From Anthems to Activism: The Power of Protest Music

For many young people, music is considered the universal language. Throughout the years, music has been used as a tool to raise awareness of social issues. From soft folk songs such as The Times They Are A-Changin’, to hard rock anthems such as Killing in The Name, to rap orchestras such as F*** Tha Police, protest music has always been a powerful tool for activism.

Many people don’t even know what protest music is or how to identify it. Protest music is music aimed at raising awareness around a certain issue. A common misconception is that protest music is directly attacking a certain group or organization. Although it can be true at times, protest music can be as simple as raising awareness for the world around you. Throughout history, music has been recognized as an important tool for social change. Even leading figures in social change, such as Martin Luther King Jr., realized the importance of protest music. He once said, “freedom songs serve to give unity to a movement.”

The Civil Rights Movement during the 1960s is probably the most recognizable example of protest music's power. This movement was centered around ending racial segregation worldwide. While Martin Luther King Jr. was giving powerful speeches and arranging protests, musicians like Bob Dylan and Aretha Franklin were also using their voices to support the movement. One of the most iconic protest songs from that time was Bob Dylan's The Times They Are A-Changin'. This song was aimed at different groups of people, with each verse calling out a specific group in society – like journalists, politicians, and families – and telling them to stand up for what's right. For example, the first verse, “Come senators, congressmen; Please heed the call; Don't stand in the doorway; Don't block up the hall; For he that gets hurt; Will be he who has stalled” is directly aimed at congressmen who weren’t acting on the injustice during the Civil Rights Movement.

Some protest songs are masked as patriotic songs, such as Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen and Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival. While these songs may sound patriotic, a closer examination of the lyrics reveals a deeper meaning. Born in the USA might sound like a prideful patriotic song, but in reality, it exposes the many issues that were raised from the controversial Vietnam War. For example, the second verse is about how many young men were forced to go and fight in the war without their choice. Fortunate Son, on the other hand, is about how people didn’t want to fight but were still forced to go. The chorus is almost a cry and shout in desperation. Both songs may seem like patriotic anthems but truly show another side of American life.

Two more heavy modern hard rock anthems are Killing in the Name by Rage Against the Machine and American Idiot by Green Day. While these songs may seem like just heavy rock songs, the lyrics reveal a whole world of meaning. Killing in the Name is an anthem against socio-political injustice and inequalities. The repetitive verses that say “some of those who work forces, are the same that burn crosses” highlight the problems that the political system in the US was currently in and directly links LAPD with the KKK. American Idiot has a similar meaning. The pop-punk anthem has always been one of the most popular examples of protest music. The song was written during the presidency of George W. Bush, who led the US into the War on Terror after the attacks on 9/11. The song targets mass media and propaganda for stirring up support for the War on Terror. Most people listen to these songs and don’t necessarily look at the lyrics since the songs are more famous for their intricate instrumental pieces but the truth is that the true meanings of these songs are in the lyrics.

Nowadays, the rap genre is probably the most outspoken. Rap artists don’t fear persecution and say exactly what they feel needs to be heard. Many albums that have been released over the past few years are perfect examples of protest albums. A few examples include To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Ms. Lauryn Hill and Straight Outta Compton by NWA. NWA in particular has probably one of the most famous protest songs of all time in F*** Tha Police. When most rap enthusiasts think of protest music, F*** Tha Police is the first song that comes to mind. Before that song, there weren't any songs that were as directly aimed at the police force as F*** Tha Police was. The song starts in a court scenario with the members of the group all being mentioned as prosecuting attorneys. The song then goes into the testimonies from all the members. Ice Cube’s first verse is probably the most memorable of all of them. His first verse has one of the most famous lines in rap history, "They have the authority to kill a minority. F*** that s***, 'cause I ain't the one, for a punk mother***er with a badge and a gun to be beatin' on, and thrown in jail." This line shows the anger that most black people felt with the injustice and unfairness that the police were showing to them at the time. F*** Tha Police became a worldwide hit. People began to realize just how bad how much racism affected people and how people were affected. With continued efforts by many artists such as Ice Cube, TuPac and Dr. Dre, the world started to slowly change. Without protest rap this world would not be the same.

As a New Yorker myself, there is one artist that has always been my favorite artist and a great example of a protest rapper that strived for change. Nas for many is considered one of the best rappers of all time. Personally, I think he is. His lyricism and genius behind the mic is unparalleled to other rappers. For many New Yorkers though he is more than just a rapper, he's an activist. Nas’ first ever studio album, Illmatic opened the eyes of many to the reality of growing up and having to fight every day. Illmatic pictured the harsh reality of growing up in a harsh environment with limited opportunity. The most famous track from the album, N.Y. State of Mind, shows the harsh reality of growing up surrounded by crime. In the third verse, his line, “So, now I'm jettin' to the buildin' lobby and it was full of children, prob'ly couldn't see as high as I am. (So, what you sayin'?) It's like the game ain't the same, got younger **** pullin' the triggers, bringin' fame to their name,” highlights the fact that younger people are getting forced into the life of crime. After Illmatic, many people started to find new ways to help people, especially younger people, find a life outside of crime. Nas is an icon in New York because of how he changed the world around him and gave people new opportunities while staying true to his roots.

All of these examples have looked at protest music inside of the United States, but arguably the best and most iconic protest group is found outside of the United States. U2 changed the course of music over the past few decades. Coming out of Ireland during a time of instability and civil war, U2’s music reflects those times. Sunday Bloody Sunday is the most direct protest song of all of U2’s songs. The song is about an event in real life that took place in real life called Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday was a massacre that killed 13 unarmed protesting civilians in Derry, Northern Ireland. The event sparked many more violent protests all over Northern Ireland. U2 saw these protests and made the song Sunday Bloody Sunday as a call for peace at the same time as a song of remembrance for all the victims of the massacre. The second verse is a verse that still resonates with many Irish people today and became an anthem for change. It goes, “Broken bottles under children's feet. Bodies strewn across the dead-end street. But I won't heed the battle call. It puts my back up, puts my back up against the wall.” That verse became a chant for change. The band describes a country torn apart by war and even though everybody is calling to fight, they remain peaceful as U2 is famous for believing that peace is the ultimate fight against violence. U2 released many other songs that singlehandedly eased tensions in Ireland such as Bullet the Blue Sky, Pride (In the Name of Love), and Songs of Surrender. U2 had such a massive impact on the tensions between Northern Ireland and Ireland that they received recognition around the world for their activism. U2 continues to inspire and create peace in a world full of war.

Although there are many people that don’t believe that protest music doesn’t do anything, examples show otherwise. For example, Killing in the Name became a chant at anti-police violence rallies. Sunday Bloody Sunday singlehandedly raised attention worldwide for the issues going on in Ireland. If I Ruled the World (Imagine That) by Nas and Ms. Lauryn Hill literally became an anthem for hope and change in the Hip Hop community. People don’t seem to realize just how much protest music has changed the world we live in today. U2’s frontman Bono once said, "Music can change the world because it can change people." The music that he and many artists have made throughout many years are reflected in the way that life is today.

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ABOUT DAVID

David Ramirez is a 14 year old freshman at Centner Academy. He shows a great interest in writing and looks to further excel his capabilities. He enjoys informative writing and writing for entertainment. David looks forward to sharing his writing with everyone. Outside of writing, David is a prolific musician and a race car driver.