I was thinking about how Bruce Springsteen is the only artist I know of who has written a protest song and I was wondering if anyone else had any good recommendations since… 2016 or so.
Are there any good protest songs from the past few years?
Submitted 3 weeks ago by sem@piefed.blahaj.zone to [deleted]
Comments
shittydwarf@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
HerbalGamer@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
fadedmaster@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
I was going to share Jesse’s music. I second this recommendation.
BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 3 weeks ago
I’m liking him.
Back in the Vietnam days, it took a while for protest songs to get written, recorded, released, sold, and finally listened to by the target audience. That could take months.
But today, a songwriter can compose a response to an atrocity that day, and instantly release it on numerous platforms, and be part of the actual conversation.
Now we just need more good protest songwriters.
Battle_Masker@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 weeks ago
boydster@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Check out Jesse Wells
SuperEars@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Rise Against - Megaphone (2018)
Rise Against - The Numbers (2021)
Rise Against - The Answer (2022)
Macklemore - fucked up (2025)
Carsie Blanton - Ugly Nasty Commie Bitch (2024)
Sorry that these are all YT links.Clearly I’m a RA fanboy, but I look at the state of the world and I hear their songs, and they’re the same picture. I can’t ignore their music.
(ehem…except for the new Ricochet album with its questionable production decisions)
EchoCranium@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
While it came out 22 years ago, State of the Union still feels like it could have been written for now.
NihilsineNefas@slrpnk.net 3 weeks ago
Prayer of the refugee holds a special place in my heart.
Itsamelemmy@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
Carsie’s newest album with the burning hell is great.
cerebralhawks@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
I don’t know, but Green Day and Rise Against are two bands I like that do political music and both are still active.
Maybe subconsciously that’s one reason I like Japanese rock; it doesn’t feel as influenced by current events as western music does.
dragontology@retrofed.com 3 weeks ago
Not exactly what you asked, but I think it’s important to note how old protest songs are still so relevant. I listen to a lot of 1980s music (in fact, presently playing my 80s playlist, just went from Tiffany to Belinda Carlisle) and older music.
Listen to the 1971 song Won’t Get Fooled Again by British band The Who. I’m sure most of you have heard it. Listen to what he said 55 years ago and imagine it was written this year, and see how relevant it is.
suckdings@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Agree on old songs still having power in this context. Doesn’t feel old to me, Dead Kennedys’ Soup is Good Food may as well have come out in 2025 instead of 1985.
bridgeenjoyer@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss
Veedem@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Grandson’s entire catalog is riddled with protest songs but the latest album leaned into it fully for better or worse.
insight06@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I came to make sure grandson was mentioned. Their Soundcloud tagline is something like “the soundtrack to your revolution”.
HerbalGamer@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
I was hoping you were just a very supportive grandma tbh
M137@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - Planet B
Lyrics:
[Verse 1] Open your eyes and light the fluid Get into it, petrol siphon Low on meals, browning fields Bury children
[Chorus 1] Urbanization Scarification Population exodus There is no Planet B Open your eyes and see [Guitar Solo]
[Verse 2] Open your eyes and shoot the dingo While this shit goes out the window Multi-factions Rusting tractors Dying hero
[Chorus 2] Only way through is colonization Acclimatization Population exodus Monetization Civilization The operation has begun There is no Planet B
[Bridge] Patient seasons Blacked out for ages Dreaming of cake Snowflakes blanket Old deserts Outskirts disperse Earth is a blank verse Last hearse Dry nurse (Oh!) [Refrain] Open your eyes and see There is no Planet B There is no Planet B There is no Planet B There is no Planet B There is no Planet B There is no Planet B There is no Planet B There is no Planet B Open your eyes and see
[Outro] Sinners are grinners, ear to ear Baby Jesus sheds a tear
NihilsineNefas@slrpnk.net 3 weeks ago
massiveattack.bandcamp.com/…/boots-on-the-ground
zealandardor.bandcamp.com/…/wake-of-a-nation-ep - the opening track Vigil is flawless but the entire band’s discography is top tier.
muxika@piefed.muxika.org 3 weeks ago
tobebannedbygaymods@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
Syria has a few from 2011 يا حيف - سميح شقير جامعات بلا شبيحة [ نص تفاحة - محل زغير ومسكر بدنا نعبي الزنزانات الساروت - ساقط ساقط يابشاؤ Qashush , singing in the riots Qashush in the riots again post 2012 it escalated into a Civil War and the songs became about the civil war !
bridgeenjoyer@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Dropkick Murphy just wrote one right?
sem@piefed.blahaj.zone 3 weeks ago
Thanks for the recc! Just looked it up; link for anyone interested:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mSrDkRm7_78
Citizen I.C.E.
Drusas@fedia.io 3 weeks ago
Check out the band Moon Walker. You're Next Apocalypticysm, probably all of it.
Hegar@fedia.io 3 weeks ago
Billy bragg has a great song about the twin cities. It's a spin on that "first they came for" poem, but instead of the "and i said nothing because..." bit it has "so I got in their face!"
LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 3 weeks ago
Pretty much the entire will of the people album by Muse: youtu.be/tCiDblgUNEA
terry_jerry@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Joe Purdy s album Who Will Be Next. Came out in 2016, addresses white privlage, gun violence, general spiral into madness of the nation. A jem of songwriting simplicity.
FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca 2 weeks ago
No Place Like Home from Wicked: For Good
ChaoticNeutralCzech@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
Adenauer SPD
DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
願榮光歸香港 (Glory to Hong Kong) Protest Song during 2019 Hong Kong Protests…
(And… of course Youtube now age-restricts this video… was fine for the past 7 years… wtf)
Here’s someone’s reupload: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe1gTPcWyds
The original lyrics in Cantonese are lit, the English version doesn’t even feel the same
This song is illegal in anywhere under PRC control, but I’m lucky to have to privilage to sing this as an Overseas Chinese
thermal_shock@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Earth to Eve -Threat Level Orange
FUCK ice - chrissa sparkles
Control alt-right delete - the briggs
open.spotify.com/playlist/1LSun9sx5j40WOV9jzcCbi?…
Lots of anti trump playlists on Spotify and deezer
Grail@multiverse.soulism.net 3 weeks ago
A Sound Of Thunder - Els Segadors is a metal cover of the Catalonian national anthem. Catalonia was anarcho-communist during the Spanish civil war, but was defeated because the liberals betrayed them. The cover was played at the independence protests in 2018, I think
RampantParanoia2365@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Kingslayer, 2020 might fit question.
_haha_oh_wow_@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Run The Jewels & Greg Nice - Ooh Lah Lah
UnimportantHuman@lemmy.ml 3 weeks ago
Not sure if it’d be your thing I like some Nascar Aloe stuff. His stuff is pretty out there. Loud, distorted and glitchy. He’s the only more recent artist I can think of that is brutally outspoken on some of this stuff that I actually listen to.
TheFresh16@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
The Neighborhood Kids have put out some recent bangers relevant to u.s. happenings
m.youtube.com/watch?v=oZYB5v69n7w
N0t_5ure@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
No$hu Fuck ICE ICE Baby
vivalapivo@lemmy.today 3 weeks ago
ragica@lemmy.ml 3 weeks ago
Just about any song by Jesse Welles these days…
A few examples:
War isn’t murder, Red, Join Ice, The Poor
circuitfarmer@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I cannot tell you how happy I am that this man exists.
faltryka@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Came to say this, upvoted.
thermal_shock@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
“CEOs come and go and one just went”
Referring to the United healthcare CEO in the song United Health.
circuitfarmer@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
It’s the kind of wordplay boomers loved with Dylan. But it’s fresh, current, enticing, and it holds a sharp edge. In 50 years I hope we remember Welles as fondly.
PoopingCough@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
He had kind of a shit take after Kirk got murked tbh