So, a new album that came out today (Wired All Wrong) decided to edit all the swearing on the album, which is maybe five words, at most. My question is: why do they do this? Aren't artists talented enough to substitute the words or even put a goofy sound in place of the curse? I've been out of swearing in songs since I turned 21 or so, but the edit to me just ruins a song. This is really me just venting. Thanks!

Kanye does it.

Real: "She ain't messin' with no broke niggas"

Edit: "She ain't messin' with no broke broke"

It works.

I'd rather hear that than a beep or some weird scratching of the record.

I don't know the last time I bought a CD with a Parental Advisory sticker and I typically avoid any album that says edited on it, although I don't ever buy the big commercial releases anyway.
I don't really mind the beeping or moments of silence during a swear word like in Gwen Steffani's Bananas song, I used to hate it when they would edit a derogatory word or swear word on a Jay Z single with a safer word.

I keep meaning to write a song called "Let's Spend Some Time Together".

Can you imagine Destroyer's Rubies with "honk" and [sound of "F#cking" played backwards] every third line? My guess is if you hear this on your CD, you're buying CDs that are aimed at teen markets. Not messing with your taste, just saying, its a teen-demo thing.

For radio promo and music videos, television and (less so) film licensing, and basically any other major marketing initiative (even as an independent artist), if you make an explicit record, you as the artist are shooting yourself and your work in the foot by not making an edited version. Get creative with it and do it yourself. Don't rely on someone detached from the creation of the project to do simple vocal dropouts or otherwise obscure the offending vocabulary. I can't stress this enough.

WU-TANG CLAN AIN'T NUTTIN' TA POO WIT'

~~ WPGC 95.5 from the early 1990s.

pretty much what ishy said. for majority of big releases, there is always an edited version, mainly due to the fact that a lot of companies do not want to be associated with anything that can be posed as a negative (ie: swearing). also, that whole fcc b.s. (in regards to radio/tv/film sync & licensing - they'll be held liable for any "offensive" material the listener deems is inappropiate) and if it's a major artist working with a brand or such, same deal.

Interesting. The teen market comment is funny, but also probably very true. They were so set on having 10,000 friends on MySpace by the time the record was released.