It seems that the violence in United State has been rising drastically recently. Every day we hear about our youth becoming more and more involved in some type of criminal activity. It makes one wonder what causes these teenagers get into these terrible dilemmas. What triggers them to make such drastically bad decisions? Decisions that could alter their path in life, and not for the better. In many cases is possible that the home setting could have a great influence in pushing our youth in the wrong direction. Another big reason for the way children and teenagers act the way they do is the pop culture and the music that most of society listens to which can also greatly affect their minds. There are countless reasons to which why teens turn to music as a source of relief. Sometimes they need a little attention, praise even, to show that they are being noticed. They want to know that their parents have pride in their children and the path that they are taking in their lives. When teens are being ignored by their family, lack an active social life and are possibly being bullied among other reasons, they turn to music among other outlets. Although music can sometimes be a healthier way of dealing with one’s problems and issues or just a form of healthy entertainment, it can also become a negative influence for a person. Lyrics and rhythmic beats can either help soothe the soul or worsen the anguish one is dealing with. In this paper the main focal point will be music and the effects it has on our American youth.
Music can be used as an escape. In the article Impact of Music, Music Lyrics, and Music Videos on Children and Youth they speak of a study in the 90’s where teenagers admit to listening to music around 40 hours a week (Council on Communications and Media, 2). This is about six hours of listening to music a day. In that same article they also speak of a more