Rebellion in the Top Music Charts: Defiant Messages in Rap/Hip-Hop and Rock Music 1993 and 2003

Abstract. In spite of great public concern about offensive messages in hip-hop/rap and rock, actual quantitative prevalence is rarely examined. This investigation analyzed 260 rap/hip-hop and rock songs from the top-charts of 1993 and 2003 for rebellious messages about impulsive and hostile behaviors. Results show that the majority of top songs contain rebellious messages. Songs with messages about impulsiveness are more common than those about hostility in the rap/hip-hop genre and have increased.