Can you say that on the radio?

[JG96]

So one of my bands most popular song uses the word "weed" in the chorus. From what I have heard marijuana references are not allowed on the radio and they are only allowed if very discrete. For example 2 Chainz says "I am smoking on that gas" in one of his songs. However Drake uses the word "kush" on one of his songs that gets a lot of airplay. So what I am asking basically is if anyone knows if there is an actual rule for this? Could "weed" be replaced with "trees" and be acceptable for airplay?

 

[JimmyS1969]

It depends on the station, and who it is owned by. Also, it depends on the context of the wording. If you think you will get airplay on a station owned by Clear Channel, then make an edited version.

 

[XploZiveToyz]

What Jimmy said. There is certainly no law against the word, but each station has their own policies about what can and cannot be said on their airways. However, you and your band have no balls whatsoever if you'll let some chickenshit program director or general manger tell you what you can or can't say in YOUR OWN song. Especially when the statistics tell us that they most likely would not have played your song irregardless as to whether you said "weed" or didn't. On a side-note; I actually used to be a DJ at radio station located in a small southern town right on the buckle of the bible belt. One Sunday night I thought I'd turned the microphone off, but hadn't, and said the word "Fuck" over the the air. Those southern baptists assholes wanted to lynch me! LOL! As I told them shortly after they'd terminated my employment there,"Fuck'em if they can't take a joke, and joke'm if they can't take a fuck!" LOL!

 

[JG96]

LOL I like the story! The reason I am asking is because I have a connection at a major radio station and I want to send the DJ I know material that is radio friendly. That means replacing the word "fuck" in some songs. If replacing the word weed will make a good song radio ready then I do not see any reason why not. Also hopefully I can get it played on the radio station at my college and my other bandmates can do the same.

 

[XploZiveToyz]

I was just playing with you. Do what you need to do. Kid Rock has some kind of tag recorded for some of his songs where some chick says,"Radio edit" over whatever offensive word Rock said. Unfortunately shallow minded people are still scared of words. Lenny Bruce fought the shallow minded fifty or so years ago, and today the fight continues. I remember when Judas Priest and Ozzy were both sued because some weak minded assholes committed suicide. How ridiculous. The parents should have been sued for giving birth to mental defectives! I guess just do what most artists do now days and record two versions of your stuff.

 

[JG96]

Cool Cool. Its silly that censorship still exists so extensively in the US. Freedom of speech my ass! Apparently in some parts of Europe they have straight up **** on the television. The concept of suing an artist over a persons suicide is absurd. You can not blame someones depression/mental disorder upon music alone, let alone a single artist.
Nonetheless I would rather swallow some pride and make radio edits in order to get publicity. Hopefully one day radio will be more open to dirty words.

 

[Steenamaroo]

We had a few songs aired with mild swearing. One example I can think of had the word "pissing" in the chorus.
One station played it as is, another edited it out.

Once I did clean masters for radio but it turned out to be pointless because the DJs got hold of, and played, the edited tracks.

On the last record I did there were two swear words. I told the guy I'd happily do edits, but if he had an alternate lyrics it would keep things simple. (registering two copies and all that)
He ended up coming up with clean lyrics that he preferred.

However, you and your band have no balls whatsoever if you'll let some chickenshit program director or general manger tell you what you can or can't say in YOUR OWN song.

Bit strong, no?
Plenty of people do alternate versions for radio.