It happens that often." Concerned mothers would have a better idea of the types of materials that their children are listening to if instead of seeing a simple warning label, they could see a standardized rating administered by the RIAA with exactly what kinds of explicit material can be found on the album. Certainly no harm can be done to artists" rights, parent involvement, or the general well being of the RIAA if consumers could be better informed of what specifically is potentially offensive on an album and the suggested appropriate age for the album.
Most people are familiar with the MPAA's ratings system for motion pictures. Movies that are suitable for people of all ages are rated G. Movies that may contain very little offensive material are rated PG. If a movie may be inappropriate for children under the age of thirteen, it is rated PG-13. Movies that may be unsuitable for children under the age of seventeen are rated R. No children under the age of seventeen are permitted to see movies that are rated NC-17. For thirty-four years, this rating system has worked exceptionally well (MPAA Ratings 1). The film industry receives a substantially smaller amount of criticism than the music industry recently has for its products being obscene. How much more often has Eminem or Marilyn Manson been scrutinized by the media compared to a film such as Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back which contains similarly offensive material and is obviously targeted toward a similar audience? Perhaps the music business would be subject to less controversy if they too adopted a similar system to clear up any confusion parents may have as to what music is most likely appropriate for their children to listen to.
For example, albums that have extremely little or no offensive content could receive a rating similar to the MPAA's G rating. Examples of such albums may include Aaron's Party by Aaron Carter, or Baby One More Time by Britney Spears.
