Negative Effects of Music

            Although I think that it is not just the music that negatively influences the youth, I do think that some music can have an impact on the actions of certain youth. This is all depending on many different factors such as what music it is, the person is listening to it and mainly on the person themselves. One person can listen to a negative song and think that they have to emulate the artist to be perceived as “cool” by others. While someone else can listen to the same song and not think that they have to act like or try to be like the person portrayed in the song. This all depends on the personality and ideas that each listener possesses.

            There are songs in all genres that can have certain themes that can have a negative effect on youth. Some of these themes are sexual references and violence. Some songs make it seem like everybody should be having sex or that all people should have a “sexy” body image. It was reported in the "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette," that many young women who watch music videos the exhibit strong sexuality do not believe that they can be successful without using their bodies. Songs that portray violence can send the message that it is okay to be violent and to hurt other people. When an artist writes song like this they can be just telling stories but some listeners may think it is all true and that being violent like this artist will make them more popular.

So the youth listening to songs that have these characteristics may try to change to feel better about themselves and to do things that they hope will make other people like them, Young girls may think they have to dress more risqué or to be more promiscuous to make friends or to attract a man. The people who are listening to these songs that include violence may grow up thinking that violence is always the answer and that to fit it they must act tough.

As well as some music putting ideas like these in kid’s heads, it can also just be a distraction. Some people find that they spend all of their time listening to music or playing music and they end up neglecting things in their life. To a young person the things they neglect may seem so small like homework or chores, but as they get older the things they forget can become more important and have a bigger impact in their lives. Forgetting a homework assignment here or there can develop into getting bad grades and not doing well in school.

I am around younger kids all day, from the age of five and younger, and you can tell how just the tone of music can change their whole attitude. Playing fast and upbeat music can put the kids in a feisty mood where they will just run around and be crazy. Where as if you play soft and slow music is can help to relax them and even help them sleep. I think this shows how music can trigger responses in your brain that make you act a certain way. So if a song is sending bad messages or setting an aggressive tone without thinking about it people can be influenced by it.