We have passed the halfway point of the current decade, and it continues to be chaotic. The chaos provides the canvas to create powerful protest music in response to the current political climate. Presented in chronological order and limited to only one album per artist, here is a sampling of notable protest albums released between 2020-2024. Also, would like to give an honorable mention to David Rovics, the prolific activist and singer-songwriter who has released and continues to release many incisive protest albums throughout the decade.
Pink Siifu – NEGRO (April 8, 2020)
Pink Siifu may be a rapper, but on his sophomore full-length, he replaces most of the rapping with angry growls. The album is eclectic and confrontational, and he skillfully blends several genres, including hardcore and free jazz. With 14 of the 20 tunes clocking in under two minutes, he doesn’t waste any time speaking out against police brutality and systemic racism.
Fiona Apple — Fetch The Bolt Cutters (April 17, 2020)
Apple’s critically acclaimed masterpiece resonates partly because it encapsulates the feelings of anxiety many were experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The album also illustrates how the personal is political. For example, when Apple declares, “Kick me under the table all you want. I won’t shut up,” she not only references her discomfort at a dinner party but also expresses a sentiment that resonates in any situation where one’s voice is attempted to be silenced. In the track “Relay,” she critiques toxic influences, particularly calling out social media influencers with her line, “I resent you presenting your life like a fucking propaganda brochure.”
In an NPR interview, Apple described how the motivation of her album was to urge listeners to “fetch your tool of liberation. Set yourself free.” Even post-pandemic that potent message continues to resonate.
Jesse Jett – The Virus (May 30, 2020)
The 90-minute, 24-track debut album by the singer and rapper is a poignant time capsule of a two-month period between mid-March and May. The confrontational and honest album tackles the government’s failed COVID-19 response and how the virus exposed the failures of capitalism. Jett also denounces a two-party system that is failing to offer a real alternative.
Jett was also a guest on episode 30 of the podcast, where he discussed the album in more detail and played an acoustic version of the album track “Speaker of the House.”
Run The Jewels – RTJ4 (June 3, 2020)
If you have to choose one album to represent the political climate of 2020, this may be the album. Considering it has only been out since June, it might be premature to declare it an all-time classic, but it certainly felt immediately momentous. The duo of Killer Mike and El-P accomplishes the difficult feat of creating something that feels both timely and timeless.
Previously featured “walking in the snow” as a Daily Dose of Protest.
Special Interest – Passion Of (June 19, 2020)
The sophomore album from the New Orleans anarcho-glam band succeeds in creating apocalyptic soundscapes. It is an intense listening experience that well articulates the anxieties that many are feeling.
Previously featured “All Tomorrow’s Carry” as a Daily Dose of Protest.
Nana Grizol – South Somewhere Else (June 26, 2020)
This album by the indie-folk-rock band deals with their experiences growing up in the American South. It exposes the culture of bigotry and homophobia that continues to be rampant. Change can only happen when uncomfortable realities are confronted, and this album boldly does that.
David Strickland – Spirit Of Hip Hop (June 29, 2020)
The spectacular debut by the sought after producer and engineer taps into his indigenous heritage to create a potent album that simultaneously informs the mind and shakes the body. For more on why the album is worth a listen, you can check out the review. Strickland and Canadian Hip-Hop pioneer Maestro Fresh Wes (who appears on the album), also appear on episode 6 of the podcast.
Billy Nomates – Billy Nomates (August 7, 2020)
The spectacular self-titled debut by the UK indie-rocker taps into Nomates personal experiences of working dead-end jobs and dealing with misogyny. She effectively employs her biting wit to decry capitalism, apathy, and hypocrisy. The album is also a stirring call for the forgotten masses to stand up and make the powers that be take notice.
Previously featured “FNP” as a Daily Dose of Protest.
clipping. – Visions Of Bodies Being Burned (October 23, 2020)
The sequel to the experimental hip-hop trio’s 2019 horrorcore masterpiece, There Existed an Addiction to Blood, might even be better than its predecessor. Once again, they succeed in employing horror movie themes to examine real-life socio-political issues. Examples of effectively recasting monsters to provide commentary include “Pain Everyday,” which is a call-to-arms for the ghosts of black lynching victims to haunt the heirs of their white murderers, and “Body for the Pile,” which relates the tale of three police officers who are murdered. The album is a jarring listening experience, but sometimes it is necessary to be jarred awake to confront real-life horrors.
War on Women – Wonderful Hell (October 30, 2020)
When I had the privilege to interview frontwoman Shawna Potter for episode 10 of the podcast, she revealed that the recording of this album was completed, and they were hoping to release it just before the US presidential election. Thankfully, they accomplished that objective, and the album was released right on time. The album is full of righteous rage, but that anger is channeled in a positive direction, urging listeners to take concrete action to bring about change.
Femi Kuti & Made Kuti – Legacy+ (February 5, 2021)
The legacy of legendary activist and Afrobeat originator, Fela Kuti, is carried on by his son, Femi and grandson Made. Legacy + is a double album featuring Stop The Hate, the 11th album by Femi and For(e)ward, the debut album of Made. Just like Fela, the two albums mix poignant political commentary with infectious beats.
Leanne Betasamosake Simpson – Theory Of Ice (March 12, 2021)
Simpson is an acclaimed novelist, poet, scholar, and singer who is also a member of the Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg people, native to southern Ontario, Canada. On this album, she prominently explores the theme of climate change. For instance, the opening track “Break Up” features the poignant lyrics “There is euphotic rising and falling. Orbits of dispossession and reattachment. Achieving maximum density: 39 degrees Fahrenheit.” Another example is “Failure Of Melting”: (“The caribou sit measuring emptiness. The fish study giving up). The album’s standout is her potent reworking of Willie Dunn’s “I Pity The Country.”
Witch Camp (Ghana) – I’ve Forgotten Now Who I Used to Be (March 22, 2021)
I’ve Forgotten Now Who I Used to Be is an important archival project that collects field recordings made at Ghana’s infamous witch camps. Witch camps are settlements where women accused of witchcraft can seek refuge. Those persecuted as witches often suffer from mental health issues and physical ailments. Others are shunned as a ploy to steal their land after their husband’s passing. The album is an important project in preserving overlooked cultures and elevating the voices of those who are often overlooked and voiceless.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor – G_d’s Pee AT STATES END! (April 2, 2021)
The seventh album by the Canadian experimental music group features their uncompromising music, which also addresses the failure of the government. Along with the album release, the band included the following list of demands:
- empty the prisons
- take power from the police and give it to the neighbourhoods that they terrorise.
- end the forever wars and all other forms of imperialism.
- tax the rich until they’re impoverished.
Damon Locks, Black Monument Ensemble – NOW (April 9, 2021)
According to Locks, the album was composed in the summer of 2020, “following months of pandemic-induced fear and isolation, the explosion of social unrest, struggle, and violence in the streets, and as the certain presence of a new reality had fully settled in.” The album powerfully blends music with samples to create a powerful listening experience.
Sons of Kemet – Black to the Future (May 14, 2021)
The album touches upon certain aspects of the black experience. The album effectively reflects upon the past while providing a galvanizing message to move ahead in the future. It is music that successfully engages the mind, heart, and body.
Allison Russell – Outside Child (May 21, 2021)
The latest album by the rootsy Canadian singer-songwriter is a prime example of the personal being political. Russell stated that the album “is about resilience, survival, transcendence, the redemptive power of art, community, connection, and chosen family.”
Amythyst Kiah – Wary + Strange (June 18, 2021)
This album by the roots singer is an insightful examination of the challenges of being a Black LGBTQ+ woman in the South. The album includes a reworking of “Black Myself,” a tune she originally composed and recorded as part of Our Native Daughters (which also included the above-mentioned Allison Russell) on their excellent 2019 album Songs Of Our Native Daughter.
Snotty Nose Rez Kids – Life After (October 22, 2021)
On the Indigenous Canadian rap duo’s 4th album, they continue their trend of releasing music that blends banging beats with pointed political commentary. Darren “Young D” Metz of the duo commented on the significance of the album title: “There were things that we needed to say and get off our chest. We came up with [the concept of] ‘Life After’ because it’s about life after the pandemic, but it could be life after anything, really. Life after depression, or life after success, after grinding for so long.”
Along with the pandemic, the album tackles serious issues such as police brutality and Canada’s shameful history dealing with Indigenous peoples.
Irreversible Entanglements – Open The Gates (November 12, 2021)
The third effort by the free jazz ensemble features exhilarating music and the potent poetry of Camae Ayewa (aka Moor Mother). The album is a poignant examination of post-colonialism, as highlighted on the album’s Bandcamp page: “The universe was awash in the sickly static veneer of anti-cosmos, of anti-nation; the halls were emptied, our shadows echoing and staining the walls of our abandoned oases – so we poured out into 2020’s wild streets. The ghosts of our labor danced around the sickness as we set fire to our old ways of thinking and moving, as we set fire to cop cars and bashed in the windows of our own rising disenfranchisement. “Open the gates!” we shouted, blessed be – we need it now!”
Hurray For The Riff Raff – Life On Earth (February 18, 2022)
Self-described as ‘nature punk” the tunes off the latest album from the project of Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Alynda Segarra is a worthy follow-up to their exceptional 2017 album The Navigator. They heavily deal with themes of immigration, the environment, and other social ills.
The album track “Precious Cargo” was previously featured as a Daily Dose of Protest.
Soul Glo – Diaspora Problems (March 25, 2022)
This is the hardcore outfit’s first album on the renowned punk label Epitaph, and it features their intense musical attack and radical lyrics. It is nothing new for hardcore punk to address racial and social injustices, but being black artists in a mostly white genre allows them to confront these issues based on their personal background and experiences.
The Album track “Fucked Up If True” was previously featured as a Daily Dose of Protest.
Samora Pinderhughes – GRIEF (April 15, 2022)
The compelling sophomore album by the vocalist, pianist, composer, and activist is one of three components of the Healing Project. The project was based on roughly 100 interviews Pinderhughes conducted with people of color who had been incarcerated or experienced structural violence.
Bob Vylan – Bob Vylan Presents The Price of Life (April 22, 2022)
Just like their 2020 debut album, We Live Here, the album features incisive political commentary addressing issues such as systemic racism and poverty. It features radical potent slogans such as ‘Wage war against the state’, ‘England’s fucking dead, let it burn’, and ‘Alexa, take me to prison’. Concerning the topics covered by the album, singer Bobby Vylan (not to be confused with the drummer Bobbie Vylan) made the following statement: “Money is a tool. It’s neither good nor bad. Unfortunately, there are some people that are using it for evil and to keep other people down.”
The album track “GDP” was previously featured as a Daily Dose of Protest.
Leyla McCalla – Breaking The Thermometer (May 6, 2022)
This powerful album by the Haitian American multi-instrumentalist is a compelling concept album about the real-life event of the 1980 shutdown of Radio Haiti. This included the murder, imprisonment, or exile of journalists, artists, intellectuals, and academics who opposed the United States-backed dictatorship of Jean-Claude Duvalier. McCalla also makes skilled use of audio samples from the Radio Haiti archives to weave a powerful narrative.
Fantastic Negrito – White Jesus Black Problems (June 3, 2022)
In Virginia, back in 1759, a white Scottish servant Elizabeth Gallimore, fell in love with a black slave whose name had been lost over time. Their great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson, Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, who performs under the pseudonym Fantastic Negrito, has released the compelling concept album White Jesus Black Problems based on his recently discovered lineage. The ambitious multi-media project includes a companion film.
The album track “Man with No Name” was featured as a Daily Dose of Protest.
Ashenspire – Hostile Architecture (July 18, 2022)
According to the Bandcamp description, the album “is a sonic exploration of the ways that subjects under late capitalism are constrained and set in motion via the various structures that uphold stratification and oppression in urban contexts.” I couldn’t describe it better myself.
Previously featured album track, “The Law of Asbestos” as Daily Dose of Protest.
Ezra Furman – All Of Us Flames (August 26, 2022)
This third part of a trilogy that includes 2018’s Transangelic Exodus and 2019’s Twelve Nudes is a worthy follow-up to two exceptional albums. Furman made the following statement concerning the album: “It’s a queer album for the stage of life when you start to understand that you are not a lone wolf, but depend on finding your family, your people, how you work as part of a larger whole. I wanted to make songs for use by threatened communities, and particularly the ones I belong to: trans people and Jews.” Furman effortlessly creates timeless-sounding rock music which invigorates a stale mostly heteronormative art form by injecting themes of queerness.
Previously featured the album track “Lilac and Black” as a Daily Dose of Protest.
SAULT – 11/Aiir/Earth/Today & Tomorrow/Untitled (God) (November, 2022)
This is a cheat since it is multiple albums, but the mysterious and prolific UK collective deserves credit for dropping 5 albums in November (along with previously releasing the album Air, earlier in the year). The albums are eclectic in genres ranging from neo-soul/funk (11, Earth), choral/contemporary classical (Aiir), alt-rock/punk (Today & Tomorrow), and gospel (Untitled (God)). The 56 tunes run the gamut between the spiritual and political, and they explore issues such as the environment, black empowerment, and God.
Sunny War – Anarchist Gospel (February 3, 2023)
This album by the roots artist is a compelling blend of the personal and political, and it promotes a message of resilience and perseverance. Concerning the album, Sunny War made the following statement in an interview with The Bluegrass Situation:
“The album title isn’t really political, to me. I felt like the big choruses [on the album] felt gospel in a way, but it wasn’t religious so I felt like it was Anarchist Gospel. It was really because of the one song, “Whole,” where I just felt like the message of the song was kind of about anarchy, in a way that most people could understand. I guess I’m more of a socialist now, but it’s the same sentiment. I just want people to have what they need. That’s more what anarchy means to me. It seems like it’s government that’s in the way of people getting what they need.”
“For me, it’s more personal. When I was homeless, a lot of times we would be living in abandoned buildings and we’d get arrested for that. Anarchy, to me, means, “Why can’t we be here? Nobody else is going to be in here. Why are you keeping us from this?” It feels weird that we don’t get to claim where we live, but other people do. Why do they have more rights to the same places? I don’t know if that’s anarchy, so much as I just think people have a right to everything.”
Black Belt Eagle Scout – The Land, the Water, the Sky (February 10, 2023)
The latest album by the project of indigenous singer-songwriter Katherine Paul is stunning. She stated in a press statement, “I created The Land, the Water, the Sky to record and reflect upon my journey back to my homelands and the challenges and the happiness it brought.”
Zulu – A New Tomorrow (March 3, 2023)
The debut album by the American hardcore band is musically eclectic, effectively incorporating elements of reggae and soul into the aggressive musical attack. The album does touch upon the generational trauma of Black people, but as mentioned by vocalist Anaiah Lei in an NPR interview, the lyrics just don’t address suffering: “When people think about the pain of exclusion, they think about Black people. And then we end up getting tokenized one way or another.” Instead of solely focusing on systemic injustices, the songs are also a celebration of resilience and convey a sense of optimism.
Lonnie Holley – Oh Me Oh My (March 10, 2023)
The latest album by the 73-year-old acclaimed visual artist and avant-garde musician is a stunning work of art that taps into his experiences growing up in the Jim Crow South. It balances moments of bleakness with a sense of optimism. It also features notable contributions from Bon Iver, Michael Stipe, Sharon Van Etten, and Moor Mother.
Previously featured album track “Mount Meigs” as a Daily Dose of Protest.
Dawn Ray’d – To Know The Light (March 24, 2023)
The British anarchist black metal band effectively incorporates the English folk tradition of rebel songs. The politically explicit lyrics are staunchly anti-capitalist and pro-worker. It also balances the bleakness that black metal is known for with a sense of optimism.
Previously featured album track “Go As Free Companions” as a Daily Dose of Protest.
HMLTD – The Worm (April 7, 2023)
Featuring a cast of 47 musicians, the sophomore album by the UK art-rock band is an ambitious concept album about a worm that shallows up England. The sci-fi dystopian narrative is used as a lens to examine personal issues such as depression and political concerns such as capitalistic-fueled climate disasters. Weird in the best possible way, a truly compelling listen.
Fatoumata Diawara – London Ko (May 12, 2023)
Sometimes, the simple act of making music can be viewed as a political statement. That is the case with the Malian musician, who, according to her, is “the first female solo electric guitar player in Mali.” Made in collaboration with Blur and Gorillaz’s Damon Albarn, London Ko is a stunning collection of tunes that transcends borders, language, and genres. It features songs sung in English, French, and Diawara’s native Bambara. The album embraces personal empowerment and speaks out against serious issues such as FGM (“Sete”).
Mandy, Indiana – i’ve seen a way (May 19, 2023)
The debut album by the English-French noise band is a compelling listening experience that effectively employs field recordings and experimental techniques, such as recording portions of it in a cave. Lyrically, the tunes speak out against war, fascism, sexism, and climate change. Even if you don’t understand the lyrics, vocally and musically, the tunes effectively convey the intended emotional impact and deliver the import of the message.
ANOHNI and the Johnsons – My Back Was a Bridge For You to Cross (July 7, 2023)
Concerning the motivation behind ANOHNI’s poignant album, she stated: “I’ve been thinking a lot about Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On. That was a really important touchstone in my mind. A couple of these songs are almost a response to the call of What’s Going On, from 2023. They are a kind of an echo from the future to that album from 50 years ago.”
Dead Pioneers – Dead Pioneers (September 16, 2023)
The genesis of Dead Pioneers happened when Indigenous artist Gregg Deal and Algiers guitarist Lee Tesche met at an artist residency. What started as a one-off track led to the formation of a full band and a self-titled debut album. Dead Pioneers blends Deal’s incisive social critiques with a blistering musical attack.
Ragana – Desolation’s Flower (October 27, 2023)
With its impeccable blend of gorgeous clean vocals and harsh dirty vocals, the latest album by the metal duo strikes the perfect balance of light and dark. The album contains a strong anti-fascist message and the album’s title track is described by the duo as “a hymn of gratitude for queer and trans ancestors, known or unknown, by blood or affinity, whose joy and survival make our lives possible, and whose memory inspires and helps us resist the tide of increasingly visible hatred and oppression.”
Aesop Rock – Integrated Tech Solutions (November 10, 2023)
The 9th album by the veteran underground rapper is a loose concept album focusing on a fictional tech company that markets algorithm-based lifestyle apps. He employs witty and insightful verses to examine the historical misuse of new technology and the current potential dangers.
Blockhead – The Aux (November 17, 2023)
This banging album by the hip-hop beatmaker features a slew of underground rap luminaries including Quelle Chris, Open Mike Eagle, Danny Brown, Aesop Rock, The Koreatown Oddity, and Billy Woods. Several tunes refer to systemic racism and religious hypocrisy.
Moor Mother – The Great Bailout (March 8, 2024)
This album by the prolific jazz poet and experimental musician explores the British slave industry, including an indictment of the 1835 act that compensated 46,000 slave owners with £20 million (over £2 billion today) for their loss of “property” due to the abolition of slavery. At times, it can be musically jarring, but that is the perfect canvas for the weighty subject matter. Moor Mother also effectively links past historical atrocities with current realities. It is both compelling and educational.
Beyoncé – Cowboy Carter (March 29, 2024)
This is the 2nd installment of a planned trilogy dedicated to music genres that have had their black roots whitewashed. The motivation for Beyoncé’s genre-bending country album was also partly due to the backlash received during a November 2, 2016, performance of “Daddy Lessons” with the Chicks during the 50th Annual Country Music Association Awards. That cold reception led her to delve more in-depth into the history of the significant Black roots of country music. She also taps into her Houston roots, which included regularly attending and performing at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Even though the existence of the album could be considered a statement of protest, it includes multiple socially conscious tunes such as the gospel-influenced bookends “American Requiem” and “Amen” and a gorgeous cover of The Beatles’ “Blackbird”, which Paul McCartney wrote in response to the black people’s struggles during the American civil rights movement.
Various Artists – My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall (April 12, 2024)
This is a compilation of tunes composed by Alice Randall, a novelist, and songwriter who was the first black woman to write a number-one tune on the US country charts (“XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl)” by Trisha Yearwood). Randall made the following statement concerning the project: “I had songs recorded in the 80s, in the 90s, in the 2000s, and 2010s, but I never once had the joy of hearing one of the songs that I wrote from the perspective of a Black woman recorded by a Black woman. With this project…I hope to change that.”
Ekko Astral – Pink Balloons (April 17, 2024)
The debut album by the Washington, D.C.-based punk band takes a serious stance on the life-threatening challenges faced by trans individuals and critiques how capitalism exploits those who challenge it (such as the harrowing “190” and the poignant lyrics “have friends still hiding while you throw a parade”). But on several tunes, they accomplish the impressive feat of being serious without taking themselves too seriously. With an injection of playful humor, who says the revolution can’t be fun?
Mdou Moctar – Funeral for Justice (May 3, 2024)
The latest album by the Niger-based Tuareg musician is a powerful denunciation of colonial injustice. Moctar believes it is essential to use his music as a platform to express his views. “We have to say that even if it’s difficult, even if it’s unsafe for us,” he said. “All those feelings push us to do this album and give it this strong name: Funeral for Justice.”
Kaia Kater – Strange Medicine (May 17, 2024)
The latest album by the Canadian musician explores the concept of healing from both personal and political turmoil. Featuring a gifted cast of musicians such as Allison Russell, Aoife O’Donovan, and Taj Mahal, they well complement Kater’s considerable musical chops and her ability as a social commentator.
Mach-Hommy – #RICHAXXHAITIAN (May 17, 2024)
The elusive rapper built a cult following (some of his albums have sold over $1000) by being protective of his image and keeping his lyrics off Genius. All of this adds to the mystique, but the music is also goddamn good and he is an impeccably skilled MC and lyricist. Like his previous albums, he effectively taps into his Haitian heritage and articulates the wealth disparity within Haiti.
小王 [Xiao Wang] – KACHAKACHA (June 12, 2024)
The Beijing punks takes aim at the oppressive Chinese government while also addressing other issues such as climate change. Despite the serious subject matter, it is also a kick-ass rocking album. The blend of adorable clean vocals with harsh dirty vocals makes for an overload of chaotic cuteness.
Hells Welles – Jesse Welles (July 4, 2024)
This is the first album by the talented singer-songwriter, credited as Jesse Welles (previously released under the name Welles, along with other pseudonyms). The album’s 21 tracks include many semi-viral tunes that Welles previously shared through social media. Welles is a gifted social commentator and satirist.
Jake Blount & Mali Obomsawin – Symbiont (September 27, 2024)
This collaborative album by Jake Blount and Mali Obomsawin is a riveting blend of Black and Indigenous futurism with traditional folk elements. It explores issues of racial and climate injustice and poignantly highlights the future ills that will result if things continue unchecked.
Chat Pile – Cool World (October 11, 2024)
This is the sophomore album by the sludge-metal band fittingly named after the 200-foot-high heaps of contaminated gravel found in the ghost town of Picher, Oklahoma. Just like their excellent 2022 debut God’s Country, it is an unsettling but compelling look at a decaying planet. “’Cool World’ covers similar themes to our last album, except now exploded from a micro to macro scale, with thoughts specifically about disasters abroad, at home, and how they affect one another,” says vocalist Raygun Busch.
Meryl Streek – Songs for the Deceased (Oct 25, 2024)
The explosive sophomore album by the Irish electro-punk artist is the perfect blend of the personal and political. The eclectic musical palette provides the perfect landscape to take aim at targets such as greedy landlords, corrupt politicians, and the increasing rate of suicide. The album is dark and heavy, but it is also a compelling listen which is the perfect outlet for righteous indignation.
Bambu – If You See Someone Stealing Food… No, You Didn’t. (November 11, 2024)
This album by the Filipino-US rapper and activist is in contention for best album title. Bambu wears his politics on his sleeves, and there is no ambiguity with his feelings about systemic ills. But he also succeeds in addressing serious topics with a playful wit. Also released a few days after the US presidential election, it appropriately closes with the election-mocking tune “A November To Remember.”