There has been an abundance of research addressing violence in music and how it affects children and teenagers. Here is what research has found.

- Of sixth grade boys, 29% listened to the radio for two or more hours a day. Of sixth grade girls, the number was 44%.

- In 1985, 56% of sixth grade boys and 48% of sixth grade girls owned their own record player or tape recorder.

- It was found that child audio use was found to be more solitary than television watching. 

    from...  

    Christenson, P.G., DeBenedittis, P., & Lindlof, T.R. (1985). Children’s Use of Audio Media. Communication Research, 12(3), 327-343.

- Research has shown that males who listen to heavy metal music endorse more stereotypical, negative attitudes toward women that men who listen to easy-listening music.

   from...

    St. Lawrence, J.S. & Joyner, D.J. (1991). The Effects of Sexually Violent Rock Music on Male’s Acceptance of Violence Against Women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 15, 49-63.

- A study found that children who preferred heavy metal music reported higher levels of reckless behavior (ie. driving at overly fast speeds, driving while drunk, vandalism).

- It was found that parents do not frequently object to the music their children listen to, even if it is music that they themselves find offensive and unacceptable.

    from...

    Arnett, J. (1992). The Soundtrack of Recklessness: Musical Preferences and Reckless Behavior Among Adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 7(3), 313-331.

- Adolescents who were exposed to violent music videos later expressed a greater acceptance of violence.

- Adolescents who were exposed to violent music videos also reported a higher probability that they would take part in violence, in comparison than adolescents in a control group.

- Those who were exposed to violent music videos, in comparison with those in the control condition possessed more acceptance of violence toward women.

    from...

    Johnson, J.D., Jackson, L.A., & Gatto, L. (1995). Violent attitudes and Deferred Academic Aspirations: Deleterious Effects of Exposure to Rap Music. Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 16, 27-41.

- A study found that when comparing adolescents who listened to heavy metal music, pop music, and classical music, those who preferred classical music had the lowest score on a delinquency scale, and those who preferred heavy metal had the highest score.

- It was found that adolescents that listened to heavy metal had low levels of parental supervision and higher rates of delinquency.

    from...

    Singer, S.I., Levine, M.& Jou, S. (1993). Heavy Metal Music Preference, Delinquent Friends, Social Control, and Delinquency. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 30(3), 317-329.