Iranian Music Streaming Site Removes All Female Singers From Their Album Covers, And It Looks Really Wrong
An album isn't just about the music. Yes, the sounds are without a doubt its most essential element, but we must acknowledge the role of cover art in making it whole. Be it the fold-out gatefolds of the vinyl era, the pull-out liner notes in CD cases or the icon on a digital player, these visuals have an important role in defining how we look at a particular release. However, one Iranian streaming site, Melovaz, isn't happy with how some of them look. In fact, they're so worried these album covers might be a bad influence on their listeners, they're censoring them. What devil seeds are these pictures featuring, you ask? Women.
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"I was casually scrolling through Reddit when a user there submitted a photo of Taylor Swift's new album cover without herself, just the album title," Izzi, the Twitter user who spread the message, told Bored Panda. "In the comment section, someone linked to that Iranian music streaming site so I went there and discovered the huge collection of photoshopped music covers specifically involving women."
Lady Gaga - A Star Is Born
At first, he was surprised and in disbelief, however, due to the ridiculousness of the situation, Izzi couldn't help but laugh at some of the horrible jobs they did to remove the female artists from their covers. "That was when I felt like I should share this on my Twitter."
"The editing for A Star Is Born's song Shallow by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper infuriated me the most. They completely censored and removed Gaga but not Brad, and even did a terrible job at it. That was so unnecessary."
"I would like to add that I know for a fact that some countries in the Middle East would censor its female images by adding clothes and hijabs, I'm not okay with that, but this Iranian streaming site takes it to a whole new level by erasing every trace of them," Izzi said. "I hope this brings some awareness to the world that some women still face this kind of discrimination even in the 21st century."
Avril Lavigne - Head Above Water Cover
honestly, the second one actually looks pretty cool, it just needs a different title
Little Mix Ft. Nicki Minaj - Woman Like Me
Why? These are just head shots while wearing black turtlenecks.
Lizzo, Dababy - Truth Hurts
Oh. My. God. I can see a little bit of female skin in the bottom left! What a scandal, the censors didn't do a good job.
Melanie Martinez - K-12
They also erased half of the flower pot. Like, what did it do wrong?
Ariana Grande - Imagine
Kygo And Whitney Houston - Higher Love
Meghan Trainor - Badass Woman
Celine Dion - Courage
Bebe Rexha - Last Hurrah
Saweetie - Icy
This is like the only one I remotely understand the purpose for censoring.
Note: this post originally had 64 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
As Iranian girl who lives there, I'd like to mention that according to strange law here listening to female singers is banned and this site is doing illegal and this sort of censorship is a weak try for ditching authorities. by the way 90 percent of people here don't like this kind of rules and don't listen to the government. this actually happened after 1979 Revolution in Iran before that time we had a free country like yours.
It makes more sense now that you've explained the reason why. Religion should never have power in government. I hope you return to having freedoms, stay strong, sister! ✊
The US are complicit in the conversion of Iran to Theocracy in their support of then-Shah. The US are complicit for the genesis of most of the countries it calls enemies, whether in the Middle East or Central America. The US are like Mickey Mouse in the Sorceror's Apprentice: well-meaning--if self-serving can ever be termed well-meaning--, but woefully ignorant.
I wouldn't romanticize the Shah's era too much. The religious government has made Iran a very hard place to live in, but namy older Iranians will tell you it was worse under the Shah, but for different reasons. Iran is a beautiful country and she deserves better than this,, but nostalgia for a time of freedom that didn't exist won't server her well.
Religious extremists have too much power in the US too. Here, they elected a foreign operative as President.
TRUE
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False! Hillary lost the election.
Huh, thanks. Context is everything. I mean, censorship in general is ridiculous, but it makes sense that people do what they can to circumvent over-bearing laws and regulations.
Was it really a revolution then?
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It is kinda ironically that you claim to be an Iranian girl in a post about censoring women...
Another proof those fanatics are completly stupid.
Apparently I was downvoted for agreeing with you on how the Iranian government is treating the women is wrong. Wow.....
There's more down here!
there sure is
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Burk and Shock ... you guys are the cutest couple.
a worthy attempt at a post but ultimately a fail
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not stupid....................committed
Not committed......... completely and utterly extreme and insane. I wonder of the kind of society and the atrocities it will lead to by this non sense.
Doesn't matter. What they are doing is still wrong.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
To stupidity
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
HOW COMMITTED ARE YOU TO SUCKING THAT TRUMP DICK?
Yet censorship is accepted widely, particularly if moneycomes i to play. Western IT companies freely abide to China's censorship for example if they fear it might otherwise affect their business.
To their credit, these Iranian sites seem to be doing what they have to to make Western music available. It sounds like they’re risking arrest and aren’t even making money. Western companies are the exact opposite.
As Iranian girl who lives there, I'd like to mention that according to strange law here listening to female singers is banned and this site is doing illegal and this sort of censorship is a weak try for ditching authorities. by the way 90 percent of people here don't like this kind of rules and don't listen to the government. this actually happened after 1979 Revolution in Iran before that time we had a free country like yours.
It makes more sense now that you've explained the reason why. Religion should never have power in government. I hope you return to having freedoms, stay strong, sister! ✊
The US are complicit in the conversion of Iran to Theocracy in their support of then-Shah. The US are complicit for the genesis of most of the countries it calls enemies, whether in the Middle East or Central America. The US are like Mickey Mouse in the Sorceror's Apprentice: well-meaning--if self-serving can ever be termed well-meaning--, but woefully ignorant.
I wouldn't romanticize the Shah's era too much. The religious government has made Iran a very hard place to live in, but namy older Iranians will tell you it was worse under the Shah, but for different reasons. Iran is a beautiful country and she deserves better than this,, but nostalgia for a time of freedom that didn't exist won't server her well.
Religious extremists have too much power in the US too. Here, they elected a foreign operative as President.
TRUE
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
False! Hillary lost the election.
Huh, thanks. Context is everything. I mean, censorship in general is ridiculous, but it makes sense that people do what they can to circumvent over-bearing laws and regulations.
Was it really a revolution then?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
It is kinda ironically that you claim to be an Iranian girl in a post about censoring women...
Another proof those fanatics are completly stupid.
Apparently I was downvoted for agreeing with you on how the Iranian government is treating the women is wrong. Wow.....
There's more down here!
there sure is
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Burk and Shock ... you guys are the cutest couple.
a worthy attempt at a post but ultimately a fail
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
not stupid....................committed
Not committed......... completely and utterly extreme and insane. I wonder of the kind of society and the atrocities it will lead to by this non sense.
Doesn't matter. What they are doing is still wrong.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
To stupidity
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
HOW COMMITTED ARE YOU TO SUCKING THAT TRUMP DICK?
Yet censorship is accepted widely, particularly if moneycomes i to play. Western IT companies freely abide to China's censorship for example if they fear it might otherwise affect their business.
To their credit, these Iranian sites seem to be doing what they have to to make Western music available. It sounds like they’re risking arrest and aren’t even making money. Western companies are the exact opposite.