The music video for Justin Bieber's comeback single What Do You Mean - it's a raunchy one!
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Last week, an absolutely ludicrous idea swept around that music videos are very likely to become censored and given an age rating, but only by music companies that are in on the idea.
For artists who are managed by the recording companies that do not agree with this are the lucky ones. They will still be allowed to parade naked on a wrecking ball, use propaganda and use whatever other explicit content until the end of time. Unfortunately, for the companies who do want age restricted music videos, their artists will suffer not only financially but also creatively.
It is a well known fact that having the Vevo Record (awarded to the music video with the most views gained within 24 hours of its release) is almost as prestigious as winning a Grammy nowadays. Not only does winning this add another award to an artist's shelf but also a few pounds to their bank balance. But imagine a world where music videos are censored? Where no artist is allowed to expand their horizons, think outside of the box and use their artist flair to create an almost cinematic masterpiece to accompany their craft.
It is very demoralising and pacifying to the artists to request that they lose nudity, scenes of mild to moderate violence and more importantly their own expression in their music videos just to please the needs of parents who let the internet occupy their children yet make a fuss when someone appears naked on a music video for a split second. It's incredibly demeaning for the artist to fit within convention yet the music industry is an industry that thrives on creativity and originality.
As not all record labels agree with these changes and many of the record companies who are pro age restrictions being UK based, the ones who do not agree will not participate in this proposed action. But what happens to their videos? Do they get censored anyway? Or do they get left on the internet free from restrictions and completely bypassing the objective of the exercise?
The video above for example, the brand new music video from Justin Bieber for his new single "What Do You Mean" is ridiculously raunchy. In fact, the entire first half of the video features Bieber and a half naked girl (model Xenia Deli) having some not so alone time on a motel room bed. Now, some would argue that this has absolutely no relation to the song whatsoever (one of those people being myself) but if you notice how the girl is pulling him away at some points during their intense rendezvous, it displays the contradictions that are stated in the song.
Despite this, I can see where the people on the other side of the argument are coming from. More and more young children are capable of using the internet and getting their way around parental restrictions (how many people on Facebook faked being 13 to join it back in the day come on be honest?!) There is absolutely no control on what children can view on the internet behind their parents' back and I can see why parents are worried for their welfare. However, it is scientifically proven that all children have different reaction rates to media. Some will let a music video wash past them and not react to it at all. Others (and statistically very few serial killers are born from watching a music video) may try to mimic the actions being shown in front of them. However, it is very wrong to assume that all children will experience the latter. Very wrong.
Let me know what you think about this issue. Do you think music videos should be censored to protect vulnerable children or do you think it's a load of nonsense?
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