Running head: COUNTRY MUSIC’S SUICIDAL INFLUENCE

Country Music’s Suicidal Influence

Joshua Rodriguez

The University of Texas at El Paso

Running head: COUNTRY MUSIC’S SUICIDAL INFLUENCE
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Abstract

Stack, S., and Gundlach J. (1992) “The Effects of Country Music on Suicide” Social forces, 211

218. Retrieved from EBSCO Host: Academic Search complete

This article is about the findings of Stack and Gundlach. They looked at several different surveys

to test this hypothesis. In this article they explore the link between country music and

metropolitan suicide rates. They contend that the themes found in country music foster a

suicidal mood among people already at risk of suicide and that it is thereby associated with a

high suicide rate. The effect is supported by the country subculture and a link between this

subculture and a racial status related to an increased suicide risk.

Entertainment Weekly (2004) “Country Music”, Issue 789, pg. 92. Retrieved from EBSCO Host:

Academic Search Complete

This is a radio broadcast that focuses on a study that investigates the link between the radio

airtime devoted to country music and the local suicide rate among whites in the United States.

This is a study done by entertainment weekly. This radio broadcast analysis the effect of

country music and its suicidal connection. I chose this as a source for my report for more

information on this topic. I feel that this source is an excellent source to use because it has a
Running head: COUNTRY MUSIC’S SUICIDAL INFLUENCE
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variety of opinions from people within the organization. Also, because they are a corporation, I

feel that they can give me useful information because of all of their resources as well.

Maguire E. R., Snipes J. B., Reassessing the link between Country Music and Suicide” Retrieved

From EBSCO Host: Academic Search Complete

The focus of this research deals with country music and how it has flourished. Dance halls and new and

old styles of country clothing have become popular in mainstream youth subcultures. The effects of

country upon teens could be significant as song lyrics sometimes deal with suicide and sexually explicit

matters. The greater the airtime given to country music, the greater the white suicide was. Country

music and suicide were also significantly related to gun availability. Metropolitan areas that played

country music were prone to higher suicide rates. Lastly country, according to them was linked to other

things like divorce. I particularly like this source because it goes into further detail of as to how country

music can lead to suicide; it uses divorce as an example.

Mauk, G. W., Taylor, M. J., White, K. R., Allen, T. S. “Comments on Stack and Gunlach’s the

Effect of Country Music on Suicide”: An “Achy Breaky Heart” May not Kill You. Retrieved

from EBSCO Host: Academic Complete

Stack and Gundlach report a strong link between country music and metropolitan suicide rates for

whites. In this article, they argue that the authors fall into the “methodological trap” of presenting weak

arguments by deliberately presenting that a country music subculture, at least partially, explains suicides
Running head: COUNTRY MUSIC’S SUICIDAL INFLUENCE
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among whites in metropolitan areas. They present a counter claim which can be used to help me create

stronger arguments against those that appose what I write in my report. I feel that this will help me

build a stronger case by finding evidence opposing their views. I can also reference them at the end of

my report to show reader that there are opposing views to this argument.

Snipes, J. B., Maguire, E. R. “Country Music, Suicide, and Spuriousness” Retrieved from EBSCO

Host: Academic Search Complete

This article is a response to sociologists Steven Stack and James Gundlach's criticism of the authors'

study on the relationship between country music airtime and suicide rate among whites in the U.S.

Stack and Gundlach argue that the conflicting findings between the studies are due to the difference in

the suicide rates. They found the same correlation between country music and suicide that Stack and

Gundlach report in their response, as a result these data are not an issue in this analysis. Their results

are pretty much the same findings as that of Gundlach and Stack. I chose this article because they found

through their criticisms that Stack and Gundlach were correct in their findings. This shows me more

consistency and makes my argument stronger.

www.jstor.org (2010) “Effect of Country Music on Suicide” Retrieved from Ask.com

Running head: COUNTRY MUSIC’S SUICIDAL INFLUENCE
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This article assesses the link between country music and metropolitan suicide. Country music

supposedly nurtures suicidal thoughts through its concerns with problems common in the suicidal

population, such as marital issues, alcohol abuse, and problems at work. The results of a regression

analysis of 49 metropolitan areas show that the greater the airtime devoted to country music, the

greater the white suicide rate. The effect is independent of divorce, area of concentration, poverty, and

gun availability. The existence of a country music subculture is thought to reinforce the link between

country music and suicide. I chose this model to show help me make the point that country music is

directly correlated to suicide. According to this model country music does in fact influence its listeners.

www.thespoof.com (2008) Report published linking country music to suicide” Retrieved from

Ask.com

This is news article about the publication of Gundlach and Stack’s work on the

correlation of country music and suicide. This report explains their findings and discusses the

many awards that they have earned for their findings. This correlation is not subject to the

location of the listeners, according to their findings it only matters if you listen to the music. I

chose this article because it shows the importance of their work and gives them way more

credibility than they already had initially. I hope to us this in my report to build up my credibility

as well, so that I can make an even stronger argument that country music is directly correlated

to suicide