Members of the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) understand their responsibility in helping parents identify music with explicit lyrics. In a perfect world, parents, teachers and members of the community at large would embrace their own responsibility of attending to the construction of moral shields for children, but we know that this cannot always be the case.

Because it is recognised that there will always be gaps and voids in everyone’s ability to shield and protect society’s kids, CRIA and its members, some years ago, embarked on a communications initiative to assist parents in the identification of recordings whose content might be inappropriate for younger children to hear.

Each member record company of CRIA establishes it’s own set of “community standards and values” which it uses as a framework for responsibly addressing these issues. While respecting the artistic vision of the artist and recognising the value of freedom of expression, the record company may, in some instances, ask an artist to re-record certain songs or to revise lyrics because a creative and responsible view of the music demands such a revision.

In instances where the artist and the record company agree that there is musical and artistic credibility in the work even when the lyrics are too explicit for mainstream distribution, the industry’s “Parental Advisory” label is applied prominently to the outside of the permanent packaging.

All product identified in this way is also brought to the attention of retailers in the distribution process and most Canadian retailers offer yet a ‘second layer’ of checks and balances to support the labelling system in-store, having staff keep watch on who is purchasing these products and asking for age-proof I.D. when necessary.

CRIA and its members will continue in its efforts to ensure that music – all music – commands the maximum opportunity for exposure in the Canadian music marketplace, while at the same time ensuring that the safety and healthful growth of all children is possible.

Below are examples of "Parental Advisory" labelling that is currently in use in Canada.