Should I Use Sex To Sell Your Music
Author: Dave Brooks
A student recently asked me, “Is it necessary to use sex to sell my image in the entertainment industry?” Initially, I began to define ‘sex’ as being case specific. It is evident that sex holds an ever-present dominance in the entertainment industry and has for quite some time.
However, the idea of what is acceptable and what is profane has been constantly evolving. I left it up to my student to explore this question, “Are you willing to, according to cultural tendencies, ‘exploit’ yourself and your own morality for the sake of popularity?”
The answer to this question is not as simple as it seems. Without a doubt, sex permeates the very fabric of the entertainment industry’s primary marketing strategy. Appearing in all major forms of media and even in public education, it is as direct as it is subtle. Some people associate ‘sex’ with love and positive feelings. Others see a more lustful and negative connotation (e.g. moralists). The true discrepancies surrounding ‘sex’ arise when these different social norms clash at a live performance where a fifteen year old girl is thrust on stage with little more than two pieces of fabric separating her from the audience. Again, to some, this is what makes the artist more attractive. Others, however, see this behavior as deplorable and even offensive.
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