At least they didn’t ban Bad Romance.

It’s all over cyberspace now how China has banned the music of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Beyonce, Backstreet Boys and Simple Plan. I don’t really listen to Western music and the only song I know from the list is Backstreet Boys’ old hit, I Want It That Way. And I can’t fathom for the life of me why that song would be banned. Perhaps because it speaks of self-determination (I never wanna hear you say I want it that way), that to the old geezers at China’s ministry of culture, is something that should be discouraged even if it is coming from a bloody, shallow song from a boy band that is not even heard of now.

Here’s the list of the Western songs they blocked:

• Beyonce: Run The World (Girls)
• Owl City: Honey and the Bee, The Real World and Plant Life
• Simple Plan: You Suck At Love, Can’t Keep My Hands Off You, Loser of the Year and Freaking Me Out
• Katy Perry: E.T. and Last Friday Night
• Natalie Walker: Uptight, Mars and Cool Kids
• Britney Spears: Burning Up
• Backstreet Boys: I Want It That Way
• Lady Gaga: The Edge of Glory, Hair, Marry The Night, Americano, Judas and Bloody Mary

They have also banned songs by Taiwanese, HK and Japanese artists:

• Yoga Lin: 林宥嘉 (Wake Up), 晚安 (Good Night) and 纪念品 (Souvenir)

• Khalil Fong: 昙花, 情胜策略 and 无菇朋友
• Rachel Liang: 一百万种亲吻 (One Million Kinds of Kisses) and 姐妹淘 (Sister Friend)

• Ah Mei: 我最亲爱的 (My Dearest), 你在看我吗 (You Look At Me) and 还有眼泪就好 (Like Tears)
• Jam Hsiao: 你 (You), 复制人 (Human Cloning), 狂想曲 (Rhapsody), 怎么说我不爱你 (How To Say I Do Not Love You) and 只能想念你.

• Ken Hirai: Sing Forever, いとしき日々よ, Candy and R&B
• Andy Hui: 一直相爱 (Been In Love), 忘了忘不了 (Forget Forget) and 从没这么爱恋过 (Never Had Such A Love)
• Shawn Yue: 默背你的心碎 and  你说我太帅

The complete list here.

According to this article explaining the ban, sex, politics or religion could put a song on the blacklist but even songs about “youthful independence” may run afoul of censors.

As long as they don’t ban Arashi and Jay Chou songs, that’s fine by me.

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