The 9/11 attacks devastated Americans, and overnight, the country was never the same. Paranoia was rampant throughout the US, along with heightened patriotism and anti-Muslim sentiment. Following the attacks, media companies such as Clear Channel Communications sent a memo to thousands of radio stations with a list of songs deemed insensitive. These songs were to be pulled from the airwaves and banned. Here are five of over 100 rock songs from the 1990s that were banned from the radio after 9/11, but are considered classics today.
“Enter Sandman” By Metallica
Metallica’s 1991 hit “Enter Sandman” made the list, one of four Metallica songs included on the ban list. Others include “Seek And Destroy”, “Harvester Or Sorrow”, and “Fade To Black”. Their direct competitor, Megadeth, had two songs included as well.
“Sabotage” By Beastie Boys
New York’s own rap trio, the Beastie Boys, had not one, but two songs included on the list. Due to their lyrical content, “Sabotage” and “Sure Shot” made the list. Two days after the attack, Mike D appeared on MTV News, where he discussed the tragic day. He explained that he lived closer to the Twin Towers and witnessed the attack firsthand.
“Black Hole Sun” By Soundgarden
Three Soundgarden songs made the list: “Black Hole Sun”, “Fell On Black Days”, and “Blow Up The Outside World”.
“Bullet With Butterfly Wings” By The Smashing Pumpkins
From The Smashing Pumpkins’ catalog, only one song made the list. Due to its lyrical content, their 1996 hit “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” made the list. The lyrics never reference a plane crash or attack of any kind.
“Ironic” By Alanis Morissette
Non-ironically, Alanis Morissette’s 1996 hit “Ironic” made the list. “Ironic” contains lyrical content about death, specifically referencing a plane crash in the second verse. “Mr. Play-It-Safe was afraid to fly / He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids goodbye / He waited his whole damn life to take that flight / And as the plane crashed down, he thought, ‘Well, isn’t this nice?”
Every Song By Rage Against The Machine
Not just one or two, but all songs from Rage Against The Machine’s catalog were banned from the airwaves.
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