Final answer:
Threats of censorship affecting popular music started gaining prominence in the 1950s with reactions to rock and roll, escalating with the Parents Music Resource Center's actions in 1985, and opposition from within the music industry. Historical censorship practices can also be traced back to the Civil War and World War I.
Step-by-step explanation:
Beginnings of Music Censorship Concerns
Threats of censorship began to menace popular music prominently in the 1950s. The dissatisfaction of many parents towards rock and roll, which was seen as a threat to American values, became evident when Elvis Presley's performance on The Ed Sullivan Show deliberately avoided showing his characteristic lower body movements. Concerns about morality and propriety in entertainment led to actions such as the foundation of the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) in 1985, which pushed for a voluntary rating system to restrict children's access to music with sexual or violent content. Amidst these concerns, figures from the music industry, including Twisted Sister's Dee Snider and folk musician John Denver, advised Congress against these restrictions, seeing them as a move towards censorship.
The historical roots of censorship in American media trace back to times such as the Civil War, with Union post offices refusing to distribute anti-war newspapers. However, controversies over freedom of expression and subsequent censorship in the realm of popular culture began to escalate in the 20th century with the emergence of new media forms like photography, film, and eventually, popular music genres such as rock 'n' roll and rap. Censorship reached new heights during World War I, where it was used to control the narrative and maintain support for the war effort. Music, like other forms of media, faced similar challenges as governments sought to regulate content deemed inappropriate or a threat to societal norms.