Ke$ha: 'I Understand' Why 'Die Young' Is 'Inappropriate'

By Sheila Marikar December 19, 2012

Credit: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty Images.

Ke$ha understands why people might not want to listen to "Die Young" right now.

In response to reports that the song's radio airplay declined in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., the pop star tweeted, "I'm so so so sorry for anyone who has been effected by this tragedy.and I understand why my song is now inappropriate. words cannot express."

TMZ cited Mediabase statistics saying that "Die Young" reached 148 million U.S. radio listeners Monday, an 11 percent drop - significant for a top 40 pop song - from the 167 million people who heard it Friday.

At least one programming director won't be playing "Die Young" on the airwaves anytime soon: Rich Minor, who heads up WDAQ-FM in Danbury, Conn., near Newtown. "We've been playing ['Die Young'] before Friday but not since and I think we're now done with it," he told Billboard. "Even though it's a fun pop-dance record about seizing the moment, all people are going to hear right now is those two words in the title."

Minor's station has also dropped Foster the People's 2011 hit "Pumped Up Kicks," which is about a school shooting.