10 Bizarre Reasons Songs Were Banned From The Radio

Released in 1958, Rumble was praised for its tough sound, as well as being one of the first uses of the distorted electric guitar in a mainstream track. This praise, however, did not extend to many American radio executives who decided to ban the song once it had released. This decision is one of the most confusing acts of music censorship for one simple reason.

Rumble is an instrumental.

With absolutely zero spoken words, this song managed to get itself blacklisted nationwide on the basis of its title and the harshness of its sound. Apparently, many thought that the song was meant to glorify gang-related fights and violence. Despite its ban, the song is still loved to this day, with legendary artists Jimmy Page, Iggy Pop and Pete Townshend and others claiming it as a large inspiration for them.

After hearing that an instrumental managed to get banned, you really do wonder how far the music industry, and the uptight nature of radio executives, has developed over the last 60 years.