The Hidden Messages In Songs Essay Example

Throughout the past several decades a new theory has emerged in music: that artists are hiding messages in their songs. This theory has been confirmed by some songwriters like John Lennon and Taylor Swift, and has been denied by many others. Some of the messages are small sayings, clues to new music release dates and some are full on conspiracy theories. Most of the theories were created in the late ‘60s to the late ‘80s but they still remain a popular subject of conspiracy theorists. 

In order to determine if any of this is true, we have to look back through the history of subliminal messaging and “backmasking”, seeing where it started. Backmasking is a recorded “message” that is played backward on a track. This really became a popular way to find hidden or subliminal messages in 1968 when Rolling stone released an article quoting John Lennon saying, “On the end of Rain you hear me singing it backwards” He admits that the Beatles do leave backwards “messages” on some of their tracks. 

Thus starting one of the largest conspiracy theories in America, that artists leave hidden messages in their music. This theory, now widely rejected, is still popular enough amongst Americans to be second only to things like aliens in area 51, and that the assassination of JFK was an inside job. Even today every time a new song is released there are always people saying there is a hidden message, uploading it to youtube as if this could be a full-time job. There are youtube accounts that only post popular songs played in reverse highlighting lines that could be considered backmask. 

The late ‘60s is when backmasking really got its start, continuing to grow larger when it hit its peak in the ‘70s & ‘80. Surprisingly the people who believed in backmasking the most were adults. Parents believing that rock was brainwashing their children.  In 1983 there was a book published tilted“Backward Masking Unmasked” written by a youth minister named Jacob Aranza. This book was an attempt to expose backward “satanic” messages in 80s rock music. This clearly was a failed attempt. He mentions things like Led Zeppelin’s “stairway to heaven” is full of backmasked messages like: “So here’s to my sweet Satan.” Aranza believes the bands but these messages in their songs corrupt impressionable minds into worshiping the devil. 

In 1985 several concerned parents created the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) with the purpose of censoring the music that children could listen to, music deemed to have violence or drug related themes could be censored. Bands like Led Zeppelin, and Judas Priest, were accused of spreading satanic messages subliminally. While these groups aren't currently a part of pop culture the PMRC is still up and running censoring the songs that you hear today. There are more examples out there of current pop culture icons like Taylor swift and Katy Perry backmasking their songs to tell fans they worship the devil and are a part of the Illuminati. 

There are different types of messages when it comes to subliminal messaging, while most popular is the backmasking, devil worshiping type there are other conspiracies on subliminal messages in music. One grotesque theory is that the CIA wrote songs. To give some context to this theory; in the 1990’s a heavy metal band(the Scorpions) from Germany released a “power ballad” titled “Winds of Change” this song became a theme throughout Europe, considering this was around the time of the Berlin Wall and the close to collapsing Soviet Union. 

Several years later Patrick Radden Keefe (host of “Winds of Change) hears a rumor that The Scorpions didn’t actually write the song, the CIA did. The song speaks of a peaceful time, and feeling or listening to the “winds of change” the most remarkable part of the story is that The Scorpions actually got to tour the Soviet Union. So a collapsing Soviet Union hears a song about change, and the best idealisms behind it. Not exactly shooting Archduke Franz Ferdanae but as close as the United states could get, if they did in fact write the song.  

This type of subliminal messaging stems for the humanities of people. Hoping that small ideas spark something big like a revolution. There is a podcast titled “winds of change” after the song that explains all of these events, this podcast was nominated for the podcast of the year in 2020 and maybe nominated again in 2021. 

The last way to have subliminal messaging in music is best shown by singer-songwriter Taylor Swift who uses a more personable way of using hidden messages. Calling them “Easter eggs”. Taylor Swift is notorious for hiding messages throughout not only her songs but her social media platforms. Tweeting and Instagramming things only her most dedicated fans can make out. Usually, they are clues to when new music will be dropping, or who her songs are written about. It seems to be the next step of messaging in music. 

Other than Swift's easter eggs and the few times artists have publicized their hidden messages, this theory of subliminal messaging in music is widely rejected today based purely on the extensive amount of loopholes. Questions start to emerge; can your brain even pick up on backmasking let alone understand it, how would someone even go about recording something backward. There's a multitude of unknowns for commonalty to believe something like this. Soon enough our society will move past messaging in music like we have moved on from so many other trends, backmasking and easter eggs will be a thing of the past.