by Ted Sherman

Created on: October 27, 2009

Pop music has been influencing teens for at least the past century. Some of the eras included the Naughty 90s, The Jazz Age, Roaring 20s, The Swing Years, Rock, Hip Hop. Until recent years, the music industry was of relatively minor influence on teens. However, now with overwhelming electronic and digital advances, it has the power to force itself into every aspect of teen lives.

Today's music purveyors who target youth can be compared with the cigarette companies of the 1920s through the 1960s. During that time, radio, and later TV, advertising was dominated by cigarette commercials. It was cool to smoke, and you should do it because all your peers are smokers. In ads, beautiful models and rugged cowboys were portrayed as sophisticated smokers. Even young movie star Ronald Reagan advertised cigarettes, so smoking just had to become part of the teens' lives.

Additionally, the cigarette companies stationed representatives on street corners and college campuses to give out free cigarettes. During World War II, GIs were given free or very cheap cigarettes. For instance, GIs could purchase cigarettes at the PX for 10 to 15 cents a pack.

For want of a more gentle word, the cigarette companies built their businesses by getting teens addicted to their products. In today's music marketing, physical addiction isn't involved, but the pop music industry promotes its products in similar ways to get teens emotionally addicted into using their products.

They make it cool to listen to their music, the industry uses forceful advertising and they encourage teens to worship selected musicians and throng to their concerts. To miss an important concert is seriously unhip, because teens want their peers to see them there, jumping, waving and shouting to the music. The music industry and its cohorts determine how teens dress, their hairstyles, social attitudes and most every other aspect of their lives.

All parents can do today is try to accept the pervasive influence as a reality, and then create strategies for fighting back. Parents must find ways to balance the media hype and peer pressures on their children with positive parental influence and examples.

For dealing with the many ways current pop music affects their teens' behavior, education and future lives, parents should consider several tactics:

1. Don't forbid: Be open to discuss pop music and lyrics. Express your concern about offensive language and anti-social themes. Explain how the music is just an updated version of how

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