A recent study out of New Zealand, a Middle-earth soaked through to its very core with mead, has discovered that alcohol is often depicted in music videos.

Researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington who felt like watching music videos decided to compare alcohol content in music videos from 2005 and 2010. They analyzed 1,425 videos total (a normal wine-fueled Youtube night, haha, right?) but found that only one genre demonstrated a significant increase in the percentage of videos featuring alcohol content: that old "Rhythm and Blues."

(Another way of interpreting this finding: If not for R&B, researchers from the University of Otago, Wellington would have watched 1,425 music videos for no reason. This way they watched 1,425 music videos for virtually no reason.)

Future generations will note the period between 2005 (alcohol content of R&B videos: 12% or 24 proof) and 2010 (alcohol content of R&B videos: 30% or 60 proof) as that which sparked the world's swift descent into alcoholism/party rockin'.

Videos of the Hippity Hoppity and Rhythm and Blues varieties were observed to contain the highest percentages of alcohol references, a finding that, researchers note, "fits with the findings of other international studies."

Never hurts to double check, though. Never know when New Zealand will surprise you.

Researchers found that, of the 2010 music videos that depicted individuals getting tippled, one third showed the main artist "involved" with alcohol, proving that not even popular music stars are immune to alcohol's seductive charms.

The worst part: it was damn dirty foreigners doing most of the drinking. Videos by international artists were more likely to include alcohol than those by New Zealand musicians and, though the report did not say this, probably also more likely to contain dangerously high levels of swag.

In order to protect the children of New Zealand from the hooch-glorifying ditties of Hip Hop and Rhythm and Blues, the authors of the study suggest restricting such videos to late night broadcast (for air only after all the youths have poured themselves into bed), or instituting a standard by which any program that receives government funding be banned from portraying or even referencing alcohol use.

They also advocate higher alcohol taxes, a move that will surely make them very popular.

[University of Otago, Wellington via Medical Xpress // Image via Getty]