MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

Music has influenced human culture for centures. As times have progressed, musical lyrics artists scribe into their music has become more about people in society. Lyrics have covered many societal issues, and continue to encrypt messages about personal image, as well. Queen explains in their song, “Fat Bottomed Girls,” “Hey I was just a skinny lad/ Never knew no good from bad/ But I knew love before I left my nursery/ Left alone with big fat Fanny/ She was such a naughty nanny/ Heap, big woman, you made a bad boy out of me.” This type of message was portrayed through various other artists as well, making it know in prior years that “fat shaming” was popular in the American musical culture. Since those years, there has been a more recent turn around on the message portrayed about body image through music. Meghan Trainor, for example, has encrypted a new type of message in her music that could be considered “skinny shaming” and rather accepting of being a larger individual in society. For example, in Meghan Trainor’s biggest hit thus far, “All About that Bass,” she explains, “I’m bringing booty back/ Go ‘head and tell them skinny b*tches that/ No, I’m just playing, I know you think you’re fat/ But I’m here to tell you…/ Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top.” In this research, it will be further understood as to why and how the musical language and messages portrayed about body image have shifted over the past decade, making it more commonly heard nowadays of these popular artists shaming different ideas. This research will study music over the past 5 decades, and how the subjects and messages artists inscribe into their music have changed overtime, influencing how the human culture defines body image.