China to ban karaoke songs with ‘illegal content’

BEIJING: China will ban karaoke songs perceived to “endanger national security”, as state controls attempt to muzzle the mics of a KTV-obsessed nation.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism said it will establish a blacklist of banned songs with “illegal content”, such as endangering national security and unity, inciting ethnic hatred, or promoting cults, gambling and crime.

China regularly removes songs deemed to be “politically incorrect” from domestic music streaming services.

In its note, published on Tuesday, the ministry did not elaborate on how a song could endanger national security, or reveal the contents of its blacklist.

But a national security law imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong last year effectively criminalised the public performance of songs sung during anti-government protests that rocked the semi autonomous city in 2019.

In 2019, Chinese music streaming sites took down unofficial protest anthems, including the Les Miserables song Do You Hear The People

Sing, as well as some songs by the Chinese rock musician Li Zhi that referenced the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

The new rules, which come into effect on Oct 1, require karaoke content providers to audit their catalogues, adding the ministry may establish a central expert review group for songs.

The regulations were met with widespread ridicule on the Chinese social network Weibo.

“Should I sing a positive song 10 times over to brainwash myself into becoming positive?” commented one user. – AFP