Danish Dari German Spanish French Turkish Arabic
Click here to go to start page Click here to go to start page
Search Sort content by country/region Sort content by artist Sort content by subject
News stories world-wide
News 2011
News 2010
News 2009
News 2008
News 2007
News 2006
News 2005
News 2004
News 2003
News 2002
News 2001
About music censorship
About Freemuse
Publications
Study room
Activities
Links
Press room

NEWS
17 March 2003

UK licensing bill defeated
Controversial bill defeated in the House of Lords - but has yet to be discussed by MPs.

Story from BBC

"We believe it will lead to the renaissance of live music":

Story from The Guardian

Go to top
Related reading

United Kingdom: Ban on abusive chants by football fans
The British football club Tottenham Hotspur has vowed to ban fans guilty of offensive or abusive chanting. The Scottish government is considering a law about it
05 October 2011
United Kingdom: Music by torture survivors express protest, love and hope
Stone Flowers, a British song-writing and performing project with 21 refugees who are also torture survivors – launched their debut album on 25 September 2011
03 October 2011
Norway/United Kingdom: Muslim pop singer faces threats
During 10 years, threats from angry conservative Muslims silenced the Norwegian and Muslim pop singer Deeyah. Now she breaks her silence.
26 September 2005
United Kingdom: Music festival focuses on human rights
'Mind Out For Music' is a UK music festival for people in the world suffering human rights abuses. It is inspired by and commemorates the murdered Chilean musician Victor Jara
22 July 2005
United Kingdom: Reggae concert banned over lyrics
Jamaican singer Buju Banton has been banned from playing a concert in Manchester after protests over his allegedly homophobic lyrics. Greater Manchester Police cancelled the gig as previous performances "suggest a likelihood of public disorder"
23 September 2004
United Kingdom: Four musicians suspended over Israel-Palestine row
In September 2011, four members of the London Philarmonic Orchestra were suspended for nine months after calling to cancel a concert with the Israel Philarmonic Orchestra
05 October 2011
UK: Ban on steelbands in Leeds Carnival parade due to unrest
Out of “fear it may cause trouble”, traditional Caribbean steelband music has been banned from the 44th Leeds West Indian Carnival parade, reported Yorkshire Evening Post
29 August 2011
UK / Scotland: Offensive football songs criminalised
Scottish football fans could be imprisoned for up to six years for singing offensive songs if an ‘Offensive Behaviour at Football Bill’ is passed in the Scottish Parliament
01 August 2011
UK: Opera author refused censorship of a character’s sexuality
A school and an opera house have pulled out of a 400-person opera production in the last minute as the consequence of a bitter row over a character’s sexuality
04 July 2011
UK: British singer arrested for singing 'Kung Fu Fighting'
Police in Isle of Wight arrested a singer on racism charges after a 32-year-old man allegedly had complained about the singer’s performance of the song ‘Kung Fu Fighting’.
29 April 2011
UK seminar: 'Music and censorship: who calls the tune?'
SOAS Department of Music and Index on Censorship organise a panel discussion on music and censorship on Friday 3 December in London, England
01 December 2010
UK / Chile: Concert to commemorate singer Victor Jara
A concert by Steve Tromans and his band entitled ‘Last Words of Victor Jara’ is performed in Birmingham on 11 November 2009
11 November 2009
Dean Omori
Song and music video entitled 'Censorship Burns The Books Nobody Read' by Dean Omori
28 September 2009
UK: New visa rules threaten dozens of concerts and festivals
A report reveals that more than 20 major arts events have been cancelled or badly affected by new UK visa regulations
17 June 2009
UK: Visa system forces Russian ballet company to cancel shows
A Russian ballet company has been forced to cancel its 2009 programme after failing to obtain UK visas for its dancers in time
17 June 2009
UK / Israel: Cancellation of show causes censorship row
A London-performance of a group of 19-year-old Israeli soldiers turned singers was cancelled because the owners of the theatre hall claimed it was 'political'
04 May 2009
USA: American pop singer pressured to rerecord song
When American pop singer Britney Spears' hit song 'If U Seek Amy' risked censorship on radio stations because of a double entendre in the chorus, she rerecorded the song
15 April 2009
Czech Republic: Bizarre attack on Scottish rock band Primal Scream
Scottish rock band Primal Scream has been accused for “promoting fascism” by the Czech Radio Council in regard to the song 'Swastika Eyes'
25 March 2009
Singapore / United Kingdom: Launch of award for repressed artists
Article 19 and ArtVenture are seeking to “find light in darkness and courage in truth” with a newly established 100,000 US dollars 'Freedom to Create Prize'
18 June 2008
UK: Meeting in London about thought crime and lyrical terrorists
On 26 February 2008 the Manifesto Club in London organises a meeting about free speech and 'thought crime'. Among the speakers are rap artist Aki Nawaz
25 February 2008
UK: Brighton first city to outlaw 'hate music'
The British seaside town Brighton has become the first place in the UK to ban music that "incites hatred towards minorites"
06 December 2007
UK: Reggae star banned from entering Great Britain
Jah Cure recently served eight years in prison for rape and robbery, and is now banned from entering the UK. Activists claim that his concerts would be an insult to rape victims.
18 October 2007
UK: Tory leader calls for ban on violent lyrics
On 4 July 2007, David Cameron renewed his call for the music industry to "show leadership" by banning violent lyrics from songs, reported The Guardian.
04 July 2007
UK: Avoid 'harmful forms of music' in state schools, says Muslim council
Muslim Council of Britain has published recommendations on how music lessons should be taught to Muslims in state schools in the United Kingdom
22 February 2007
UK: Who censors and regulates music in the UK?
Discussion on BBC Radio One Message Boards about music censorship in the United Kingdom: "Is it a separate ordeal, or managed by one main body?"
22 February 2007
UK: City council proposes ban on 'murder music'
Brighton and Hove City Council may become the first in United Kingdom to place a ban on music which encourages violence towards minority groups, reports The Argus
08 February 2007
UK/USA: David Byrne about self-censorship in 1981
David Byrne and Brian Eno removed a song which features samples of Qur'anic recital from re-releases of their 1981-album 'My Life in the Bush of Ghosts'
12 October 2006
Musicians hit by the “9/11-effect”
Tighter restrictions on air travel means that musical instruments are no longer allowed on the plane as carry-on baggage. This has lead to cancellations of concerts and tours
11 September 2006
UK: Controversy over political songs
Aki Nawaz, a British rap artist and frontman of Fun-Da-Mental, is accused of glorifying terrorism. The lyrics on his new album has provoked calls for him to be arrested under anti-terrorism laws
22 August 2006
UK: "Cultural censorship" threatens artistic endeavours
Stringent immigration regulations have led to several foreign artists being denied entry into the UK, making it increasingly difficult to organise musical events featuring foreign artists
16 August 2006