582 Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior 36(5) October 2006  2006 The American Association of Suicidology Problem Music and Self-Harming Adrian C. North, PhD, and David J. Hargreaves, PhD Academics and protest groups have claimed that “problem music” (hard rock, hip hop/rap, & punk) causes self-injurious thoughts/behaviors among fans. In this study we investigated whether the relationship is mediated by self-esteem, delinquency, and conservatism; and whether first exposure to problem music pre- ceded self-injurious thoughts. A liking for problem music was associated with four of the five self-injurious measures, although these significant relationships were weakened (into nonsignificance in the case of two self-injurious measures) when the mediating variables were included. Listening to problem music did not pre- cede self-injurious thoughts. Problem music is associated with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, but this relationship is mediated by other factors and the former does not seem to cause the latter. Several protestors (see, e.g., Litman & Far- Wal-Mart, refused to stock music with lyrics and artwork it deemed objectionable. In berow, 1994) have claimed that hard rock, hip hop/rap, and punk constitute “problem short, the de facto censorship of pop music is becoming more widespread (see Nuzum, 2001, music” and are capable of inducing deleteri- ous behaviors in adolescents and young adults. for other examples). These sanctions would of course be highly desirable if pop music Indeed, since the mid-1980s a parental advi- sory sticker has been attached to any CD of does have deleterious effects on young lis- teners. questionable lyrical content, and this sticker- ing has become highly controversial. Numer- A small number of studies over the past 15 years have focused on musical styles ous states have passed or are currently con- sidering legislation that would outlaw the such as hip hop/rap, punk, and hard rock, and the present research adopts a similar ap- sale of stickered albums to minors, and re- strict or eliminate young people’s access to proach to defining “problem music.” One of the main concerns of this literature has been certain live concerts. The threat of legal ac- tion following accidental sales of stickered with how liking for styles such as these re- lates to various indices of vulnerability and material to minors means that many retailers have already introduced a voluntary ban of deviance. Most importantly, research has in- vestigated whether measures of self-harm are their own. For example, in the 1990s argu- ably the United State’s largest music retailer, higher among fans of problem music than among non-fans. Martin, Clarke, and Pearce (1993) found significant associations between a preference for rock/heavy metal and both Adrian North is affiliated with the School suicidal thoughts and acts of deliberate self- of Psychology at the University of Leicester; and David Hargreaves is on the Faculty of Education harm. Stack, Gundlach, and Reeves (1994) at the University of Surrey Roehampton in found a positive relationship between Ameri- London. can heavy metal magazine subscription rates Address correspondence to Adrian C. North, and youth suicide. Stack (1998) identified a School of Psychology, University of Leicester, Uni- relationship between heavy metal “fanship” versity Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK; E-mail: a.north@le.ac.uk and suicide acceptability. Rustad, Small, Jobes,