Explicit Tracks now Censored

[AdamPandora]

Hi everyone!

We've noticed reports about explicit tracks now playing as censored versions of your favorite tunes.

We try to buy unedited versions of all music and comedy we acquire, but sometimes a clean version is all that's available. This is particularly common with movie soundtracks and best-of collections.

Sometimes our licensing for certain content may expire. Other times we get the radio edit of a track before we get the original, and the tracks are indistinguishable from one another from a database perspective.

For that reason, Pandora might select a clean track from one of these sources instead of a nearly identical track from another album. This is an unfortunate reality of the record business: sometimes songs that are not identical are labeled as identical.

Finally, the lyrics preview will always display "clean" lyrics. If you'd like to view the full, uncensored text, click Show more or See all lyrics.

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To report any tracks that were once explicit but are now censored, please provide the following info:

• The device you are using to stream Pandora:
• The name of the station where this occurred:
• The name(s) of the artist(s):
• The title(s) of the censored track(s):
• Confirmation that you were able to give the censored track(s) a Thumbs down:
• Were you listening using a Pandora Mode like Crowd Faves, Discovery or Deep Cuts?:
• A screenshot of the censored track that plays on your station:

Once we have this information, we can report it to our curation team for you.

Thanks for your help, and see ya around the community!

[AdamPandora]

@Daxtra The next time the censored version of that track plays with the Thumbs Up icon highlighted, can you please grab a screenshot and send that in a reply to this message?

Thanks for working with me on this. 🤝

[imsimsj]

Why did Pandora try to take the word gun out of knocking on heaven's door by guns and roses? Give it a listen. I have it set to play explicit content so this is insane.

[AdamPandora]

@imsimsj I moved your post into this existing thread: Explicit Tracks now Censored

The next time this happens, please thumb down the censored track(s), and make sure to grab a screenshot(s) of the now playing screen.

You can then send that screenshot over to me in reply to this message.

Thanks for working with me on this. 🤝

[chrisawh]

This track specifically states it explicit but bleeps every other word.

[AdamPandora]

Thank you for reporting this, @chrisawh. 

[Crayshack]

I just had a track that was previously Thumbed Up as an uncensored version play as a censored version.  Nightmare by Avenged Sevenfold

[AdamPandora]

Thank you for reporting this, @Crayshack. 🤝

[Missojai]

Computer/Firefox, my personal Red Hot Chili Peppers station, song is Sugar from System of a Down, not using any Pandora modes, song does not show as a "censored/clean" version and I know I have listened to the non-censored version and I would not have thumbed up the clean version. I also do have my settings set to allow explicit content.

So going to the lyrics page shows the correct lyrics, but only there does a "Clean" label show by the song title, it does not show in the "Now Playing" page.

[AdamPandora]

Thank you for reporting this, @Missojai. 🤝

I've escalated it over to our curation team so they can help look into it further.

[wellaimed]

As the photo shows, this is a single, that says "Explicit" and it still played the Clean version.

Computer, using Chrome, Explicit is allowed.

[AdamPandora]

Thanks for reporting this, @wellaimed!

[wellaimed]

Here's another where everything says "Explicit" but it's actually censored.

Computer, using Chrome, Explicit is allowed.

[AdamPandora]

Thank you for reporting this one as well, @wellaimed.

[Bildo182]

Hi Adam I just experienced listening to one of my favorite songs now censored with a thumbs up and the lyrics on the information page when you click the album still says the original lyrics however those lyrics have been changed listening to the song how can I fix this or why is this happening the song is Wiz Khalifa's Young Wild and Free I did take a screenshot

[AdamPandora]

@Bildo182 Can you please send us the screenshot you mentioned?

(Please note you won't be able to attach images via email - you will need to open this Community link in a web browser in order to provide attachments)

Thanks for the help!

[maxzakh]

I am also having this problem, I would NEVER opt to listen to a censored song...

[AdamPandora]

@maxzakh To clarify, are explicit tracks that you have previously given a Thumbs Up to now playing again but censored?

If so, the next time the censored version of that track plays with the Thumbs Up icon highlighted, can you please grab a screenshot and send that in a reply to this message?

Thanks for working with me on this. 🤝

[iain]

I am on a mac running macOS 13.2.1, and using the desktop application.

System of a Down Radio

Sugar by System of a Down played censored. It was already thumbs upped, and I would have never thumbs upped a censored track.

I have now thumbs downed the track, which I am chagrined to do, since I do love that song. I simply believe censored music to be a bastardization of the medium.

I was listened to the "My Station" version.

[AdamPandora]

@iain Thanks for providing that info.

I've passed this along to the appropriate parties for further investigation. We'll follow up with you if we need any additional details.

Thanks for your patience in the meantime!

[Scooterunderwoo]

Samsung s22+

Direct album play, not a station. Album has the explict E.

Artist name: Fidlar

Song: Awkward

Cannot thumbs vote.