Undressing the Words: Prevalence of Profanity, Misogyny, Violence, and Gender Role References in Popular Music from 2006-2016

© Media Watch 10 (1) 5-21, 2019
ISSN 0976-0911 e-ISSN 2249-8818
DOI: 10.15655/mw/2019/v10i1/49562
 

Undressing the Words: Prevalence of Profanity, Misogyny, Violence, and Gender Role References in Popular Music from 2006-2016

CYNTHIA M. FRISBY & ELIZABETH BEHM-MORAWITZ
University of Missouri, Columbia

 

Abstract
Are degrading sexual references more prevalent than non-degrading references in music popular with adolescents?  The purpose of this study was to perform a content analysis of contemporary popular music with particular attention paid to the prevalence of violent, misogynistic, profane, and/or demeaning colloquial references. Billboard magazine was used to identify the top popular songs appearing on top music charts from 2006 through 2016.  Data show songs with justified violence themes were most commonly found in hip-hop music, whereas songs with unjustified message themes were most often found in Pop music. The present study suggests that pop and hip-hop/rap music, genres popular with most adolescents today, use frequent references involving profanity, violence, and misogynistic themes.

 
Keywords: Misogyny, body image, ethnicity, gender, objectification, music lyrics, violence against women

 
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Cynthia Frisby (Ph.D., University of Florida, 1997) is a full Professor at the Missouri School of Journalism. Her research program focuses on assessing how media images and messages influence viewer affect, perceptions, attitudes, information processing, and consumer behavior. Dr. Frisby’s main focus is to understand the wants, desires, thoughts, concerns, motivating forces, and ideas of the consumer.

Elizabeth Behm-Morawitz (Ph.D., University of Arizona, 2007) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Missouri. Her research program examines how media representations of gender, race, ethnicity, and sexuality influence stereotyping, self-concept, and health. Much of her work examines these issues in entertainment and experiential media contexts.