by Aretha P. Crowder

Created on: October 24, 2009   Last Updated: October 28, 2009

Many times, we hear news reports about teens that have fallen victim to the negative influences of the music industry. Keep in mind, that the music industry has a tremendous and profound effect upon the lives of millions of teens. It is also important to note that the music industry impacts a greater percentage of a teen's lifestyle than anything else. This includes everything from the type of clothing they wear, to how they wear their clothing, the type of friends they choose, peer pressure, the type(s) of music they listen to, and even their attitudes about life and their attitudes towards others.

It is our job as parents to educate our teens about the effects of music. Teens should be taught that it is okay to listen to music; however, they should understand the difference between the lyrics and reality. Furthermore, they should understand that the music industry is marketed for the larger number of teens, and this is the most influential age group. For this reason, our teens are profoundly influenced by the music industry. The types and styles of music that is available to teens have the potential for positive and negative influences upon teens' everyday lives.

Consequently, the music industry is concerned with high sales and profits from music. It is our responsibility as parents to teach our teens how to make responsible decisions when it comes to listening to music and how to discern right from wrong. Your teen's attitude and behavior can be profoundly influenced by the music industry. Furthermore, your teen's attitude about life and having respect for authority can also be influenced by the music industry.

This is where we, as parents, should become involved in our teen's lives. With respect to privacy, there are ways to initiate conversations with teens and encourage them to communicate openly without having to infringe on their privacy. Teach them that it is okay to listen to various types and styles of music; however, they should know that most of the lyrics don't apply to real life. As parents, we are well aware that music that includes sex, drugs, and street life usually influence teens overall.

The music industry can also influence the types and styles of clothing your teens wear. This is often a problematic issue for parents of teens because there's also the added influence of peer pressure. Furthermore, many teens are already consumed with negative influences from their friends. Of course, the music industry has positive influences as well,

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>