Parental Advisory

The typical record retailer knows that there is no such thing as a “typical” consumer. Most record stores stock thousands of titles in an effort to satisfy as many different kinds of musical tastes as they can — including recordings with explicit lyrics. Just as musical tastes vary, so do parenting styles, cultural norms, community standards, and business practices when it comes to the subject of explicit lyrics and children.

The Music Business Association has always sought to be supportive of:

  • The artist’s right to free expression,
  • The parent’s right to identify entertainment with explicit content, and
  • The retailer’s right to handle explicit content according to how each believes they can best meet the needs of their company and communities.

For more information on Parental Advisory, please refer to the links and materials below:

Links Of Interest

For Parents:

For The Industry:

 

Parental Advisory P.O.P. Program

ParentalAdvisoryInforming consumers about explicit content serves as the best defense against government regulation and censorship. NARM partners with RIAA to provide retailers and wholesalers with language, both in English and Spanish,explaining the Parental Advisory, as well as the Parental Advisory Logo to be used by retailers and wholesalers on store signage, web sites, etc.

  • English version: The Parental Advisory is a notice to consumers that recordings identified by this logo may contain strong language or depictions of violence sex or substance abuse. Parental discretion is advised. This store reserves the right to restrict sales to children of product carrying the Parental Advisory.
  • Spanish version: La notificación a los padres es un aviso a los consumidores que las grabaciones identificadas con éste logo pueden contener lenguaje fuerte ó representaciones violentas, sexuales ó de consumo de drogas. Se aconseja discreción paternal. Esta tienda se reserva el derecho restringir las ventas a menores del producto marcado con ésta Notificación a los Padres.

Entertainment Ratings & Labeling Awareness Month

The Music Business Association works with the Coalition of Entertainment Retail Trade Associations (CERTA) and its members — DiMA, EMA and NATO — on “Entertainment Ratings and Labeling Awareness Month,” an annual campaign to increase awareness and use of entertainment ratings and advisory labels for motion pictures, video games and music by consumers and to remind retailers to reinforce ratings education and enforcement in their establishments. Members who want to learn more about the Parental Advisory program and the entertainment industry’s ratings and labeling systems can go to http://www.ERLAM.org.