Music and Drugs

1. My intended audience could be anyone who listens to

the radio. However, I tried to gear it to music lovers and
those who appreciated all kinds of genres of music. I think
my audience could serve a very versatile selection of
people as I tried to focus on different eras and genres of
music. I tried to make it so regardless of who was viewing
this project, they would be able to at least relate to some
of the music mentioned. I chose this audience because I
consider myself a music lover, so catering my presentation
to other music lovers seemed ideal and relatable.
2. My purpose is mainly to inform and bring awareness. I
wanted not only show people the transformations in music
culture from different eras and trends with drugs, but also
explain the impacts on todays culture with adolescents
while making people realize how the prevalence of
substance reference in todays music.
3. My genre idea was to present my research in a
powerpoint. I felt like this would be effective visually and
by doing this, I could also incorporate audio into it and use
it as an outline for the information I intend to present.
Using the powerpoint format would allow me to cater to my

Origins of Music/Drugs
As early as the 30s, African American
Jazz artists began using drugs while
writing and playing music as a way of
coping in segregated America. They used
terms for drugs such as:
Wacky Dust- Cocaine
Kicking the gong around-Opium
Reefer-Marijuana

Psychedelic drugs such as LSD shaped the

music scene in the 60s and 70s while
artists/bands such as Jimi Hendrix, Pink
Floyd, The Doors, and The Beatles gained
popularity.

Purple haze- Jimi Hendrix Experience

https://youtu.be/fjwWjx7Cw8I

several studies have demonstrated that

preference for certain types of music could
be correlated or associated with certain
behaviors, such as preference of
rave/electronic music with the use of
drugs and alcohol.

Adolescents use music as process

of identity formation, music
preferences can shape who they
are and the choices they make.

In addition, Studies have shown that teenagers who prefer heavy metal and rap music
have the highest percentage of drug usage as well as delinquency and conduct problems

In 2005, a study was done on the prevalence of drug

references in songs based on the Billboard top 100
charts
Of 279 songs, 33.3% contained lyrics with substance
use, an average of 35.2 references per hour.
3 out of 35 pop songs mentioned (9%)
9 out of 66 rock songs (14%)
11/55 R&B songs (20%)
22/61 country songs (36%)
48/62 rap songs (77%)

Songs with drug references- 2015

Cant Feel My Face- The Weeknd-#8 on 2015 Billboard radio songs
https://youtu.be/KEI4qSrkPAs
Trap Queen- Fetty Wap- #2 on 2015 Billboard
hip-hop/R&B songs
https://youtu.be/i_kF4zLNKio

Coco- O.T. Genesis- #17 on 2015

Billboard rap songs
https://youtu.be/6vYnas6q3Sg