The term protest song was coined as early as the 18th century, for music that voiced feelings about political or social injustice going on in the world. Protest music became popularized in the 1960s and ‘70s following social activity such as the women’s rights movement, segregation and the Vietnam War.
However, in recent years, protest music, although it has been consistently in the music industry, has been increased. Artists like U2 and A Tribe Called Quest have used their ability to sing about issues such as nationalism and racial discrimination in the past.
With the influx of police brutality, and the 2016 election of President Donald Trump, these events have allowed musicians to have the creative freedom to be more vocal on social issues. For example, Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” became the anthem for Black Lives Matter after Michael Brown’s death in 2014.
Musicians are using their platform to educate and share experiences to amplify the voices of marginalized communities.
Here’s a playlist of our top 14 influential protest songs:
Leave a Reply