Lecture: Sex in Music Paul G Nixon & Rebecca Kleiweg
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Lecture: Sex in Music Paul G Nixon & Rebecca Kleiweg What we will do • Short run through history of Sex in Music • Lyrics • Videos • First some advice for those thinking of combining sex and music….. History • Music often used as a tool of seduction throughout history and across cultures (Kouwenhoven & Kippen 2013) • “Musical notes and rhythm, were first acquired by the male and female progenitors of mankind for the sake of charming the opposite sex.” (Darwin 1888) • Also crosses genres • Charlton (2014) Women prefer more complex music at peak of their menstrual cycle! • Listen to Mamie Smith “You can’t keep a good man down” • Elvis Marvin Gaye Madonna Lady Gaga Some theory • Sex was a focus of rock and popular music for some time (Carey, 1969), and also for soul and country music (Singletary, 1983). • Music video existed during the 1970s came to fore with MTV in 1981 (Segal, 2001), • Sexual suggestiveness or innuendo, alluring clothing (sometimes a lack thereof), and use of stereotypes are three ways in which messages about sex and gender are conveyed in music video. • In the early days of MTV, researchers found that "sexual content was understated, relying on innuendo through clothing, suggestiveness, and light physical contact rather than more overt behaviors" (Baxter, De Riemer, Landini, Leslie, & Singletary, 1985, p. 336). • Implicit sex, such as pelvic thrusts, long lip-licking, or stroking were present in 89% of MTV videos in 1990, with explicit sex in 4% (Sommers-Flanagan, Sommers-Flanagan, & Davis, 1993). • Pardun & McKee, (1995) found that 63% of MTV videos in 1992 contained overt sexual imagery. • Van Oosten et al (2015) note 2 features of misogyny present in music videos • Dominance of men over women • Female token resistance – subjugation of female desire • Sexualisation of Women (though Rohlinger (2002) illustrates the increasing objectification of men) • Frisby & Aubrey’s research (2012) Showed that almost 72% of females artists objectified themselves and/or other females. Though they point out it could be both objectifying AND empowering. Lil Kim • Kistler & Lee found “those who watched the highly sexual hip-hop videos expressed the higher levels of objectification of women, stereotyped gender attitudes, and acceptance of rape myths.” (p82) Andsager & Roe; 3 types of sexual expression • Sex as Metamorphosis. • Britney Spears, George Michael, Ricky Martin, Justin Bieber • Sex as Fantasy Fulfillment. • Shania Twain • Sex as Power. • to control one’s situation – Pink, Madonna, Junglepussy (1’ 03”) • over others – Snoop, Madonna, Teyana Taylor • Smiler et al (2017) studied Lyrics and found • Males proportionally more likely to sing about sexual behavior and to objectify both females and males. • As time went by references to romantic relationships less common, references to sexual behavior and objectified bodies more common. • Prevalance was different across genres Rap least likely to reference dating and most likely to reference sexual behavior. • artist must reach a broad cross-section of the American audience in order to have a song on the annual Top 100 list, and that audience is mostly White, they join others in speculating why this particular image of Black-ness is being sold to a mostly White audience • Lyrics also important as exposure to objectifying terms can affect behavior • increased likelihood of experiencing appearance anxiety (Zurbriggen et al. 2011) • have intercourse at a younger age (Martino et al. 2006) Case Study ; Robin Thicke women as sexual products masculine power and the pornographic imagination the male gaze Stereotype of male penis size Lyrics/Video Lemme be the one you bring that ass up to…. So hit me up when you passing through I’ll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two •Censored video •Uncensored video Director Diane Martel •“I want to make videos that sell records. This is my main focus right now, not to make videos that express my own obsessions, but to make videos that move units.” Ducker, E. (2013, June 26). Q&A: Veteran Music Video Director Diane Martel on Her Controversial Videos for Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus. Emily Ratajkowski:“Blurred Lines": •"The girls make eye contact with the camera, which I think is really important because in a lot of shoots you have the women looking off, which makes it voyeuristic and weirdly sexist… And ["Blurred Lines"] is fun! I didn't feel objectified when I was making it. I felt like I was having a lot of fun as a sexual person." GQ Cover story: New Lines. (2015, September 25). • Scooter – Lass uns Tanzen • Lass uns tanzen, oder ficken, oder beides, denn morgen sind wir tot • Let’s dance, or fuck, or both, as tomorrow we’ll be dead Some Examples of Videos/Songs • Wayne County and the Electric Chairs • Transgender/Sex positivism • Sensational Alex Harvey Band • Gang bang • Rhianna • Sex and Money • Nelly • Objectification/gang bang • 112/lil Zane • Heterosex • Lil Kim • Cunnilingus/casual sex • Dizzie Rascal • ‘Good’ vs ‘Bad’ • KoRn • Sexual Obsession • The Lonely Island • Sex Positivism • Madonna Again • Variety • Meshell Ndegeocello • Cheating/ casual sex • The Kinks • Transvestism Some Examples of Videos/Songs 2 • Reykjavíkurdætur • Anal/strap on (from 23’.45” to 26’. 46”) • Katy Perry • Try – bi • Jen Foster • Try harder ;-) • Miley Cyrus • Desire and objectification/body positivism • Tatu • Lesbian School girls – male gaze • FGTH • Male homosexuality/counter culture/fellatio • Alice Cooper • Necrophilia • Lady Gaga • Transgender / acceptance of difference • David Bowie • Fluidity • God Des and She • Cunnilingus • Divinyls • Masturbation Some Examples of Videos/Songs 3 • Soko • Sex / wet dreams • Serge Gainsbourg & Jane Birkin • Hetero sex • Public Image Limited • Rape Survivor • Elvis Presley • Gigolo/pimp • AutoErotique • Objectification • Elektra • Lesbianism • Fey • S&M • Mister Chase • Gay/bisexual • Vybz Kartel & Spice • Very heterosexual • Cheat Codes x Kris Kross Amsterdam • Sex Education • Fountains of Wayne • Intergenerational • Frank Carter and The Rattlesnakes • Oral/asphyxiation Some Examples of Videos/Songs 4 • Donna Summer • Hetero • Reykjavíkurdætur • Feminism • Scooter • Lesbian/interacial/virginity/weird • Prodigy • See for yourself ;-) • Bloodhound Gang • Animalistic • Roxy Music • Blow up doll • Police • Prostitution/stalking • Nelly • Dirty Dancing • 50 Cent ft. Olivia • Brothel/Oral Sex/Sex • Cupkkake • Fellatio (Sanne’s suggestion) • Songs about Sex • A list of more songs to look at or listen to (inc lyrics) Refs • Andsager, J., & Roe, K. (2003). “What’s your definition of dirty, baby?”: Sex in music video. Sexuality and culture, 7(3), pp 79-97. • Baxter, R. L., De Riemer, C., Landini, A., Leslie, L., & Singletary, M. W. (1985). A content analysis of music videos. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 29, pp 333-340. • Carey, J. T. (1969). Changing courtship patterns in the popular song. American Journal of Sociology, 74, pp 720-731. • Charlton, B. D. (2014, June). Menstrual cycle phase alters women's sexual preferences for composers of more complex music. In Proc. R. Soc. B (Vol. 281, No. 1784, p. 20140403). The Royal Society. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4043099/ • Darwin, C. (1888). The descent of man and selection in relation to sex (Vol. 1). Murray. • Frisby, C. M., & Aubrey, J. S. (2012). Race and genre in the use of sexual objectification in female artists’ music videos. Howard Journal of Communications, 23, 66-87. doi:10.1080/10646175.2012.641880 • http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/emily-ratajkowski-we-are-your-friends-blurred-line • http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/qa-veteran-music-video-director-diane-martel-on-her-controversial-videos-for-robin- thicke-and-miley-cyrus/ • Kistler, M. E., & Lee, M. J. (2009). Does exposure to sexual hip-hop music videos influence the sexual attitudes of college students?. Mass Communication and Society, 13(1), 67-86. Refs • Kouwenhoven F. & Kippen J. (eds) (2013) Music, Dance and the Art of Seduction Eburon, Delft • Martino, S. C., Collins, R. L., Elliott, M. N., Strachman, A., Kanouse, D. E., & Berry, S. H. (2006). Exposure to degrading versus nondegrading music lyrics and sexual behavior among youth. Pediatrics, 118, 430–441. • van Oosten, J. M., Peter, J., & Valkenburg, P. M. (2015). The influence of sexual music videos on adolescents’ misogynistic beliefs: The role of video content, gender, and affective engagement. Communication Research, 42(7), 986-1008. available online at https://www.pattivalkenburg.nl/images/artikelen_pdf/2015_Van_Oosten___Peter_Valkenburg_Sexual_Music_videos_mysogynisti c_beliefs.pdf • Rohlinger, D. A. (2002). Eroticizing men: Cultural influences on advertising and male objectification. Sex roles, 46(3-4), 61-74. • Segal, D. (2001, August 1). Arrested development: At 20, the music channel refuses to grow up. The Washington Post, p. C1. • Singletary, M. W. (1983). Some perceptions of the lyrics of three types of recorded music: Rock, country and soul. Popular Music and Society; 9, pp 51-63. • Smiler, A. P., Shewmaker, J. W., & Hearon, B. (2017). From “I Want To Hold Your Hand” to “Promiscuous”: Sexual Stereotypes in Popular Music Lyrics, 1960–2008. Sexuality & Culture, 21(4), 1083-1105 https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1018&context=library_pub • Sommers-Flanagan, R., Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Davis, B. (1993). What's happening on Music Television? A gender role content analysis. Sex Roles, 28, pp745-753. • Zurbriggen, E. L., Ramsey, L. R., & Jaworski, B. K. (2011). Self- and partner-objectification in romantic relationships: Associations with media consumption and relationship satisfaction. Sex Roles, 64, 449–462. doi:10.1007/s11199-011-9933-4. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-011-9933-4 .