16 January 2013
By Joann Lee, Staff Writer
Pop-singer Ke$ha is known for her party-girl lifestyle. Whether she croons about brushing her teeth in the morning with whiskey or informs us that she likes our beard, Ke$ha consistently conveys the message that you must live your life to the fullest (disclaimer: interpretations of this philosophy may vary). Ke$ha’s latest pop song “Die Young” caught like wildfire, climbing the Billboard charts to number three on the Top 100 list. On December 14, the song’s fiery popularity was quickly extinguished when the events of the Sandy Hook massacre took place. Radio stations near Sandy Hook hastily removed the song from their playlists, and the song dropped over 19 million listeners. A few other radio stations in the nation also removed the song out of respect. According to TMZ, such a drop in popularity has never been matched since the Dixie Chicks criticized George Bush in 2003. In light of the tragedy, radio stations have also temporarily banned “insensitive songs” such as Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks.”
The removal of these songs is unsurprising. Keeping these songs on the airwaves would be disrespectful in the wake of the events that took place on December 14. However, others disagree. Some have gone as far as to say that the removal of such songs violates the Constitution and is simply an exaggerated display of political correctness. The removal of “Die Young” from radio stations does not violate the Constitution since you can still access the song via YouTube, Pandora, iTunes, etc. You just won’t hear it on the radio surrounding the Connecticut area. 102.7 KIIS FM, an LA pop music station still plays it periodically and the song remains number three on the Billboard charts despite the heavy loss of listeners. Though it may seem like an overreaction to some, for radio stations, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
“You’re never hurt by what you don’t play,” Rich Minor, the programming director of a Connecticut radio station, said.
Music is entitled to free expression, true. But there’s a time and place for certain songs. You don’t play “Another One Bites the Dust” at your grandmother’s funeral and you don’t blast “Die Young” after tragedy strikes at an elementary school.
Courtesy of www.fidicaro.net