How to Become a Media Expert | Part 4

Now that we’ve covered Movies and TV in Part 3, we can’t stop. We need to press on and talk about music. This is where things get complicated. Why? Because music isn’t just music anymore. It has become a counselor to younger generations. When they’re upset, they listen to music. When they’re happy, they listen to music. When they want to get pumped up, they listen to music. There’s no room for silence anymore.

As a result, the artists who make music have become students’ best friends. And students will defend these artists and their work vehemently. So trying to get your children to stop listening to a certain artist could become a battle. But never fear! In Part 5, I will talk about how to approach students in a way that gets them to think, instead of alienating or enraging them. Anyway, back to staying up-to-date with music trends.

Step 1: Ask Your Kids/Grandkids* (Middle School/Junior High and Older)

Again, this is intimidating, but worth doing. Without any pressure or expectations, just ask your kids what artists and/or songs they and their friends like. If they say they only listen to Christian music, that’s ok. Just ask them which songs other people their age are listening to. This removes the pressure of them seeming like the bad guys and allows you to get some answers. Of course, these will be the first artists/songs you will want to get acquainted with.

Total time: No more than 10 minutes

*If you really don’t like the idea of asking your kids, no problem. Just proceed to Step 2!

Step 2: Check All the Charts

Again, charts are amazing! And because music is such a big deal in American culture, there are many that track the popularity of songs, albums, and artists.

1. Billboard—Billboard has been tracking music sales and popularity for over 70 years, so their Hot 100 chart (updated every Thursday) is the place to start. This chart tells you which songs are the most popular, regardless of genre. If you’d like to dig a little deeper, they also have charts for different genres, as well as for album sales.
2. YouTube Channels & Artists’ Channels—As with movies, there is also a YouTube-generated channel that shows the top music videos, as well as which videos are trending and top videos for a few specific genres. Just click the icon that has headphones on it, then click “subscribe.” If you’d like to keep up-to-date on a particular artist, just type his/her name in the search bar, find his/her “official” channel (many are simply called “Vevo” channels), and subscribe. Any time you’re on the main YouTube page, the feed will inform you if any of these artists have posted new videos.
3. iTunes Store—Again, get iTunes! Since their charts are updated daily, you can really get a pulse on what’s trending from day to day. The music charts are the first charts on the right side of the store. You can see which songs, music videos, and albums are trending.
4. Top 40 Charts—Top40-charts.com offers a USA Top 40 chart and a USA Top Albums chart, as well as charts for other countries. In addition, America’s Top 40 offers a weekly updated list of the Top 40 songs on the radio. These charts will keep you updated on songs you are likely to hear, whether you want to or not, anywhere the radio is played.

Total time: No more than 10 minutes

Step 3: Read Lyrics, Listen to Songs, Watch Music Videos**

Ok, here’s the part where I start to get a wee bit frustrated. My coworkers may or may not be getting tired of hearing me from across the office: “. . . so I cross my heart, and I hope to die—these songs are going to be the death of America!!” Ok, I’m never that extreme. But you get the point: lyrics to pop songs can be frustrating, depressing, and disheartening. So you will probably find yourself reacting similarly once you realize the huge number of songs that are shamelessly promoting bad ideas. But carry on. Your frustration is what will remind you how important it is to teach your kids about the dangerous messages embedded within catchy tunes, “sick beats,” and glamorous music videos. Here are some resources to utilize:

1. AZLyrics.com—There are many other lyrics websites, but I only recommend this one because they don’t have any advertisements or links to music videos. (Many other sites basically advertise for the artists, putting up images that only add to the noise and filth.) Simply type in the name of the song and artist you want to look up, then click on the song. NOTE: Always start with reading the lyrics first! You’ll avoid getting songs with horrible lyrics stuck in your head, yet still be able to analyze the content.
2. iTunes—iTunes allows you to listen to part of a song very easily. If you mouse over the songs in the iTunes charts, a little play button appears. This is convenient for those of us who are in a hurry and don’t have time to listen to the whole song. It also lets you watch 30 seconds of a music video. But beware of things marked “explicit”! (I stumbled upon the unedited version of Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” this summer in this way. I assumed that “explicit” just meant bad words. Boy was I wrong!)
3. YouTube—Nowadays, many pop artists are releasing “lyric videos” before they release their music videos. This is a great way to listen to an entire song with the words on the screen. In addition, this is the place to find music videos. As much as I hate encouraging you to watch them, there are many songs that are decent enough . . . until you watch the music video (most recent example: Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen). I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not put my stamp of approval OR disapproval on something until I know as much as possible about it.

**A WORD TO THE WISE!! Music videos are dangerous business. Many artists’ videos are no longer art—they are simply highly sexualized images attached to a song (some are even devolving into soft-core porn). And how do they warn us? They’re simply marked as “explicit,” which could mean any number of things. This is why I HIGHLY DISCOURAGE anyone who has struggled with sexual sin, especially addiction to pornography, from watching music videos. Just don’t go there. Have your spouse or another trusted adult watch them for you. They can easily inform you of a video’s contents without you having the images forever engrained on your mind. (Does this help convince you of how important it is to talk about music videos with your kids?!)

Total time: Depends on the number of songs you’re looking up. Anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes.

Step 4: Determine the Value

This is not an exact science. It will be tough to decide what your kids are ready for, what should be used for teaching, and what should be avoided altogether. But seek wisdom, spend time in prayer, and follow biblical principles. Remember, your parental discernment invaluable. Don’t let your kids convince you otherwise, even when they’re kicking and screaming because of a decision you made. If you have good, biblical reasons for your decision, then stick to it. They will understand (and appreciate) it one day. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Look for dangerous ideas and imagery, not just “bad words.” Yes, bad words are dangerous, too, but there are way too many songs that are considered “clean” that are also full of innuendos, slang, and un-biblical ideas. It’s always good to talk to your kids about why we shouldn’t use foul language, but it’s the not-so-obvious content that can be the most damaging. Keep your eyes/ears on the lookout for that, too. (One recent example: “Some Nights” by Fun.)
• Does this help us to love what God loves and hate what He hates? If the answer to this is no, say no to it. Let’s not celebrate the things that break God’s heart or degrade His Holy Name. God loves humor, but not at the expense of one of His beloved people and not if it includes things He hates.
• Can we learn something from this? There are still many artists who create beautiful songs and music videos. Sometimes their work talks about real-world problems that need to be addressed. The problems are not beautiful or safe, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we should avoid them. When your children are ready, use these types of songs as a springboard into talking about bigger issues. For example, a 5-year-old may not be ready to talk about the existence of evil in the world as it’s presented in Flo Rida’s “I Cry” music video, but a 10-year-old might be. And if you don’t talk to your 10-year-old about it, someone else will (and most likely tell them things you don’t agree with).
• Have my kids already heard about this topic from another source? If your kids have already been exposed to pornography (or music videos that are very close to it), then you need to start talking to them about it yesterday. Don’t wait until they’ve already seen it. Talk to them about it first. Yes, we don’t want to bring it up before they’re ready, but the reality is that they’re exposed to it much earlier than when they’re “ready” for it. Let’s give them God’s perspective on pornography and other important topics before they’re hooked.
• Are my kids ready to be exposed to these ideas or topics? Only you can best judge what your kids are ready for. Again, our culture doesn’t always wait until kids are ready. This is where your ability to monitor their activities can help avoid having your six-year-old come home from school and ask what “S&M” is. You can’t control everything, so you still need to be ready to talk about anything and everything. But one nine-year-old girl may not care one iota about boys, make-up, and clothes, while the next can’t wait until she gets her first pair of heels. These girls will need their parents to disciple them in the area of relationships and sex starting at different times in their lives.

Total time: Depends on you. Take some time to think about it, but don’t dwell on it. Talk to your spouse and other adults you trust if you’re unsure. Ask God for wisdom and discernment.

What are some principles you follow when analyzing music? Do you have any helpful stories to share with other parents? Please comment below!

On Monday in Part 5, I will talk about how to approach your kids about pop culture in ways that don’t alienate or frustrate them.

This series of blogs was written by Melanie, our Associate Director of Research.