Backward Masking Technique Used to Convey Hidden Messages Trough Nowadays Pop Songs

Abstract

This research attempts to find and analyze backward masking technique used in nowadays pop songs as a part of popular culture. The issue of backward masking is widely discussed in internet as a tool to convey hidden messages like free sex or promiscuity, homosexual, lesbian, drugs use, suicide and satanic worship or Satanism. It inspires me to check whether the rumors are true or not because we as English Department people commonly use pop songs in English as instruments in teaching learning activities. Other consideration is that pop songs cannot be separated from our daily lives. I hope that this research can be a useful consideration and reading materials for English Department people and also for the youth people in general. This research is a qualitative descriptive research using 7 of Britney Spears songs as research sample and a free or an open source software called Audacity as the research instrument. The software is used to play the sample songs backward or reversedly to find any hidden messages. Result of this research leads to an obvious conclusion. The analyzed data showed that 6 out of 7 Britney Spears‘ songs found as containing hidden messages on the issues of free sex or promiscuity, homosexual and satanic worship.