sic is not censored on the basis of art; it is censored on the basis of obscenity." (Nuzum 2) Special interest groups and corporations claiming to be protecting the interests of their consumers have enforced most of the censorship that has been placed on music in the United States.
             Organizations such as the Christian Collation, The American Family Association, and The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) have been leaders in bringing offensive music into the mainstream eye. Their attempts to shield minors from more distasteful music have been publicized and fueled all the way to the Supreme Court. Tipper Gore founded the Parents Music Resource Center in 1985. Gore, along with other board members were involved in the placement of warning labels on music. The labels read Parental Advisory-Explicit Lyrics and are placed on albums according to set guidelines. This instatement of the labels has been enforced, though there is still no evidence that the labels have deterred the youth from listening to the music. Instead there may be evidence that the labels have actually boosted sales. PMRC head, Barbara Wyatt, recognizes this truth. "In an issue of the Roc, a magazine that opposes music censorship, Wyatt was quoted, "...Even if there is a label on [a recording], any child can buy it, and the forbidden fruit is often the most appealing fruit." (Hull 18).
             Censorship done by corporations is evident in history. Decisions made such as the Ed Sullivan show taping Elvis from the waist up was were not court mandated, but instead agreed upon and enforced by the employees of the company. The Beatles who are arguably one of the most influential recording groups in popular culture were molded into a marketable commodity by their record label, Capitol Records. Their musical lyrics were controversial, but more offending than that was the original cover for their album, Yesterday and Today. The original cover had the...