The most powerful protest music can perfectly encapsulate the moments and moods being experienced by society. At times, it can even come across as eerily prophetic.

The post was originally published at Ongoing History Of Protest Songs. On May 25, George Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis by a white police officer who placed his knee on Floyd’s neck. He uttered the words, “I can’t breathe.” Three other police officers served as accomplices to the murder. In

As we currently face a global pandemic, it is easy to lose sight that these issues are compounded by an endless cycle of war. America’s never-ending war in Afghanistan, the continuing fallout of the Iraq War, and the continued US support for regime change in various countries contributed to the refugee crisis and has affected countless innocent lives.

These issues are examined by punk-folk artist and activist Ryan Harvey on “Nine Times Out Of Ten,” a track off his latest album “You Have No Country.”

The following was originally published at Ongoing History of Protest Songs. Influential Nigerian drummer Tony Allen died on April 30, 2020, at the age of 79. He was considered a pioneer of the Afrobeat genre for his work with Fela Kuti as the drummer and music director of Fela’s backing

Irreversible Entanglements are a politically-minded avant-garde jazz ensemble formed in early 2015 by saxophonist Keir Neuringer, poet Camae Ayewa (a.k.a. Moor Mother) and bassist Luke Stewart, who joined forces to perform at a Musicians Against Police Brutality event organized after New York police murdered Akai Gurley. Shortly after their performance,

“Corona Virus Climate Catastrophe Fascist Empire 2020 Blues Massacree” is a satirical tune from David Rovics that deals with life in the time of a global pandemic. It addresses society’s failure to respond to the spread of COVID-19 in a timely manner.

For over three decades the pioneering Brazilian heavy metal band has never been afraid to address political issues. One of Sepultura’s more political albums, “Chaos A.D.” (1993), features “Refuse/Resist,” a hard hitting anti-police anthem, and “Territory,” which references the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Sepultura recently released their fifteenth studio

The post was originally published at Ongoing History Of Protest Songs. Canada is often portrayed as the more progressive and less racist neighbor of the United States. Overlooked in that perception is the country’s ongoing troubled history in dealing with its indigenous population. Shedding a light on indigenous issues is

The post originally appeared at Ongoing History Of Protest Songs. Art is often a product of the political climate. This truth is reflected in the music of the veteran southern rock band Drive-By Truckers. Their 2016 album “American Band” was by far their most political, heavily influenced by the 2016