Top 10 Songs So Offensive People Tried to Ban Them
#10: “Blurred Lines” (2013)
Robin Thicke ft. T.I. & Pharrell Williams Despite being one of the most successful songs of the mid 2010s, “Blurred Lines” received an enormous amount of controversy. The offensive music video was found to be grossly sexist, and the song itself received widespread condemnation for its problematic lyrics. Many private institutions in the United Kingdom banned the song, including many colleges and universities. Interestingly, there was also a whole Students’ Guild-held referendum at the University of Exeter over whether or not the tune should be be prohibited from school grounds. More than 750 voters participated in the poll, and they agreed to condemn but not ban the song. Blurred lines, indeed!
#9: “WAP” (2020)
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Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion Most people loved “WAP,” and it became one of 2020’s biggest songs. But, while some found the explicit lyrics to be empowering, others found them disgusting. Many social conservatives condemned the song, including Ben Shapiro, who was widely mocked for his lyrical analysis. Sure enough, a petition was started on change.org calling for the song’s ban. The creator of the petition claimed “WAP” was “immoral” and “lyrically degrading” and called on the likes of Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, among others, to outlaw it from the United States. As of 2022, however, the call to action has garnered a mere 61 signatures. Suffice to say, it seems those wanting the tune gone from the radio are in the minority.
#8: Dua Lipa’s Discography
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This English-Albanian singer made a name for herself throughout the late 2010s and rose through the musical ranks to become one of the biggest pop stars on the planet. With enormously popular songs like “New Rules,” “One Kiss,” and “Levitating,” Dua Lipa has become a sensation of pop culture. Still, not everyone is loving her music. Back in 2020, Dua Lipa made a post on Instagram, criticizing the Israeli government and Defense Forces. Zionist organization Im Tirtzu created a petition calling for Dua Lipa’s songs to be dropped from the Israeli radio station Galgalatz, which is run by the country’s Ministry of Defense. They in turn responded to the petition, claiming that they “[do] not boycott any artist.”
#7: “Kick Een She Back Doh” (2012)
Onyan & Burning Flames Burning Flames are a jamband from Antigua that primarily focuses on reggae and calypso music. In 2012, they wrote and released a rather contentious song called “Kick Een She Back Doh.” The song immediately drew attention for its lyrics and title. Even so, it received heavy airplay in Caribbean and South American countries - much to the dissatisfaction of Guyana’s Women and Gender Equality Commission. They argued that the song glorified violence against women and called for a full radio ban. However, their call was not answered, though the song was prohibited from being played at Antigua’s Carnival in 2013.
#6: Kanye West’s Discography
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Controversy has followed Kanye West throughout much of his career, but it reached an apex in October of 2022 when he made a number of antisemitic comments. Despite the very public backlash, West continued to do disreputable things, like posting a hate symbol on Twitter and publicly claiming that he liked Adolf Hitler. It was all too much for one change.org user, who started a petition calling for music streaming services to remove Kanye West’s solo work from their platforms. As of January 2023, the petition has garnered over 91,000 signatures. Despite the startling high number, the major streamers have yet to withdraw Ye’s music.
#5: “Killing an Arab” (1978)
The Cure With a title like that, it’s not really surprising that The Cure found themselves in some seriously hot water. This is the band’s very first single, and what an introduction it made. It’s a direct reference to “The Stranger,” a French novella by Nobel Prize winning author Albert Camus. Despite claims that the song has no racist message, the lyrics are rather reflective of the title so it’s no surprise great umbrage was taken it. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee requested that all stores pull it from their shelves. The compilation album “Standing on a Beach” was threatened by this boycott, so the distributor released it with an advisory sticker asking that the song not be used in a derogatory manner.
#4: The Beatles’ Discography
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Even the Beatles didn’t go without uproar and suppression. Things went haywire back in 1966, following a controversial interview that John Lennon gave. Not only did Lennon claim that the Beatles were “more popular than Jesus,” but he also called the disciples “thick and ordinary,” and argued that Christianity was declining in relevance. Many people were angered by his words, particularly those in religion-heavy regions. Albums were burned, the band’s tour was disrupted, and bans were both called for and issued. But, no matter. The album “Revolver” was released in the midst of the controversy, and the Beatles only became even more popular and more beloved than they were before.
#3: “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (1994)
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Mariah Carey There are a million Christmas songs out there, but none quite like Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” This holiday masterpiece was an instant success and continues to be an annual favorite, even topping the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019, twenty-five years after its initial release. No Christmas season, and no Christmas shopping trip, is complete without Mariah Carey. But, therein lies the problem. The song is starting to grate on some people’s nerves, including one change.org user who called for its ban from both retail stores and radio. All this person wants for Christmas is an end to this song, but we don’t think Santa will be honoring that wish any time soon.
#2: “Same Love” (2012)
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Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft. Mary Lambert Following the wild success of “Can’t Hold Us,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis released the third single from “The Heist” - the Pride anthem “Same Love.” The song was crafted not only to subvert the homophobic themes often found in hip-hop music, but to help assist the approval of same-sex marriage in Washington. When Macklemore was posed to perform at Australia's National Rugby League Grand Final, many people - including Prime Minister Tony Abbott - petitioned that he not sing “Same Love.” The petition had the opposite effect. Not only did Macklemore perform the song, but it went on to top several charts.
#1: “Like a Prayer” (1989)
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Madonna This classic Madonna tune and its accompanying music video earned a ton of ire from religious groups. Many condemned the lyrics, which correlates religion and religious symbolism to more…erotic gratifications. The music video was also enormously controversial, and many TV stations banned it from the airwaves. However, MTV did not bend to the mounting pressure and continued to play it. The song’s relentless rotation on MTV, combined with the very public backlash, only made “Like a Prayer” even more popular. Pope John Paul II even condemned the artist’s Blond Ambition Tour, deeming it “one of the most satanic shows in the history of humanity.” Despite calling for a protest, Madonna played to a sold out Stadio Flaminio on the night of July 10, 1990.
