Is your decision as to whether to buy a song affected by censorship issues, either of the just the title, or of the lyrics?

 

I'm talking of songs that you hadn't already decided to/not to buy.

Very definitely *more determined*, in my case!

I don't know why whether a song is censored or not would make you more inclined to buy it :blink: surely it's whether you like the song or not that determines whether you buy it?

Well I don't have any issue with swearing in music at all, but by the same token I'm not one to complain when it's removed so yeah it wouldn't make a difference to me.

It's not the censorship that makes any differnece to me, it's the constant stream of expletives and racial-based terminology that some artists use in virtually every song that make me less likely to buy their music (most recent major example - Drake). Not that I'm the target audience for those artists of course.

I don't know why whether a song is censored or not would make you more inclined to buy it :blink: surely it's whether you like the song or not that determines whether you buy it?

 

But as I mentioned in my original post, I'm talking about ones where you were undecided whether to or not.

 

In any case, since the version availble to buy is likely to be uncut, surely it's better to hear *that* one before you decide.

 

A classic example is James Blunt's 'You're Beautiful' - anyone who decided to buy 'Back To Bedlam' instead of the just the single, would have got a nasty surprise when they heard the album version! :P

 

It's not the censorship that makes any differnece to me, it's the constant stream of expletives and racial-based terminology that some artists use in virtually every song that make me less likely to buy their music (most recent major example - Drake).

 

That wouldn't affect my decision, but that's more because I wouldn't touch rap with a bargepole anyway, as those of you here who know me well, will already be aware of... :)

 

 

I'm less inclined to buy a censored version of a song I like, primarily because I don't like feeling like I don't have the "real" version of the song but also because censorship is quite often horribly done. I could never buy the clean version of a song like 'Work Bitch' because it sounds ridiculous, whereas songs like '212' have so much swearing that censorship means you've removed half the lyrics.

 

I don't listen to all that much music that contains anything worthy of censorship but when I do want to buy something that DARES TO SWEAR, I like having the proper version.

No difference really. I'll happily buy a song with swearing in but sometimes it feels out of place and I end up listening to the clean version more, e.g. Avril Lavigne's two recent singles are much better without the swear words I think. Some songs, however, would feel so out of place without the swearing, like Rita Ora's How We Do (Party). PARTY AND ________ isn't all that exciting.

It depends on how it's censored.

 

Most of the time I prefer the original version of the song, but sometimes I do like the squeaky clean versions better.

 

For example, I enjoy Cee Lo Green's "Forget You" a lot more than "F**k You", tbh.

 

But I can't stand Britney's "Work Work" while I love "Work B**ch!".

I don't particularly care tbh but I almost never listen to CLEAN versions of songs if there're EXPLICIT ones out there. It's performed like it was initially INTENDED to. A few swear words but what can u do swear words DO exist so BYE to all the parents who keep whining about their children getting spoiled by all those songs with swear words.

 

Listening to censored 'Fuck It (I Don't Want You Back)' / '212' is not really so fun, isn't it?

 

A classic example is James Blunt's 'You're Beautiful' - anyone who decided to buy 'Back To Bedlam' instead of the just the single, would have got a nasty surprise when they heard the album version! :P

omg one 'fucking' in an entire album CALL THE PAHLEECE!!1

Hmm, I doubt this has ever affected whether I buy a song/album or not. I did download Icona Pop 'I Love It' but didn't make a conscious decision between the clean version and the original. I do know that my mother bought Bruno Mars 'Unorthodox Jukebox', heard the album version of 'Treasure', was shocked and hasn't played the CD ever since! Also I think some artists add expletives just for the sake of being *edgy*. Like 'Payphone' by Maroon 5! In that case I like waiting to get a Now CD (which has clean edits), but I would have done the same thing even if 'Payphone' had no swearing.

Edited November 7, 201311 yr by RiseR

I don't particularly care tbh but I almost never listen to CLEAN versions of songs if there're EXPLICIT ones out there. It's performed like it was initially INTENDED to. A few swear words but what can u do swear words DO exist so BYE to all the parents who keep whining about their children getting spoiled by all those songs with swear words.

 

Listening to censored 'Fuck It (I Don't Want You Back)' / '212' is not really so fun, isn't it?

omg one 'fucking' in an entire album CALL THE PAHLEECE!!1

 

Yeah yeah, very droll - but it's not an album you'd want an older, straight-laced female relative to go into unprepared. :)

 

On the general subject of bad language in songs, I accept that in the right context it can be justified for emphasis - but too often it is just gratuitous. :(

On the general subject of bad language in songs, I accept that in the right context it can be justified for emphasis - but too often it is just gratuitous. :(

Agreed with that - P!nk's 'f***in' Perfect' is the (excuse the pun) perfect example. The clean version which goes 'you are perfect' instead of 'you're f***in' perfect' greatly weakens the emphasis of the song. (When I was in Holland a few months ago, they played the uncensored version of that on the radio, I guess they're a lot more relaxed in Europe about the word 'f***' than we are the in the UK). But yeah there do seem to be a lot of songs with bad language just for the sake of it.

When I was in Holland a few months ago, they played the uncensored version of that on the radio

OR English isn't the official language of The Netherlands and they can pretty much play anything that contains all/any of the following: f*** w*** c**t bitch whore $l*t etc. :D

OR English isn't the official language of The Netherlands and they can pretty much play anything that contains all/any of the following: f*** w*** c**t bitch whore $l*t etc. :D

Yeah, that's definitely true to an extent, although I'm sure even they have their limits, can they really play songs with the word 'c**t' in the lyrics? For example, would they play the uncensored version of '212' on European radio? Or what about on Russian radio?

I don't know why whether a song is censored or not would make you more inclined to buy it :blink: surely it's whether you like the song or not that determines whether you buy it?

 

Well, in some cases I can get how it makes you less inclined.

When they turned Lily Allen's "f*** you" into "Beep you" or "Thank you", it kind of ruined the whole song.

 

I can understand the censoring on radio, but you should be allowed to buy uncensored versions of songs if that's what you want. I'm not paying for censored stuff.

 

 

Yeah, that's definitely true to an extent, although I'm sure even they have their limits, can they really play songs with the word 'c**t' in the lyrics? For example, would they play the uncensored version of '212' on European radio? Or what about on Russian radio?

I actually just learned that one of the most popular Russian radio stations plays CLEAN f***in Perfect. That probably means they do the same with any other song. So disappointing. :(

Bitch was being played in 1974. Elton John's "Bitch Is Back". So, why is it deemed not nice to hear the word "bitch" on the radio in the current Britney Spears track? Don't get that one.

 

Though you don't want to hear the "F" word or any other piece of swearing in any song. If artists deem it clever to say major words like C, F, B. Then the should be instantly banned. They'd not swear again. Stores & Download sites should be saying "Sorry, we can't sell that, as it contains bad language". And it does indeed rub off on youngsters. Not good.

 

Too much swearing these days. Back in the day, the only word that might escape on TV was bast*rds, as in "Dave Allen Aat Large", "Porridge", "Fawlty Towers". Those that put out constant "songs" with swearing in them, are just that. Daft bast*rds! Foul language in public should warrent instant action. If someone is heard swearing on Public Transport, they can legally be asked to get off. Though it's usually ignored, by poor frightened drivers (that fear being attacked).

 

Sorry f*** Off, Dave etc. Can a comedian tell a joke without resulting to "You f***ing c**t"? Apart from Tim Vine, who never swears.

I've heard the clean version of '212' on the radio before, if I'd have heard only that and not the explicit version, I would NEVER have bought it. Whereas with Fall Out Boy's 'This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race', I vastly prefer the censored version. The band of the piano (instead of God) adds so much power into the track for me!

 

Generally, it doesn't affect me. But it depends on the song in some cases!

Edited November 7, 201311 yr by Juranamo