Once upon a time, not so long ago, the wife of an American politician founded the Parents Music Resource Center, insisting that song lyrics be printed on the backs of albums so that parents could make sure that what their kids were listening to wasn't TOO dirty or trying to turn them into substance abusers. Shortly thereafter,
Slippery When Wet's original album art had to be scuttled because it was too wet and wild.
More recently, corporate advertiser complaints to Youtube resulted in the establishment of a policy where certain content would no longer be "monetized" -- not
censored, my goodness, no! -- just no longer profitable for its creators. That's why you now see YouTubes with titles like "S3x Tape Scandal" and "Baby Mama Recorded Threaten!ng Side Chick". And now it looks like a piece of the music industry is following suit.
Quote:
Time.Com: R. Kelly is the first artist whose music will be removed from Spotify-owned playlists and algorithmic recommendations as part of a new policy against “hateful content and conduct” ...An internal committee at Spotify...will decide on a case-by-case basis whether to stop promoting an artist
Spotify’s new Hate Content and Hateful Conduct public policy...aims to remove anything that “expressly and principally promotes, advocates, or incites hatred or violence against a group or individual based on characteristics, including, race, religion, gender identity, sex, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, veteran status, or disability.”
...Kelly's music will still be available on the platform, but Spotify will no longer actively promote it...While R. Kelly’s songs on Spotify might not violate the “hate content” rules alone, the company said egregious bad behavior by an artist can impact the decisions they make.
Music by the rapper and singer XXXTentacion, who currently faces a multiple domestic abuse charges, including aggravated battery of a pregnant woman and domestic battery by strangulation, will also be removed from Spotify playlists. XXXTentacion denies the allegations.
|
Kelly hasn't been criminally accused of anything; XXXTentacion, who is on probation, responded with a list of legacy performers who should also be subject to the policy, including:
Jimmy Page (Rape of Minor)
Red Hot Chili Peppers (Sexual Assault)
Sid Vicious (Domestic Violence/Murder)
Gene Simmons (Sexual Battery)
Ozzy Ozbourne (Domestic Abuse)
Nick Carter - Backstreet Boys (sexual assault)
James Brown (Domestic Violence)
Michael Jackson (sexual abuse of minor)
"Age" isn't listed as one of Spotify's "characteristics." Songs advocating hate for women will no longer promoted; are songs advocating hate for the police still okay? Was XXX trying to be evenhanded by looking at genres outside of hiphop, or was he trying to be clever by subtly muddying the waters with race baiting? And I guess Bon Jovi's
Knockout will have to go: "Here comes the boom boom boom" -- ouch, violent! Let the slippery (when wet) slope begin -- all the way back to PMRC-land!