No words off limits. You hear them everyday, regardless of whether you wanted to or not.  It’s a line in the new movie you are watching, or in the chorus of your favorite song, it’s profanity, and it is taking over.

According to the Huffington Post, the average person uses 80-90 swear words each day, which could partially explain why out of all of the 97 million and counting songs in the world, profanity is making it so hard to find a couple good ones that aren’t explicit.

Newsweek Reported that, “Since 2001 explicit chart toppers have rocketed by 833 percent.”  Additionally,  NBC reports that “Younger people admit to using bad language more often than older people; they also encounter it more and are less bothered by it.” This leaves us asking, is this just of a trend, or is it the way of the new generation?

Profanity has overtaken pop. More than two thirds of Billboard 100 songs last year featured explicit lyrics, and the songs that weren’t profane, were certainly just as suggestive.  Even the most unlikely artists like Ellie Goulding, Bastille and Beyoncé have fallen victim to the trend.

According to The Guardian “Pop is supposed to be universal, a gateway to so much more for kids. But modern chart hits such as these have become an obstacle course for any parent.” With f-bombs and suggestive slurs overriding popular music, it’s no shock that we have to have things like Kids Bop to keep this powerful language out of the wrong hands. These artists are reaching a huge audience, Is it really appropriate to be calling them influential if inappropriate content is all they have to offer?

The words which once held a strong meaning have now been diluted into a minor act of rebellion.  People who curse a lot don’t even realize they are doing it anymore, no matter whether or not they think it is wrong.

The music industry shouldn’t have to completely exile explicit music, but maybe influential artists, and the music industry in general could make a more concerted effort to try and clean up their act a little.  After all, they never know who may be listening.