Abstract

Because adolescents are strongly influenced by popular media adolescents aged 15 to 18 years listen to an average of 3 hours of music per day and 98 million US residents listen to country music we aim to describe the prevalence of references to health-risk behaviors in country music MP3 recordings of the top 30 rated country music songs during 2001 2010 were reviewed independently by investigators for health-risk behaviors including references to substance use sex violence and weapons Of 300 songs analyzed 100 33 had at least one reference to substance use sex violence or weapons Thirty-six 12 songs contained references to sex 11 4 to violence and 7 2 to weapons References to substance use and sex occur frequently in country music Parents clinicians and educators should be aware of music to which children listen and its potential behavioral effects The country music industry should consider the consequences of lyrics that could negatively influence adolescent behavior