“Some of those that work forces are the same that burn crosses” Often the most effective protest songs are the most direct. That is the case with “Killing in the Name” off Rage Against The Machine‘s 1992 self-titled album. In the face of injustice sometimes the most appropriate response is a defiant “fuck you.” This anthem of disenfranchisement attacks systemic […]
Learn more →
Tom Morello has had a long career creating political music, both as the guitarist of Rage Against The Machine, The Nightwatchman, and several other projects. It should come as no surprise that he has joined forces with the Russian musical activist collective Pussy Riot. “Pussy Riot is one of the most radical and important activist musical groups of all time,” […]
Learn more →
We just finished the first month of 2021 and in many ways, the shittiness of 2020 has seemed to carry over. January is traditionally a slower month for new music releases, but there was still plenty of socially conscious music, and here is a small sample of it. Songs/Videos: Amanda Shires – Our Problem (featuring Angie Stone, Cyndi Lauper, K. […]
Learn more →
As we start to approach the end of the year, the number of new releases start to decrease. Despite this, there were still several socially conscious songs and albums released during the month. Here is a sampling. Songs/Videos: Yankee and the Brave (Run The Jewels) – No Save Point This hard-hitting tune credited to the Run The Jewels alter egos […]
Learn more →
Part of the purpose of this site is to chronicle the historical developments of protest music. One way to do this is to look back at previous decades. I previously published a list of the 100 Best Protest Albums of the 2010s. Now we are going to look back at the best albums of other decades, starting with the 2000s. […]
Learn more →
Here are 15 music videos that effectively deliver insightful social messages. The following are presented in alphabetical order. &More – Whoa (featuring Chuck D) The video features vocalist Donn T as a news anchor and rapper Chill Moody as a field reporter for the fictional news channel WHOA News Tonight. The visuals satirize the bombardment of the 24-hour news cycle, […]
Learn more →“Warning! The following video contains content that some viewers may not find disturbing. That’s pretty fucked up.” The following quote was part of a social media teaser for the new video for “Pop Goes The Weapon” the latest single by the rap-rock supergroup Prophets of Rage. Both the song and video are a scathing indictment of the ongoing incidents of […]
Learn more →
Tom Morello just released a music video for “Every Step That I Take” off his 2018 album The Atlas Underground. On the tune, the guitarist collaborates with Portugal. The Man & Whethan. The video is directed by Sean Evans and it is a modern retelling of the November 19, 1915 death of influential singer-songwriter and labor activist Joe Hill. Morello […]
Learn more →“Rabbits Revenge” is the latest track off of Tom Morello’s upcoming album The Atlas Underground, due out October 12, 2018. It is an explosive expose on police brutality. “We just have to keep putting the corrupt ones on tape and letting people know that we’re not really gonna stand for this shit too much longer,” Big Boi stated in the behind […]
Learn more →Prophets of Rage just released a new music video for “Who Owns Who” a track off of the supergroup’s 2017 self-titled debut album. The hard-hitting tune serves as a reminder that if the people rise against systemic oppression then they reclaim ownership of their rights. The song also serves as a reminder to corrupt governmental officials that their constituents “fuckin’ […]
Learn more →