1. Popularity of Music
Music is everywhere. We hear it in grocery stores, in our cars, sometimes even in school. There is no denying the positive power of music – it brings cultures and people together and allows for bonding. Lyrics can be inspiring, and sometimes they are relatable in a way that helps people overcome hardships. Music is used in religious practice, for dance, and for many other things. It is a readily available form of media. Music videos are available on demand to a variety of audiences. “By the age of 15, the amount of time an adolescent listens to music exceeds the amount of time they spend watching TV or spending time with any other medium” (Aubrey et. al). The messages in both the music lyrics and the videos are thrown at us time and time again. And, many of those messages are not positive, especially for women.
2. The Effects of Sexually Objectifying Women
I did not go into this research with the idea that I would only find the sexual objectification of women in lyrics. In fact, I wanted to be able to talk about the objectification of males. But, I was not able to find a study on that. Instead, I found the same results when I searched “objectification and music” as I did when I searched “objectification and music and women.” When I was discussing the topic with a male peer, he said, “That doesn’t really happen to men, there’s no song says ‘look at that ….’”
Women often struggle with what to wear, while keeping in mind who it is they want to impress – whether it be fellow girls, potential employers, or men (whom could also be a potential employer). This concern with dress transfers into media. With a music industry that is encouraging skin exposure and close-ups of body parts for women, women are often viewed as sex symbols. This portrayal affects how society views women, as it runs rampant in the music industry.
“Critics maintain that the dominant discourse in music videos reproduces distorted ideologies of women’s sexuality” (Aubrey et. al).
So, how does this portrayal of women affect the viewers and those objectified? For one, the objectification of women is not entirely forced – “Cultural and industry expectations motivate female artists to participate readily in their own sexual objectification” (Aubrey et. al). This contributes to women’s concerns regarding body image and sexual appeal. But, it also affects how the male viewers see women.
In a study, participants were assigned to one of two conditions, one group to watch music videos of female artists that are high in sexual objectification, and the other low. The results showed those exposed to sexually objectifying music videos increased male’s acceptance of interpersonal violence, and a level of marginal significance, disbelief in the legitimacy of sexual harassment.
Works Cited
Aubrey, Jennifer Stevens, et al. “Check That Body! The Effects of Sexually Objectifying Music Videos on College Men’s Sexual Beliefs.” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, vol. 55, no. 3, July 2011, pp. 360–379. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/08838151.2011.597469. Accessed date 4 March 2019.
Objectification in Music 