that artists sell sex today because they want to.
The argument that they do it in order to survive is not a valid argument because there are plenty of artists that refuse to show skin and are still doing really well for themselves. Adele is the perfect example. The 25 year old singing sensation and winner of several Grammy awards is rarely seen in anything other than long sleeved dresses. The reason she is so successful is not because of her sexuality but only because of her talent. She lets her work speak for itself. Celebrities that think they are rebelling against the society by taking off their clothes and by doing outrageous things aren’t actually rebels. Artists like Adele that refuse to participate in this debauchery are the real rebels.
Priyanka Trivedi
