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Kenzie Rowell
Inquiry Essay
Jizi
UWRT 1103

Throughout the decades, music has been seen as one of the greatest influences on society
and pop culture. From the lifestyle of musicians, to their unique fashion and style, and more
importantly, the messages conveyed in their songs, artists certainly have a way of leaving a
lasting impression on the listener. It is no secret that a number of artists and bands dating back to
the 1950s to the present day have experimented with a variety of drugs and narcotics and their
music reflects that by using drug references within their songs. Regardless of the genre of music,
(whether it be psychedelic rock, reggae, metal, hip hop, or pop music), several artists mention
various types of drugs in their music to be listened to by the general public. How have these
messages influenced drug culture in society over the years? Has music placed justification on the
use of recreational drugs? Is there a correlation between behavior and dependence on drugs and
the genres of music people listen to? In this paper, the patterns of drug references in music
throughout various of genres of music as well as their impact on society through the 1960s to
present day will be determined as artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead,
Nirvana, Wu-Tang Clan, 50 Cent, Jay-Z, and other popular artists of today are examined.

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It is no secret that several artist have abused substances while producing music. Some
believe that it helps the creative process as well as diffusing the pressure to produce music.
Evidence of artists using drugs dates back to the 1950s when jazz artists such as Miles Davis,
Charlie Parker, and Chett Davis used heroin to cope with the hardships of being AfricanAmerican in segregated America. During the 1960s, music started to transition to a more
psychedelic sound influenced by mind enhancing drugs such as LSD. Styles of music reflected
by artists such as The Doors, Grateful Dead, and Jimi Hendrix reflect the use psychedelics with
metaphoric lyrics and 20 minute long guitar solos(Music). One artist who is an example of the
use of drugs to cope is Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd. Barrett experimented with drugs such as LSD
as a way to escape from reality (Crazy Diamond, Watkinson). The lyrics in some of Pink Floyds
songs reflect on these endeavors. In the song Brain Damage it says The Lunatic is on the
grass this is a reference to the impact of drugs turning him into a lunatic.
The glorification of drugs in songs is seen frequently in rap music, as well as the profit
associated with drugs, primarily crack/cocaine. 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Fat Joe, and Raekwon of the
New York group Wu-Tang Clan are a few among the numerous rappers who have referenced and
boasted about their rags to riches stories that include selling drugs in order to achieve their
glamorous lifestyles. In 50 Cents movie Get Rich or Die Tryin, he is seen on the movie poster
with pistol in one hand and a microphone in the other. This movie is a representation of his rags
to riches story and how he made a living for himself. Fat Joe is another example of a rapper who

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also goes by the nickname Joey Crack. In the 2004 hit single Lean Back he explains how he
got this nickname (5 Grams). So the question remains: do these rappers have an influence on

those who grow up in similar situations? Does the success of these rappers have an impact by
inspiring others to do the same?
While other forms of media and entertainment serve as influences on the general public,
music may be the greatest, especially with adolescents. Music serves multiple purposes as it is
used as a source of entertainment and often played in the background while engaging in other
activities. It also can be a tool for helping individuals cope with feelings of depression and
loneliness. Adolescents use the influence of music to shape their identity during the
developmental stage and they spend a large portion of their time listening to music. In fact, a
study conducted in the early 1990s of 2760 American adolescents ranging from age 14 to 16
concluded that they listen to an average of 40 hours of music per week. Another study which was
done in 2005 showed that 85% of children and teenagers between the ages of 8 and 18 listened to
music on a daily basis and spent on average, 1.5-2.5 a day listening to music (Pediatrics).
However, it can be inferred that the exposure to music among children and teenagers has
increasingly grown over the last decade with the introduction of handheld devices such as ipods,
mp3 players, and cell phones with internet access, as well as music streaming apps such as
Pandora, Spotify, and iTunes. As the amount of music exposure increases over time, so does the
prevalence of lyrics that contain references to substance use. Does the amount of substance use
references in songs have an impact on those who are listening? While there is no solid evidence
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or direct link between lyrics of a song and risky behavior, there have patterns between musical
preference and certain activities to which the listener engages in, as several studies have shown.
For example, there has been an association with alcohol and drugs and those who prefer

electronic or rave music. In addition, heavy metal music has also been linked to smoking
problems as well as increased depression and delinquency (Pediatrics).
References to substance use have shaped various genres of music throughout the decades
and continue to be prevalent in mainstream music of today. A study that was done on Billboards
top songs of 2005 indicated that of 279 songs, 93 of them had some kind of reference to
substance use (33.3%). It also concluded that the average adolescent is exposed to about 84
references to explicit substances daily in popular songs (Primack). Though this study was done
ten years ago, the prevalence of songs containing drug lyrics remains in todays popular songs.
The Weeknds I Cant Feel My Face is a direct reference to the numbing effects of drugs as
well as Lana Del Reys song High By the Beach.
As drugs have influenced the culture and production of music, music has influenced had
some impact on drug usage. Many musical icons have used drugs to spark creativity and cope
with the pressure of producing hits, while others glorify drug usage with their lyrics both of
which leave an impression on those who are fans of their music. While it cannot be directly
stated whether or not music causes people to abuse substances, there are some patterns between
genres of music and drug usage. Throughout decades of music, artists find ways to incorporate
references to drug usage in their songs and it is still prevalent in todays day and age and there is
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great exposure in peoples everyday lives to these lyrics and the messages the artists convey in
their music.

Works Cited

Bogazianos, Dimitri. 5 Grams: Crack Cocaine, Rap Music, and the War on Drugs. New
York: NYU Press, 2011. Project MUSE. Web. 26 Oct. 2015. <https://muse.jhu.edu/>.
"Impact of Music, Music Lyrics, and Music Videos on Children and Youth." Pediatrics 124.5
(2009): 1488-494. Web.
"Music." Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol & Addictive Behavior. Ed. Pamela Korsmeyer and

Henry R. Kranzler. 3rd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2009. 89-92. Gale
Virtual Reference Library. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.
Primack BA, Dalton MA, Carroll MV, Agarwal AA, Fine MJ. Content Analysis of Tobacco,
Alcohol, and Other Drugs in Popular Music. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med.
2008;162(2):169-175
Watkinson, Mike, and Pete Anderson. Crazy Diamond: Syd Barrett and the Dawn of Pink Floyd.
London: Omnibus, 2001. Print.