"Parental Advisory" sticker meanings?

Question

Does anyone know exactly what the "Parental Advisory: Explicit Content" sticker means? I thought it was supposed to go on there if a band used the f-word, but looking into it a little more, it seems pretty arbitrary in terms of what gets in and what doesn't. Does anyone understand exactly how it's supposed to work and whether or not it's a cause for concern?

Answer 1

Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to audio and video recordings in the United States containing offensive language. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985 after pressure from the Parents Music Resource Center. In 1990, the PMRC worked with the RIAA to standardize the label, creating the now-familiar black and white design. To some, it has become known as the "Tipper sticker" because of Tipper Gore's visible role in the PMRC.

Some politicians have tried to criminalize the sale of sexually explicit or lyrically violent records to minors, and others have gone so far as to try to ban such records. Certain record stores refuse to sell albums containing the label (most notably Wal-Mart), and others limit the sale of such albums to adults only. However, the power of the PMRC has greatly declined in recent years, especially with the growing popularity of rap and heavy metal (popular targets of the PMRC). Still, the RIAA encourages the labeling of any album containing explicit lyrics.

There have been some cases of unusual use of the label. After Frank Zappa campaigned against music censorship in 1985, a "parental advisory" sticker was attached to his next album Jazz from Hell. The label was attached due to the title of one track, "G-Spot Tornado," and not due to its content—the album is entirely instrumental and contains no lyrics. The designation of instrumentals as taboo, however, is nothing new; in the 1960s, the "Rumble" instrumental by Link Wray was banned from some radio stations because it could supposedly incite juvenile violence.

Although many retailers use the sticker as a criterion for censorship, there are no real rules as to when the sticker has to appear on a CD. For example, many albums with one instance of profanity have a "parental advisory" sticker (such as My Chemical Romance's Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, or Bloc Party's Silent Alarm), although albums like Green Day's Insomniac, Modest Mouse's Good News for People Who Love Bad News, or Panic! at the Disco's A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, which feature multiple uses of explicit language, do not.

Some albums now have additional content descriptors explaining some of the elements of the album that make the disc qualify for the sticker (on System of a Down's Mezmerize, for instance, under the label it reads "Strong Language, Sexual + Violent Content").

Many albums with the label have clean versions available, especially on online music stores such as iTunes or Napster.

Interestingly, there are a few albums have a note saying that the lyrics are of an adult nature, but without the sticker. Though rare, they are existent. One such example would be Back to Bedlam by James Blunt

There has been the observation that the stickers appear to have had the reverse effect to what was intended. Albums with this sticker displayed have considerably more desirability due to their content, and the sticker has been likened in some circles to the musical equivalent of an alcohol content label. An album such as Splinter (see above) has a definite allure to a technically underage audience, for the presence of mature content, in the same way that alcoholic beverages do.

The label is also seen in the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Africa and Australia on albums of American origin.

Answer 2

Parental Advisory Explicit Lyrics

Answer 3

Parental Advisory Logo

Answer 4

the sticker is there so you'll know that it contains some words kids don't need to hear or they might have some lyrics about sex, drugs or bad ideas that parents might not want there children listening to

Answer 5

instead of having stickers that warn people of its 'appropriateness" they should have stickers to inform parents if the album sucks and they shouldnt punish their children by making them listen to bad music because that is just inhumane.

Answer 6

I think that's just if there's a lot of cursing and maybe talking about inappropriate things; stuff you wouldn't want your kids to listen to.

Answer 7

meaning not good for younger kids to listen

Answer 8

Never thought too much about that

Answer 9

that's a tricky question...

Answer 10

Really not sure about this one