Back when a ban was a ban, and bad publicity was bad PR, being excluded meant missing out on gigs, losing sponsorships, and being blacklisted from future opportunities. Today, however, being notoriously banned might help a band gain popularity. Since Elvis pioneered the genre, rock ‘n’ roll songs have been censored, banned, or restricted from radio play. Let’s take a look at why some of those songs became known as the music industry’s “black sheep.”
Surprising Reasons These Popular Songs Were Banned
“Imagine” by John Lennon and The Plastic Ono Band
This idealistic homage to peace has the bravery to see everyone living peacefully in a borderless society. It has been outlawed multiple times. In a largely Christian nation where God and country define patriotic nationalism, a song about “no countries,” “no religion,” and “no heaven” is considered blasphemous and anti-American. Much to the anger of the religious right, the idealistic hymn is one of the most popular anthems ever penned. “Imagine” was prohibited during the lead-up to the first Gulf War and again following the 9/11 attacks. It has been deemed too contentious for graduation ceremonies and funerals on both sides of the Atlantic. Songfact: Yoko Ono inspired the song and penned the majority of the lyrics. It was recorded in 1971 as part of an artistic marketing campaign for peace, with the premise that peace must be envisioned before it can be realized.
Imagine By John Lennon And The Plastic Ono Band
