“This is about women who you decided aren’t women. And you are wrong. I don’t give a shit what you think. But when you, or any of you, do anything to put the lives of trans women at risk… I will fight you.” The above quote is sampled in the

For more than a half century, Ry Cooder has been making music. He is highly regarded for his slide guitar work as well as the affinity he has for roots music and collaborations with musicians throughout the world. “Gentrification,” which appears on his latest album, “The Prodigal Son,” is a

Jazz musician Kamasi Washington reworked the theme for Bruce Lee’s “Fists Of Fury” film into a theme for the movement for black lives. The song appears on Washington’s forthcoming double album, “Heaven and Earth,” as part of the “Earth side” that he says will represent the world as he sees

“It’s the end of my bloodline. It’s mine, and you’re greedy. It’s mine.” “End of My Bloodline” by Screaming Females revolves around this central refrain, a meditation on bodies, agency and reproductive justice. The track comes from the prolific Jersey punk rock trio’s most recent album, “All At Once,” released

The Baltimore feminist hardcore punk band War on Women released a compelling protest record earlier this month. It’s titled “Capture The Flag,” and it follows their 2015 self-titled album. Their song names alone are an apt entry into their politics: “The Violence of Bureaucracy,” “Predator in Chief,” “Divisive Shit,” to

From Nigerian musician Seun Kuti, the youngest son of Fela Kuti, comes this protest anthem aimed at Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as corrupt governments throughout the world.  “Corporate Public Control Department (C.P.C.D.)” features a classic afrobeat rhythm, with punctuating horn riffs from the Egypt 80. They were Fela’s

Here’s a song from last year that still hasn’t left my personal rotation in 2018: “Rome Wasn’t Burnt in a Day,” a stealthy post-punk ode to working together in tearing down impossible structures of power. It appeared on the debut record by ESCAPE-ISM, “Introduction to Escape-ism,” the first-ever solo record

Field Music’s David Brewis of England was incensed by Brexit. It was a “proper Charlton Heston at the end of Planet of the Apes moment.” On Field Music’s new album, “Open Here,” the indie rock band reflect on a post-Brexit world, as well as the rise of United States President

The days following this year’s Women’s March are as good a time as any to repeat the central question posed by “Levitating,” a collaborative track by Xenia Rubinos, Sammus and Olga Bell: “Are you really down? Way down? All the way down?” “Levitating” is a smooth and steady intersectional anthem

Prolific singer-songwriter David Rovics is one of the few working musicians, who regularly produce topical protest songs which directly address current events. His music is in the tradition of radical folk musicians like Phil Ochs. From his latest album, “Ballad of a Wobbly,” released in December, Rovics breaks down what