This is an interesting question in my eyes, I think that the record companies do take responsibility already in putting parental advisories on the music they distribute. I feel that this is and is not effective. I am not yet a parent so from that view point I don’t know how effective that is. I know that some artists distribute two versions of their albums, one uncensored and the other censored. Walmart usually will carry the censored versions of albums if available. Perhaps the parental advisory is effective in that some parents can protect and censor their children to what music they listen to. I do know that some people listen to music for the beat and disregard the lyrics totally. I think the parental advisory is an option to leave it in the parents hands, just like an R rating for a movie a child under 17 would have to get permission to watch the movie in a theatre. I think for the parents who choose to shield and protect their children the parental advisory is effective. I also however feel that people tend to not even pay attention to the parental advisory labels. In some ways I feel this covers the record companies for any legal situations. Parents can’t sue record companies for what their children listen to. People can get very sue happy so anything they can blame problems on they go for it.
I just want to touch on one thing again. I respect the artists and musicians who choose to release two different kinds of versions censored and uncensored. Not only is this a smart business deal because you will get more fans that way but it gets your story out to a larger audience. Not that all artists need to censor themselves, some only play to certain audiences.
I also want to point out that when I do see a parental advisory label, it will make me second guess what the cd is about. Does it have parental advisory for the violence and crude sex lyrics? Does this cd cuss the whole time? Is it a good cd? Will I like? So in this way I can see how recording labels putting these labels on there can have a negative effect. Some people buy on feel and some people purchase on urge. For those on feel this could second guess the buyers purchase.
So in many ways recording labels are effective putting on the parental advisories. On the other hand they may not be so effective to those who are by passing it. Either way I don’t see recording companies have a negative or positive effect but a neutral effect in deed.
I know in my wide music collection I have albums with parental advisory labels and ones without them. Music is music at the end of the day, and what we all choose to listen to may not have an effect on emotional purchasing but urge purchasing. I leave you with this music video!
Cheers