News & Jukebox Chart

You’re not playing that in my pub…

Music can bring people together but it can also drive people apart. Nowhere is this truer than in the pub, where passions, sometimes fuelled by alcohol, can run high.

Playing an Oasis track on a jukebox in a Liverpool pub on match day could be seen as a challenge. Ask us here at Soundnet; we have had numerous requests from pubs to block certain artists and tracks – who although quite innocent of any real intent to offend, do so nonetheless, to certain groups of customers.

Luckily for us here at Soundnet, we are able to help with all of these requests. Not only do/can we profile sites before a jukebox goes into them, we also have an ongoing dialogue with customers over subsequent new music. Certain tracks or genres of music can be blocked easily by the site or operator at different times of day, as well, to minimize inflicting inadvertent discomfort to your clientele.

The fact is, that pubs are multi functional – there is a totally different group of customers who will come in at lunchtime, rather than in the evening. Clearly, a group of pensioners on a coach trip are not going to appreciate a lot of the music that would commonly be played by a younger clientele. So, it would be prudent to stick with the middle of the road before they hit the road.

Being music lovers here at Soundnet, we took on the challenge to seek out some of the most offensive songs ever released. Some of the titles were so bad we couldn’t actually write them down – but here is a small selection:

Frank Zappa – We’re Turning Again – from the album Have I Offended Someone? And yes, he did – just about everyone, in fact from Catholics, to the French, hippies to homosexuals.

Rap is a minefield for offense. The act 2 Live Crew and their song “Me So Horny” (2012) glorifies in its offensiveness as they refer to themselves as “dogs in heat” and far worse. Not one for the Darby and Joan.

Finally, are we alone in thinking that The Rolling Stones – Brown Sugar – despite being a fantastic tune has some seriously dubious sentiments? Or who indeed could forget the classic Relax from Frankie Goes to Hollywood – offensive, yes but a party classic nonetheless…

Tagged in: Music News