The Kids’ Choice Awards happened Saturday. Though nowhere near as prestigious as many other awards shows (obviously), it was still a good indicator of what people like and who is still relevant in a pop music market overrun with teenyboppers.
Being the pop culture junkie and teenybopper that I am, I had to watch the KCAs. I have always made it a point to watch. What else is a college student like myself doing on a Saturday night?
But for some reason, I was hit with a realization this year: The kids in the audience are young. They’re really young – maybe too young.
This leaves me with a question: At what age does it become socially acceptable for kids to trade in juice boxes and crayons for an insatiable appetite for pop music and its various (and scandalous) idols and superstars?
There have always been accusations that pop music “sexualizes” children. Should we be exposing kids to music that might be more appropriate for music lovers twice their age and maturity level?
Columnist Rebecca Hagelin of The Patriot Post accuses risqué pop stars like Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry of contributing to this “hyper-sexualization” of children.
“The stars often reach down into the children’s market to cultivate new fans, creating brand awareness among even the youngest children, ensuring future success and million dollar revenues,” Hagelin said.
In her column, Hagelin offers many solutions as to how to help parents monitor what music their kids are consuming and how to protect them from the many sexual influences coming from the music industry. One of her suggestions includes monitoring a child’s iPod for possibly inappropriate songs.
Another goes so far as to say parents should “take the time to become familiar with the latest artists, celebrities, and songs so you don’t rely on vague assurances of older siblings or neighbors that ‘it’s all right.’”
It’s a tricky situation, especially since it is a common viewpoint that young children should not be listening to music that they are not ready for, but there has to be a point when kids can develop a freedom of musical tastes and preferences.
Perhaps monitoring music would be a step in the right direction, as long as it does not lead to complete censorship. Musical exploration and variation, as cliché as it may sound, is what makes people distinctive, and one can never be too young to harbor artistic expression. In the same way children are free to explore things like sports and the outdoors, children should be free to explore appropriate music.
And what better way for kids to start exploring music than with the age-appropriate yet culturally relevant extravaganza that is the KCAs.
It’s not like it’s the Grammys or the MTV Video Music Awards, but it’s a fine place to start.
Talk music with Raffy at jermac@asu.edu
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