I feel like there are lots of parallels between the eighties and now (recession/inflation, yuppies/inequality, skin-heads/fascists, hot-cold wars etc.) but there used to be protest music! Where is that stuff now? Music that’s intelligent and outraged - like we should be!

I’m out of touch now, so if it exists, educate me! Or have the protest songs been removed from tiktok by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act (UK specific, but suppression of protest seems to be everywhere)? (I’ve linked to the Levellers - maybe it really was better back in the day?)

edit: Maybe not the right audience, but if the song is old enough to vote then I might already know it! What’s happening now? Any songs from the last 10 years!

edit: Thanks for everyone’s insights. I’ve spent the day discovering music that I’d never have found otherwise. Really enjoying a load of these, but thanks to everyone! It seems like protest music is confined to certain genres/places, and lots of older songs - maybe they just last longer… which is maybe a little interesting.

    • RGB3x3@lemmy.worldEnglish
      7·
      7 months ago

      He won three! Imo, for the most boring song on his new album, but whatever. But that album is highly political

  • jacksilver@lemmy.world
    5·
    7 months ago

    Born in the USA

    I didn’t see this mentioned so wanted to add it. Most people think of it as pro USA, but the lyrics paint a very different message.

    For example:

    Got in a little hometown jam So they put a rifle in my hand Sent me off to a foreign land To go and kill the yellow man

  • UmeU@lemmy.world
    61·
    7 months ago

    Nofx - you’re wrong:

    You’re wrong about virtues of Christianity And you’re wrong if you agree with Sean Hannity If you think that pride is about nationality, you’re wrong

    You’re wrong when you imprison people turning tricks And you’re wrong about trickle down economics If you think that punk rock doesn’t mix with politics, you’re wrong

    You’re wrong for hating queers and eating steers If you kill for the thrill of the hunt You’re wrong 'bout wearing fur and not hating Ann Coulter Cause she’s a cunted cunt

    You’re wrong if you celebrate Columbus Day And You’re wrong if you think there will be a Judgement Day If you’re a charter member of the NRA, you’re wrong

    You’re wrong if you support capital punishment And you’re wrong if you don’t question your government If you think her reproductive rights are inconsequent, you’re wrong

    You’re wrong fighting Jihad, your blind faith in God Your religions are all flawed You’re wrong about drug use, when its not abuse I hope you never reproduce

    You’re getting high on the downlow A victim of Cointelpro You’re wrong and will probably never know

  • SuperEars@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4·
    7 months ago

    I’m a big fan of Rise Against. Try these tracks out:

    • Architects
    • Welcome to the Breakdown
    • A Gentleman’s Coup
    • Megaphone
    • Holding Patterns

    and Bad Religion:

    • American Jesus
    • Meeting of the Minds
    • The Resist Stance
    • TheDubz87@lemmy.world
      2·
      7 months ago

      Bad Religion was one of my high-school favorites that has stayed a favorite since. I have every one of their albums saved on my phone.

  • Trainguyrom@reddthat.comEnglish
    4·
    7 months ago

    I listen to a lot of punk music so obviously it’s strongly political. Here’s just a few off the top of my head:

    • White People for Peace by Against Me!
    • Unprotected Sex With Multiple Partners by Against Me!
    • Survivor Guilt by Rise Against
    • State of the Union by Rise Against
    • The Eco-Terrorist In Me by Rise Against
    • 45 by Sum41
    • Empty Walls by Serj Tankian
    • Prison Song by System of a Down
    • Christian Nationalist by Anti-Flag
    • Die for your Government by Anti-Flag
    • 72 hookers by NOFX
    • Please Play This Song on the Radio by NOFX
    • Fuck Euphemism by NOFX
    • Take Back the Power by The Interrupters
    • Quarantine by Blink 182

    I tried to include a bit of variety and not all be anti-war songs from/about the Bush era. A couple are about the music industry specifically, and one is a musical rant about kink culture (and it’s not the one you think based on the title!) I’m also a big Rise Against fan so I tried to pull out some non-singles from accross many years since basically any song by them has a good political message. I highly recommend looking up the lyrics to all of these after the first listen or better during the second listen

  • frezik@midwest.social
    4·
    7 months ago

    Garbage - No gods no masters. Whole album is shamelessly political.

    The men who rule the world Have made a fucking mess The history of power The worship of success The king is in the counting house He’s chairman of the board The women who crowd the courtrooms All accused of being whores

  • Taco2112@lemmy.world
    3·
    7 months ago

    If you like Rage Against the Machine, Tom Morello did a solo project called The Nightwatchman that had a lot of great protest songs. I think it’s closer to 15 years old, so not the last 10.

  • DigitalTraveler42@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    7 months ago

    Gary Clarke Jr. Has some good protest songs, especially for a blues musician, including a remake of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young’s Ohio.

    Municipal Waste is great for some hardcore, there’s actually a bunch of hardcore bands that have some excellent protest songs.

    Then you have Ice-T’s Body Count.

    Lamb of God’s albums post-Randy’s time in a Czech prison have been full of social commentary, far more than the earlier albums.

    I’ve seen people highlight Killer Mike’s Grammy wins, but his other group Run the Jewels is pretty much the biggest name in protest rap these days.

    Then you have Kendrick Lamar, possibly the best rapper of his generation, absolutely one of the greatest story tellers of rap, period.

    Overall there’s a lot of pop, metal, rock, rap and other genres who have some prominent names and many lesser known names who are putting out good angry music.

    Then you have Ice Cube putting out Arrest the President then proceeding to talk about voting for that same president.🤦‍♂️