Now more than ever women are being objectified in the music industry. Rap and trap music have been perpetuating objectification of women and rape culture since their development. This disgusting behavior has spread to new genres of music that have not been previously known for their inclusion of this awful treatment of women. The pop music industry specifically has started including more and more objectifying lyrics into new songs.
One song in particular struck me as revolting when I heard it for the first time. That song is “Strip That Down” by Liam Payne, which was released on May 19 of this year. “Strip That Down” hit number one on the The Billboard + Twitter Trending 140 on the day of its release.
Especially considering it has risen in popularity, it is important for the song to have a positive message, or at least be free of immoral ones.
This song contains lyrics that blatantly objectify women. For instance, Payne repeats “Girl, I love it when your body (grinds on me)” throughout the song. Additionally, some of the first lines of the chorus are “But c’mon, strip that down for me, baby / Now there’s a lot of people in the crowd / But only you can dance with me.” Here, Payne is actually telling the woman he is talking about what she can and cannot do, as if she were a possession.
This is not the only instance where Payne is implying control over a woman’s actions. Later he sings “So put your hands on my body / And swing that round for me, baby (swing).” There are other controversial and controlling phrases throughout the song that turn the woman into his possession rather than a love interest, if that is even the case, because he is too busy singing about her body to tell.
How about caring about something other than her body? Is there anything else to talk about? Famous singers should be better role models for young people.