This study analyzes the lyrical content of popular music recordings, cited as censored from 1986 through 1995, in order to examine characteristics of the recordings that were found to be objectionable and the frequency with which the objections occurred. Out of 60 articles from the music trade magazines, "Billboard" and "Rolling Stone," 77 instances of censorship were recorded and analyzed. The categories for evaluation were the year of citation, music style, and reason for censorship. Nineteen ninety was the year with the highest number of journal articles (21) covering music censorship. Rap (48%) and rock (44.2%) music accounted for a large portion of the total censored recordings and the majority of recordings were censored because of lyrics seen as explicit, profane, obscene or vulgar. In addition, five rock recordings were censored because of objectionable artwork on or inside the covers. Recordings were also censored because of opposition to a view the artist expressed. Two tables depict the years of citation and the reasons for censorship, each according to music styles. Appendices contain a list of the music censorship articles and a coding form for the year of citation, music style, and reason for censorship. (Contains 20 references.) (AEF)