Did a radio giant try to ban 162 songs after September 11?
In short: In the wake of the September 11 attacks, rumors swirled that Clear Channel Communications had issued a blacklist of 'questionable' music. While not an official ban, the internal memorandum suggested that certain songs might be inappropriate for listeners during a time of national mourning and intense emotion.
Following the September 11, 2001, attacks, Clear Channel Communications—now known as iHeartMedia and the largest radio station owner in the United States—circulated an internal memorandum to its program directors. This document contained a list of 162 songs that were deemed 'lyrically questionable' for the period following the attacks. Rather than an explicit mandate, the list functioned as a suggestion that stations 'might not want to play these songs.'
The criteria for inclusion were broad and varied. Some songs were selected because their titles or lyrics touched on themes related to the tragedy, such as airplanes, collisions, death, violence, explosions, New York City, or even the specific day of the week, Tuesday. Others were included because they dealt with general concepts like the Middle East, weapons, or the sky falling. Interestingly, the list also included joyful tracks like Louis Armstrong's 'What a Wonderful World,' as the company felt celebratory music was inappropriate for the moment.
The memorandum was notable for its specific exclusions and inclusions. It was the only document to recommend against an artist's entire catalog, specifically Rage Against the Machine. The list also showed inconsistency in how it handled covers; for instance, Alien Ant Farm's version of 'Smooth Criminal' was listed, but Michael Jackson's original was not. While Snopes.com confirmed the list's existence as a suggestion, it was not an outright ban. The document eventually gained significant media attention after being made public by the independent industry newsletter Hits Daily Double.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Clear Channel memorandum
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