The evolution of American protest music
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- Опубликовано: 15 окт 2024
- Music is a critical form of expression in American politics - especially in times of political and social unrest.
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Dating back to the early days of colonization, American protest songs have shifted in style and form. The earliest protest songs were written in an era of oral tradition, where simplicity and familiarity were required to make music the music catch on.
The invention of sound recording subsequent mass distribution on the radio changed the way that society interacted with protest music. Now the songs didn't necessarily need to be so catchy, or based on melodies that people already knew. That thread led to an explosion of the art form, with artists from jazz, gospel, folk and many other backgrounds contributing to the protest music canon.
In the 1980s, the advent of music video on television opened up a new medium of artistic expression. Now there was a visual element to add to a video - the filmed content as potent as the music itself in directing discourse.
In the modern era, interactivity reigns supreme. Whether it's a clever deliverance of a hashtag, or multiplatform virality, protest music has adapted to the era by using modern tools to boost the point of views of artists.
You can read more on the history behind these songs and many more in this write-up here by Vox.com staff writer Bridgett Henwood.
www.vox.com/cu...
Also, if you enjoyed this piece, you might be interested in 33 Revolutions per Minute by Dorian Lynskey - it was a great resource in the creation of this content.
Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out www.vox.com to get up to speed on everything from Kurdistan to the Kim Kardashian app.
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For anyone looking for a playlist of tracks in this video (and a few we had to omit in the edit): open.spotify.com/user/1299027248/playlist/1vgS61p88rclNTcPxPP6iF
Vox why r you not talking about net neutrality?????????????????????????????
should have included some phil ochs.
No immortal technique?
Riot Girl is small potatoes next to the 90s hardcore punk movement that bloomed out of Reagan
Where's P!nk's "Dear Mr.President?"
>The evolution of American protest music
>No Rage Against the Machine mention
maaaan
Just because Nina Simone doesn't screech into the mic doesn't mean her protest music isn't more significant to the history of progressive movements in the U.S. than some middle class white kids. Like.
No Tupac...
I never told she has not to be on a list :)
Callie S um Zach de la Rocha is part Hispanic and Tom morello well...
@@callies8907 I mean Ratm is a huge part of protest music
They missed so many Vietnam songs
Andy Peterson Seriously. No "Fortunate One"? I was sure that'd be included
Himani Yadav I like Marvin Gaye as much as the next guy but fortunate son is the perfect example
Andy Peterson Fortunate *Son
WarpedHorizon who u replying to?
Missing old country joe.
You seem to forgot an entire generation of deeply antiestablishment music during the 1980s hardcore scene.
Michael Williamson and they just danced around it with the inclusion of Riot Girl
Liberals hate hardcore, because if you bring up hardcore you shed light on actual leftist ideology like communism and anarchism
Danosaur101 "actual" leftist ideals? I think you mean alternative.
Danosaur101 I mean I'm a communist and honestly if it's your thing that's cool but it's complete inability to resonate with anyone outside of the fan base and it's association with NAZIs makes for pretty piss poor protest music. Don't get me wrong I enjoy some hardcore but I think the left could do better for a musical movement
Most libs aren't even aware hardcore exists.
No mention of Rage Against the Machine? Im sad.
Ned Slark Sad!
Ned Slark Hendrix?
Ned Slark you mean a band with only white men? you are mad!
when I saw the title of this video, RATM was the first one that came to mind
Dylan, Guthrie, Green Day. White men. There's a lot of omissions, some because of the America focus, some because of the early 20th century protest song couldn't be recorded (but we have lyrics and sheet music), and presumably there's reactionary protest music, too. *That* is a glaring omission.
But to suggest it's about skin colour is just idiotic.
How in the hell did you leave out Rage Against the Machine? All they did was make great protest music that even to this day is strikes a chord with people.
John Swoboda
Because it is apparently owned by Sony, and so they probably would have gotten some copyright issues. :P
the combination of them an public enemy would have been good to mention too.
Copyright issues isn't a good excuse because they could've at least mentioned them and clips of their songs as part of a discussion is considered fair use.
fringelife
If they used clips they still could have gotten striked, :/
@@fringelife You’re correct, but RUclips often does not honor fair use doctrine with large accounts.
Vox
Giving you answers to the questions you never knew existed
Phantom R exactly
Phantom R so true
*Did you know* that ethnic Jews have always led the counter-culture revolution in America?
Google the "Frankfurt School" - The jews succeeded in Europe and America
Robert Patch You're an idiot
Robert Patch you're wrong
You forgot the most famous protest song "Born in the USA' and how GOP politicians unknown use it in their rallies. Sad!
Vox..
its sad how many songs describe horrifying events, but people take the opposite interpretation because they don't listen beyond the repeated refrain. John Mellencamp's "Little Pink Houses" comes to mind.
so we're gonna make a whole video about protest music and just mention punk rock for like a second?
Of course not. Punk ideologies weren't strictly left wing and therefore undeserving of mention.
krankenheim13 but punk was, in and of itself, born out of rebellion and protest. It’s not about whether or not it’s left wing (although, on the whole, most punk rock is).
@@krankenheim13 the whole point of punk was being left or left adjacent?? all right wing punks are poser afaik
@@krankenheim13 my guy most of punk was and still is very left wing or left leaning
it would deserve it's own video
Slightly dissapointed Rage Against the Machine wasn't mentioned
everyone notice that it's always the same age group making "protest music"?
there was so much music in the 60s protesting the Vietnam war! like CCR and Jimi Hendrix
This is a rather shallow look at protest music that focuses mainly on the media through which the music is disseminated. The video lacks any historical context of who was protesting and what they were protesting. There is no discussions of the great historical episodes such as the Great Depression, the rise of fascism, the Civil Rights Movement, the Equal Rights Movement, social conformity, the Viet Nam War, nuclear proliferation, or ongoing class struggle and racism. It also lacks musical analysis of protest music going from folk to rock to rap.
DLYChicago what? Did you watch the video they mentioned almost all of these points
DLYChicago exactly
It's a 7-minutes-long video not an hour-long documentary. Give the producers a break.
+
I'd like to see your take on it, no sarcasm
Your omission of Rage Against the Machine in this piece is a huge oversight.
Inb4 "I was born in the wrong generation" 14 year olds
Correction: edgy-year-olds.
Kyle Richardson me too
Kyle Richardson lmao
I was born in the wrong generation
good at least you are not cancer like those millennials
no Rage Against The Machine 0/10
Gokatgo coppppyyyyyyyrigghhhhtttttttttttttt
6:52 man, they realize they couldn't have possibly covered everything.
So happy to see RATM fans here! Grew up listening to them in india. Had the chance to finally catch them live in NYC last year :)
PHIL OCHS! One of the most prolific protest songwriters of the 1960s! "Here's To The State of Mississippi," "There but for Fortune," "Changes," "Too Many Martyrs"! So many amazing songs from an artist who died so young!!
KrazyKatPosse Thank you! He’s not the most well-known artist but he’s given American leftists a voice.
Bob Dylan wrote sooner or later abt him I think
>what is punk rock
you literally reduced decades of protest music to green day and riot girl
Ian McLaughlin like this liberal anti trump pepole are more hipocritic then trump himself like doing a video about protest music not mentioning punk (this girl band and green day is a joke) where is rage against the machine, black sabath, dead kennedies etc. it is disgusting
What about rage against the machine??
Sony
Meddie Diablo welcome my son I know different song
They have multiple RatM songs on their playlist. Anyway, trying to condense 200 years' worth of protest music into a seven minute video means some get cut. Also like. The protest music of Nina Simone and N.W.A. is a little more noteworthy than the music of a bunch of angry middle class white kids.
Callie S you know Zach de la Roca is Mexican, his father was a part of the Chicano movement. Tom Morello is not only half-Kenyan, his father was part of the Mau Mau uprising, and his great uncle the first Democratic president of Kenya.
Educate yourself. Angry middle class white kids? You sound ignorant.
Callie S. you suck so much and ur dumb, this is second comment ive seen of yours (i assume theres more) where you say that.
why is rage against the machine only a group of angry middle class white kids to you. do you call the other groups mentioned here by the summation of their emotion race and class, what do you call the likes of your most favorite Nina Simone or NWA?
also i think people are pointing out that rage against the machine is actually better than most bands on here. like bikini kill, l7 and sleater kinney, just to name a few.
You're gonna talk about Kent state without talking about Crosby stills Nash and young?
none of these are protest music. at best they captured the sentiment of a generation within a specific group of ppl
how the hell did James Brown's I'm black and I'm proud' not make the cut
That was a very powerful song.
Or Michael Jackson's "They don't really care about us" or "Black or White"
A hard rains gonna fall the best written protest song not included
No mention of Ohio by CSNY or Fortunate Son by CCR? What about GImme Shelter by the Rolling Stones or War Pigs by Black Sabbath?
When you realize most of the songs you like are protest songs.
South Africa has the best protest music. 🎉🎉🎉
Crosby,Stills, Nash and Young: Four dead in Ohio is a good one mainly because Kent state was referenced in this video as a trigger for protest songs. Also John Legend put out a whole protest album. I recall an interview with John saying the album might not get him much awards or money but it's content he needed to release.
"All we are saying is give peace a chance"
i knew i’d find it good on you my favorite protest song
There are 3 protest genres for me which are punk, ska and reggae. You guys should take a look at this bands.
Punk; Bad Brains, The casualties, Bad religion and pennywise.
Ska; The Specials, the selecter, madness
Reggae; bob marley, peter tosh, scratch lee perry
Also some spanish bands if you are interested; Manu Chao, Ska-P, Molotov
Its amazing how all these “protest song videos” leave out They Don’t Care About Us by Michael Jackson it’s literally the most used song at protests ..... a bit to real for the white media huh ?
this video's treatment of the 60s is severely lacking
no rage against the machine?? they're like one of the most well known and highly regarded protest music groups ever and their music is nearly entirely protest music.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that was really confused when they went through the 90s with no mention of Rage Against the Machine.
Harrison Frey-Thomas yeah man I was shocked like they defined protest songs for my entire childhood and teen years
As you addressed 9/11, System Of A Down would have been quite relevant with Toxicity and Steal This Album, released around that date. Serj Tankian actually published an essay on the war in Iraq on the band's official website shortly after, but it was censored by the label, which is quite telling and outrageous at the same time. Rage Against The Machine also would have deserved a spot on this list, but there are books written on the subject, so I don't blame you for flushing things out. But I certainly would have enjoyed a longer video with more information, because it is such a vast an similarly interesting subject. Especially the 90s are quite interesting, because back then the public interest in being vocal about protest started to decline.
Missed out the two biggest periods in my opinion. Late 60s (war and hippie ideals songs) & Late 70s (original punk).
There were SO many hardcore/punk bands in the '80's that strong statements against Reagan's Administration. Not to mention the vast among of "Underground Rap" (Immortal Technique, Dead Prez, Brother Ali, and Jedi Mind Tricks just to name a few)artist whom dedicated themselves to making socially conscious music.
Springsteen should have been mentioned. His Nebraska album was an indictment of Reaganomics, "Born in the U.S.A." protests the treatment of Vietnam vets, "Streets of Philadelphia" the AIDS crisis, "American Skin (41 Shots)" took on police violence, "The Ghost of Tom Joad" immigration and poverty, The Rising album spoke about 9/11, "We Take of Our Own" addresses our government's lack of moral priorities. And there are many other examples of his political activism in his music.
You completely slipped out on the classic 60s protest rock!
Guys, you missed ohio, by crosby, stills, nash and young. Cheers for the video though. Always great content
wait, there is a music genre called protest music?
and "Alright" by Kendrick is part of that genre? damn.
Dumpsterdude123 's home I didn't know that too.
Dumpsterdude123 's home It's not really a genre. Protest music can come from all kinds of genres, it's the content and message that really matters and makes a song a protest song.
Dumpsterdude123 's home Not really a genre, unless you want to put Barry McGuire in one genre with The Offspring, Kendrick and the modern use of the soviet hymn 'Die Internationale' and a lot more that doesn't fit together musicly.
Dumpsterdude123 's home -
There actually is a growing number of artist who tend to only do Protest music.
It's mainly in Hip Hop, but other genres have bands sprouting in that direction.
Disl Automatic is the head of a growing group that are self claimed "Truth-hop"ers
Their music is worth a listen and others artists can be found through him.
The early 2000s had a large punk rock movement around the war in Iraq. Many bands like Anti-Flag, NoFX, Against Me!, were heavily influenced by political protest movements.
I forgive you for jumping over that in the section where you talk about that time, but I'd like to point out that Greenday represented a sliver of the punk rock reaction of the era. That's not too mention all of the bands that came before since the 70s.
Punk rock is, to me, the protest genre.
Lol, The entirety of 80's hardcore bands like The Dead Kennedys, Reagan Youth, and Crucifucks was entirely ignored.
Don't forget the seminal early 90s work of Milli Vanilli, which was a protest against artists having to sing their own songs.
ORAL TRADITION
Ashin Kusher its popular in the south
Aside from Bob Dylan, why did you guys skip on Vietnam era classic rock? It's got to be the most memorable time for protest music. Creedence Clearwater Revival, Buffalo Springfield, Jimi Hendrix, just to name a few.
"Brother Can You Spare a Dime?" might be worth considering.
Can't believe you totally skipped the pro-union songs from the early 1900s.
What this video left out says more than what they kept in.
This is not only a selective reading of history, it also fails the test of due emphasis, and this constructs a very skewed historical narrative.
When Kent State came up I was waiting to hear "Ohio"! (Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young)
there should have been a lot more coverage of 80s protest music considering so many events took place during that time such as the reagan era and the cold war, this was a good topic but this video in general is too brief
Anything by Pete Seeger needs to come back into the mainstream.
Dude, stand back from the Mic. The lip-smacking is really annoying 😣
Conor Kinsella you're annoying
It was pretty simSMACKple
just a small mic pop filter for your mouth is all...
No The Clash? Also, would've been nice to spend more time on anti-Vietnam War songs but great video as always!
RATM NEEDS TO MAKE MUSIC NOW
Darrell Martin System of a Down and Tool should be dropping new albums this year. it should hold us for a while.
Lucien Ramirez tool will never release an album :( Maynard is putting his efforts toward The Perfect Circle
"Come mothers and fathers throughout the land, and don't criticise what you can't understand, your sons and your daughters are beyond your command"
1. Didn't bring up the song "Ohio" when talking about Vietnam protests.
2. what about rise against and rage against the machine? missed soo much punk
3. Feminist "punk". I don't think you understand what punk means. Feminist punk is a literal oxymoron.
Hugh Johnston i
I agree that it was confusing that they didn't actually play a clip of "Ohio" when they talked about Kent State. They didn't play a song at all. Did Neil Young's company not let them?!?!
However, I don't think *all* punk is automatically feminist. There's plenty of punk that's a little sexist. Riot Grrl is more focused on feminist issues as a specific genre.
Venezuelan 🇻🇪 protest music is very interesting. A Grammy award winner band called 'La vida Bohéme' is amazing!!
strange fruit always gives me chills omg
Billie Holiday did not write nor make famous Strange Fruit - that was Nina Simone. C'mon yall.
Neil Young's "Ohio" should be mentioned with regards the Kent State shootings.
I'm happy that green day was mentioned but no rage against the machine is sad
i thought John Lennon's Imagine was a protest music too....
‘Give Peace A Chance’ was more of a protest song
When talking about current protest music, I'm surprised the most recent Gorillaz album wasn't mentioned. The album is based on protesting against the current political situation and Gorillaz is such a well known band.
I'm waiting for him to say something about 'Rage Against the Machine'
[Edit] I'm disappointed
Where's Pac?
You forgot rage against the machine dummies
Names for your redo of The evolution of American protest music: Mother Jones, Joe Hill, Pete Seeger, the Weavers, Phil Ochs, Ronnie Gilbert, Joan Baez, Buffy St. Marie, Harry Belafonte, etc.etc.etc. Enjoy yourself listening to their songs!
It was impossible to not mention Nina Simone. Great artist
What's Going On is my favorite album of all time. Glad to see it mentioned ;)
No reference to Lupe Fiasco - Words I Never Said, tho?!
Vox: *Video about protest music*
Also Vox: Neglects The Dead Kennedys, Rage Against the Machine, System of a Down, Reagan Youth, etc.
Um... you want real anti-war, anti-government, and anti-capitalist protest music? Two words: ANARCHO PUNK
Goddamn, you skipped over Buffalo Springfield's "For What it's Worth," then talked directly about Kent State, Ohio, and didn't mention CSNY's "Ohio."
WTF how did u not even mention Rage!?! 👎
One song "We can't Make it Here" by James McMurtry in 2005 was about life in rural America leading up to 2008
Shout out to Killer Mike and EL-P 👊 👈
Born in the USA. Bruce Springsteen. Ironically, it's oftentimes used as a pop themed patriotic song.
No mention of Rage Against The Machine??!!??
LoL, I wrote this, then scrolled down and saw my exact same thought was already top comment from somebody else.
im not bashing feminist punk, but there was a helluva a lot of other punk that also adressed and talked about big issues of the day.
I coulda used this video about a month ago when I had a project on Bob Dylan!
Can you tell about what are the themes in Bob Dylan's songs. I'm doing a literary project on him.
@@graceebenezer6085 bob dylan had many themes, it depends on his albums, the times they are a changin' album is more of a protest album, it has a lot of protest songs, when you get to other albums of the 60s like bringing it all back home, you only have 1 or 2, like it's alright ma i'm only bleeding. his early 60s work was filled with a lot of protest music. after highway 61, he kind of stopped protest songs to make more folk-rockish songs. he still did write some protest songs after though, like hurricane, in 1976. the song is about a boxer, rubin carter, who got falsely convicted of murder.
@@kramerfromseinfeld Thank you so much
everyone do yourself a favor and listen to that entire Marvin Gaye album. it's a masterpiece
I think a different genre of protest music that is bearly even touched on in this video is punk. It was and still is at it's very core a political genre and for many even a movement. It is fueled by the want for independence and by the rejection of and the protest against the status quo is at the heart and core of it. I like the video very much, but it feels a bit like this very important chapter of political and protest music was simply overlooked or skipped.
You could do en entire video essay on the history of protest music in punk but it still seems to get overlooked. I watched Lindsey Ellis's video on protest music in the Bush years and she really only focused on Green Day and suggested they were the only band doing anything like that. Like NOFX's The War on Errorism and Bad Religion's The Empire Strikes First just didn't exist.
Steppenwolf: Monster. 48 years old and history is repeating...
LOOOOOOURD LA VIDÉO😂😂😂😂
ok
You guys forgot FDT, probably the most influential protest song of the last two years
Guys , For anyone wishing for hiphop anti - trump song , listen to "America" by Logic. Logic's recent album is more focused on many problems in society. Kendrick's focuses on personal problems and maybe some problems with society.
Diego Venegas undermine? I just said kendrick's music is good. Did you even listen to Logic's album? What is in your gotdamn mind to say "Logic is trash"? Everybody was a good album.
how do you skip right over RATM?
I love Kendrick Lamar, he's the best, no musician has ever touched my heart like that. That's probably because I'm a millennial and he talk about relevant issues to me.
[Freedom Aint Free] Around My Way - Lupe Fiasco
ALLONS ENFANTS DE LA PATRIE... oh sorry, wrong country ;)
Vox, no mention of the IWW’s Little Red Songbook?
Seriously, they skipped the entire labor movement. It's almost like they have a vested interest in keeping the workers from finding out about alternatives to liberal capitalism.
Vox,
thank you for demonstrating how to run out of video ideas.
I enjoyed this one. It was informative and interesting.
God Bless America, land that I love!
Linkin Park's album Minutes to Midnight. As well as Dear Mr. President by P!nk and Not ready to make nice by the Dixie Chicks all great protest songs from the bush era.
Favourites:
-The Beautiful People by Marilyn Manson (Against Gender Roles)
-Psychosocial by Slipknot (Against Neoimperialism)
-Sign of The Times by Harry Styles (Against Standoffishness)
"We didn't start the fire" from Billy Joel deserves an honourable mention.
This Land is Your Land isn't he just a patriotic song. He's literally rejecting the idea of private property.
Too much cringe in a single vid
Where tf is is rage
Whats protest music without ratm