Annie Lennox wants ratings for ‘porn’ music videos a la Miley Cyrus

Annie Lennox knows a thing or two about pop stardom. Now the former Eurythmics frontwoman is upset about what she calls “soft porn” videos used to hawk today’s pop music.

“I have to say that I’m disturbed and dismayed by the recent spate of overtly sexualised performances and videos,” the “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” singer wrote on her Facebook page Saturday. “You know the ones I’m talking about. It seems obvious that certain record companies are peddling highly styled pornography with musical accompaniment.”

Lennox expanded on her comments in a BBC radio interview and has called for music videos to be rated the same way that films are. (In the U.S., programs carry content ratings for parents, although individual music videos and performances do not.)

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Lennox carefully avoiding singling out any performer, but her comments seemed inspired at least in part by Miley Cyrus, the former “Hannah Montana” teen idol who has reinvented herself as a scantily clad, tongue-lolling pop tart. Cyrus, 20, was heavily criticized for twerking and grinding her way through a risque performance at MTV’s Video Music Awards in August with Robin Thicke, whose recent video for “Blurred Lines” features a parade of topless models. Cyrus followed up the MTV performance with a video for her latest single, in which she appears nude astride a wrecking ball.

“I believe in freedom of speech and expression, but the market forces don’t give a toss about the notion of boundaries,” Lennox wrote. “As long as there’s booty to make money out of, it will be bought and sold. It’s depressing to see how these performers are so eager to push this new level of low.”

What do you think of Lennox’s comments? Should there be ratings on music videos? Why or why not?

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