Protest Music Hall of Fame – The Ongoing History of Protest Music

Protest Music Hall of Fame: Fight The Power – Public Enemy

Public Enemy's black empowerment anthem was composed for Spike Lee's classic "Cause I'm Black and I'm proudI'm ready and hyped plus I'm ampedMost of my heroes don't appear on no…

CJ Baker April 18, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back – Public Enemy

When socially conscious rap group Public Enemy recorded their 1988 sophomore album It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Chuck D stated his desire to create the…

CJ Baker April 18, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: Public Enemy

When examining the history of political Hip-Hop it doesn't get much more influential than rap group Public Enemy. The group features hard-hitting lyrics from emcee Chuck D, comedic levity from…

CJ Baker April 18, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: Respect – Aretha Franklin

1967 Atlantic Records Promo Photo When determining whether or not a song meets the definition of a protest tune, an important factor is intent. Often, it is the intent of…

CJ Baker March 25, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: Working Class Hero – John Lennon

Source: St Boniface's Catholic College, Plymouth, via Flickr John Lennon was no stranger to socially conscious music, contributing many notable tunes to the canon of protest songs. One of his…

CJ Baker March 24, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: Redemption Song – Bob Marley and the Wailers

Photo Credit: Eddie Mallin "Emancipate yourselves from mental slaveryNone but ourselves can free our mindsHave no fear for atomic energy'Cause none of them can stop the timeHow long shall they…

CJ Baker March 21, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: What’s Going On (Song) – Marvin Gaye

Publicity photo, photographer Jim Britt, Public Domain One of the most important protest tunes of all time, the genesis of "What Going On" happened when Four Tops vocalist Renaldo “Obie”…

CJ Baker March 19, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: Sinéad O’Connor

Sinéad O’Connor (December 8, 1966-July 26, 2023) Photo courtesy of Man Alive, via Flickr The influential and controversial Irish singer-songwriter first received international success with her 1987 debut The Lion and the…

CJ Baker March 15, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: Strange Fruit – Billie Holiday

August 7, 1930 photograph of the lynching of Thomas Shipp and Abram Smith, helped inspire Abel Meeropol to compose "Strange Fruit". Photo Credit: Lawrence Beitler "Southern trees bear strange fruitBlood on the leaves…

CJ Baker March 14, 2025

Protest Music Hall of Fame

Protest Music Hall of Fame: The Clash

Photo Credit: Helge Øverås "The Only Band That Matters" The promotional tagline bestowed upon them by their record label may seem like hyperbole, but at times, they came close to…

CJ Baker March 10, 2025