Many great and talented lives have been cut short, ended by an addictive thrill, drugs. From a rush of fame, or a lack of one, many stars, especially musicians, have been influenced to do drugs. Many say the music industry should do something about the rising number of singers using drugs and singing songs about drugs. Sex, drugs, and everything that comes along with them have changed many generations for the worst. The question at hand is why do so many think that a life full of drugs is a better, richer, happier life?

INFLUENCES
I turned on the radio and the song that was on was Young, Wild, and Free by Wiz Khalifa. I wondered about how Wiz Khalifa became famous and got his songs played and listened to by many. All he did was have some fun with pot and write about it. If making money is that easy, why don’t I give it a try?
“So what we get drunk; so what we smoke weed?” Yeah, Wiz Khalifa, so what? It’s just going to end my life sooner, but hey no problem! It’s a small price for fun, right? Wiz Khalifia is not the only artist who influences kids to think about drugs. Green Day, The Beatles, Guns n’ Roses, Metallica, Rihanna, Jay-Z and many more also write about or do drugs. Artists like, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and even Amy Winehouse have died at 27, at the peak of their career, due to drug or alcohol related problems. These stars are influenced by the ones around them or from the stress they feel every day. That influence is then passed on to their fans. There are also stars like Brittney Spears and Michael Jackson who are thought to have done drugs to get the attention of their fans back. Living a life full of money and adoring fans is hard to give up; this makes some try anything to get it back. Anything they try to get their fame back is a life-costing move, so even if it works it will never pay off.
BANDS AND SINGERS WHO USE DRUGS (when talking about a band this does not include all members)(also just because these bands have made bad life choices doesn’t mean they’re bad bands. I like most of the bands/ singers on this list.) :
Green Day

Eminem

Michael Jackson
Ramones


Amy Winehouse
Kid CuDi

Guns n’ Roses
Thin Lizzy


Janis Joplin

Nirvana

Metallica

Bob Marley

Jimi Hendrix

Jefferson Airplane
Grateful Dead
Elvis Presley

Wiz Khalifia

Lady GaGa

Rihanna

The Who
Jay-Z



Sex Pistols

John Mayer

Judy Garland
Jim Morrison

Bruno Mars

Billie Holiday

Miley Cyrus
The Beatles

Fergie


Snoop Dog

Metro Station
Brittney Spears
Aerosmith

Bob Dylan

and Many More…
WHAT DO TEENS THINK?
When asked about drugs and artists who use them, most teens will tell you that yes, they do listen to songs where there is some kind of drug message. “It’s just a song who cares what it’s about as long as it’s good,” was the over all response from most teens. When asked if drugs were bad for them, the group of teens answered yes. It seems that they do know the risks of doing drugs and that by “using them they are just throwing their life away’” was said by a few of the teens. At the same time, not all of the teens could claim that they don’t do and/or know someone who does drugs.
“Do what cool, Man, Yeah drugs!”
Don’t let others influence you to do something you know is clearly wrong!

QUESTIONS TO ASK
If so many songs are about drugs, then what would a drug-free music world be like? Would it be less fun? Would it be harder to tell teen music from kid music? Would freedom of expression be lacking? What if this did happen? What if the music world got rid of drugs and music got worse? But what if at the same time less people do and die from drugs? … Is it a price worth paying?



Now that you know how many artists do or sing about drugs and what the average teen think about drugs how do you feel? We live in a world where expression is everything. A great way to put out that expression is through music. What world a world with out music be like? I hope we never have to know. The best thing to do is to trust teens, when it comes down to we know what the right thing to do is. We know what’s wrong and what’s right. Express yourself however you want. Keep this world unique!