South Carolina beach town limits ‘vulgar’ music

A beach town in South Carolina is limiting “vulgar” music after local residents complained about hearing obscene lyrics blasting onto from the sidewalk outside a business. 

North Myrtle Beach City Council voted unanimously to restrict how loud and what time of day “obscene, vulgar and/or profane lyrics” can be played at businesses, WIS News reported.

“Several of the persons complaining about the lyrics indicated the obscene lyrics could be heard as they were walking on the public sidewalks of Main Street accompanied by their underage children and/or grandchildren,” city documents regarding the complaints say.

The ordinance, which immediately goes into effect, says music can not be played over 80 decibels from 7:01 a.m. to 10:59 a.m. and not over 60 decibels from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.

The document did not list which business was the subject of the complaints. 

“When I say vulgar I mean it’s explicit, vulgar lyrics,” Mayor Marilyn Hatley said about the music that was played, WBTW News 13 reported. 

“If you’re inside your building, you can play any type of music that you would like and anyone can go and listen to any type of music that they would like,” Hatley added.