The lead singer of the heavy metal parody band, GWAR, is arrested in Charlotte, North Carolina, on charges of "disseminating obscenity" at one of the band's performances.
After promoting its premier in a day long "Madonnathon," MTV refuses to air Madonna's video for "Justify My Love" because it contains scenes of sadomasochism, homosexuality, cross-dressing, and group sex.
1991
Wal-Mart, the nation's largest retailer, announces it will not carry any stickered albums in its stores.....
- 2000
During his annual State of the Union speech in January, President Bill Clinton calls for a voluntary, uniform ratings system for the entertainment industry.
Police officers in Northwood, Ohio, order 14-year-old Daniel Shellhammer to remove his shirt, which features slogans for the rap group Insane Clown Posse. The officers inform Shellhammer that Insane Clown Posse clothing is "banned" in Ohio and that they tear the shirt off his back and arrest him if he does not comply.
Police in New Iberia, Louisiana, close down a roller skating rink in February, and seize more than 60 CDs, after a fight broke out in the rink's parking lot. Police accused the rink's management of instigating the incident by playing music over the rink's PA system. Amongst the confiscated CDs are Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and the popular tunes "The Chicken Dance," "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer," "The Hokey Pokey," and "Jingle Bells."
A private school in San Antonio, Texas, suspends four students for attending a Backstreet Boys concert in March. The students are suspended for one day for violating a school policy forbidding "involvement in inappropriate music [or] dancing."
Tennessee's state Senate and General Assembly consider the "Tennessee 21st Century Media Market Responsibility Act of 2000," which requires state's Department of Children's Services to screen movies, video games, and music. The legislation also calls for a ratings system for all violent entertainment media which decides on the appropriateness of material for young people.
After airing the video for over a month, MTV requests edits in the video for the Bloodhound Gang's "The Bad Touch." The request comes after complaints from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
The rap group The Murderers see their album Irv Gotti Presents The Murderers delayed three times over their label's concerns about the album's themes.
Students at the University of Maryland and University of Wisconsin ask for the cancellation of performances by the Bloodhound Gang over lyric content of an unreleased song. The song, entitled, "Yellow Fever," details the protagonist's desire to have sex with Asian women.
Article comments
1 - Chris
There are several examples in there of real Censorship, but the rest of the list is not. Only when the Government supresses speech in some form can it be truly called censorship. The rest are examples of people/businesses exercising judgement about what they will/will not release and/or play. There is no right to a record contract, and there is no right to radio play. Ask David Allan Coe.