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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 looked at 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 artists have abused substances while writing and producing
music. Some believe that it helps the creative process as well as diffusing the pressure to produce
music. Evidence of artists using drugs and referencing substances in their music dates back to the
1950s when jazz artists such as Miles Davis, Charlie Parker used heroin to cope with the
hardships of being African-American in segregated America. Jazz artists during this time who
were under the threat of being thrown in prison would begin to use different phrases and slang
for certain substances. Such phrases include referring to cocaine as wacky dust, marijuana as
reefer, and heroin use as kicking the gong around. 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 (Korsmeyer and Kranzler).
One artist who is an example of the use of drugs to cope is Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd. In Mike
Watkinson and Pete Andersons biography about Barrett, they tell how he experimented with
drugs such as LSD as a way to escape from reality. While Barrett did not die from drug use, it
caused him to become estranged and part ways with the band. The lyrics in some of Pink Floyds
songs reflect on drug-related endeavors. In the song Brain Damage, Roger Waters, who
became the vocals after Barrett left, sings The Lunatic is on the grass and the lunatic is in my
head this is a reference to the impact of drugs turning him insane, like a lunatic. (Watkinson
and Anderson).
The glorification of drugs in songs is also 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

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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
also goes by the nickname Joey Crack. In the 2004 hit single Lean Back he explains how he
got this nickname (Bogazianos). 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?
As the genres of rock music and rap have evolved over the decades, several genres and
subgenres of music have also formed. Different types of music serve multiple purposes as they 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 (Council on
Communications and Media). However, it can be inferred that the exposure to music among

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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 or direct link between lyrics of a song and risky behavior, there
are 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 (Council on
Communications and Media).
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

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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
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/>.
Council on Communications and Media. "Impact of Music, Music Lyrics, and Music Videos on
Children and Youth." Pediatrics 124.5
(2009): 1488-494. Web.
Korsmeyer, Paula and Henry R. Kranzler, eds. "Music." Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol &
Addictive Behavior. 3rd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2009. 89-92.
Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.
Primack, Brian A., Madeline A. Dalton, Mary V. Carroll, Aaron A. Agarwal, and Michael J.
Fine. Content Analysis of Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drugs in Popular Music. Arch
Pediatr Adolesc Med. 162.2 (2008):169-175
Watkinson, Mike, and Pete Anderson. Crazy Diamond: Syd Barrett and the Dawn of Pink Floyd.
London: Omnibus, 2001. Print.