Why was everyone so afraid of heavy metal in the '80s?

Well, a rise in strange and dark crimes across America led to a Satanic Panic — and politicians were looking for a scapegoat.

Watch this mini documentary to learn more about the Satanic Panic of the 1980s, why everyone was so afraid of heavy metal, how musicians responded and the censorship of music that followed.

READ MORE: Insane Satanic Panic Moments

In the mid-'80s, a war against heavy metal began.

Music deals in metaphors, euphemisms, symbolism and hyperbole. A lot of songs have dark, twisted, even evil lyrics, but the meaning in those lyrics are often intentionally vague. Where is the line between protecting children from harmful messages and outright censorship?

A committee called the Parents Music Resource Center, or PMRC, took a case to the United States Senate with hopes in censoring any record they dubbed “P*** Rock,” by stamping Parental Advisory labels on them. And so America watched as another debate over the interpretation of the 1st Amendment unfolded.

Watch to see how the battle played out and find out who really won in the end.

WATCH - The War On Heavy Metal in the '80s Documentary

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15 Artists Associated With Witchcraft, Satanism + the Occult

Below is a gallery of 15 prominent artists in the rock and metal world who have been associated with witchcraft, Satanism and the occult in one form or another. Some may seem obvious and others may completely take you by surprise.

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