Statement From The National Association of Recording Merchandisers Regarding the RIAA Parental Advisory Program

The National Association of Recording Merchandisers has long supported the industry’s practice of affixing parental advisory notices to recordings with explicit lyrics. NARM continues to support this voluntary program because it serves as a useful tool to parents in their decision making process regarding what music they deem appropriate for their children.

As the national trade association of retailers, wholesalers, and distributors who sell recorded music of all kinds in tremendously diverse communities, NARM has found that our member companies use the RIAA Parental Advisory Program in a variety of ways. Some companies choose not to purchase recordings which carry the Advisory; some let the Advisory speak for itself; others restrict the sale of these titles to teens and young children and still others place the responsibility in the hand of store managers who must then decide what is best for that store in that community. Despite the diversity of approach, the common theme which unites NARM members is support for the Parental Advisory program.

Over the years, NARM has worked closely with the RIAA to find ways of making the existing tool even more effective. The language and look of the logo have been standardized. The logo almost always appears under the shrinkwrap where it can continue to alert parents to lyric content even after purchase. Posters and counter cards have been developed as part of an industry-wide effort to better publicize the program to parents.

No advisory program can ever perfectly match the wide array of consumer views concerning what is appropriate for them or for younger listeners in their families. However, NARM believes that more and more parents are learning how to use the Parental Advisory much as they also use the information systems in place for other forms of entertainment. Most importantly, focus groups of parents have confirmed that they prefer this voluntary information system over one of censorship and government regulation.