Protest Music Research Paper

967 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Music as protest

Music is an indispensable part of human life. Like the other arts, with a powerful expression, music shows with all that pertains to human life: joy and sorrow, struggle and survival, aspiration and dreams of happiness, ethnic pride and the desire to find the rights. Since it was the primitive, music has constantly been developed and perfected through the years. Therefore, it has been created and divided into many kinds, such as labor music, festival music, and exhort music, etc. The most especial one of above is protest music that is concerned by many politicians with a lot of debates in a long period. So, what is protest music? When did it start? How does it development and affect politics?
As we all know, music is parallel with human …show more content…

And no exception for protest music, it is constituted at the time when people cannot give their voice about some things that affect their benefits. In the article Protest Music, Cohen R. states that protest music is created to challenge the status quo, such as civil rights, communism, peace and justice, women rights, or gay rights (2007). Moreover, protest song is defined as using music to reflect political issues, likes segregation, criticism of a liberal president, or anti-socialism (Cohen, 2007). In other words, “the music has evolved over the years as new voices have found the right to share their thought” (Hill, 2016). Protest songs may be boring, but they just speak truth (Tillet, 2015).
The greatest time of protest music was the 20th century that was related to World War, Black Lives Matter, and Vietnam Wars. In the time, the music spread widely and strongly developed in genres and contents. During World War I, some first anti-war songs were composed and performed, such as “I Didn’t Raise My Boy to be a Soldier”, which was the first songs to protest war (Hill, 2016). Also, in his article, Hill F.(2016) Pointed out that the songs did not really direct to authors’ purposes, but they often used patriotism and homesickness in order to persuade stop wars such as “Lorena” and

Show More
Related

  • Creedence Clearwater and the Vietnam War

    2825 Words  | 6 Pages

    To the persistent individual, though, there is a body of music in existence that merits regard. It is powerful music written by the youth of America, youngsters who did have a stake in the Vietnam War. There can be little question about the origins of the power which American protest music conveyed: those who wrote such music lived each day with the real knowledge that they were losing friends in, and could possibly be forced themselves to go to, Vietnam. One such group, Creedence Clearwater Revival, made its contribution to this genre near the end of the Vietnam War.

    Read More

  • Essay On The Beatnik Riot

    815 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1961, previous to the outbreak of Occupy Wall Streets of Greenwich Village’s Washington Square Park was filled with three–thousand young beatnik protestors. Playing instruments and singing folk music symbolized the starvation that these young folks wanted of freedom and equality for America. Protestors demonstrated mixed cultures, individualistic beliefs that went against the status quo of America after the post-war years. The Beatnik Riot involved young traditional Americans fighting not just for the musical crisis of that time, but for the social, racial, and cultural segregations that were brought on by the years of war.

    Read More

  • Music of the Vietnam Era

    1246 Words  | 3 Pages

    Words about war have been put to music for generations, but usually in a positive manner. World War I's "Over There" and "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy" seemed to characterize the prevailing mood about America's role in that struggle. "I Didn't Raise My Boy to be a Soldier" also had an audience, but a smaller one by comparison. World War II 's "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree," "Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B," and "I'll Be Home for Christmas" were positive and sentimental favorites heard not only in dancehalls but also on radio. Any antiwar tunes were most likely drowned out by post-Pearl Harbor anger.

    Read More

  • Music Played Key Role in US Civil Rights Movement

    3700 Words  | 8 Pages

    Music was used as a critical instrument in the early 20th century in mobilizing and inspiring the civil rights movement by giving them more voice to bring out their grievances. According to Kerk (2007, p.18) Martin Luther king was the most prolific figure who utilized music to sensitize society, “we believe that freedom songs play a big and vital part in the struggle that we are going through” this words were also echoed by the Albany movement “music keeps us a live, it gives us a sense of unity, new courage every dawn, hope to move on that the future still holds something in our most daring and dreadful hours”

    Read More

  • How Music Affected the Anti-Vietnam Movement

    1219 Words  | 3 Pages

    Phull, Hardeep. Story behind the Protest Song: A Reference Guide to the 50 Songs That Changed the 20th Century. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2008. Print.

    Read More

  • Protest Song Analysis: Eve Of Destruction

    1457 Words  | 3 Pages

    Protest songs during this time were more popular than in previous generations, and had a larger impact. Because protest music had messages that where drenched in political events like the Civil Rights movement, they were so closely related that each had a role in causing or propagating the other. Nonetheless, whether looking back at the 60’s, 90’s, or even now, there is one thing for certain which is that protest music can be a very effective tool for change. Protest songs that have such strong political message in which a massive amount of people can relate deeply too, caused huge bouts of protest such as the Vietnam War, racial segregation, police brutality, Ferguson, Occupy Wall Street, and Black Lives Matter movement.

    Read More

  • Censorship in Music

    1070 Words  | 3 Pages

    The mass media has been involved has been involved in the many so-called problems that music causes in society today. The attempted censorship of music is not just because people need a cause to fight. In today's society there are many problems that experts feel are directly related to music. Some of these problems are suicide, murder and sexual assault. Many people argue that it is not only music made for entertainment purposes. Many parents and experts argue that rappers and musicians use vulgar, profane, sexually explicit lyrics to target the teenage market because money is a major issue and this kind of media is a hot commodity. Another popular subject that has taken heat and was attempted to be censored is politically charged music. During the Vietnam War many songs blasted the government. "For what it's worth" by Buffalo Springfield is a song documenting the actions by San Francisco police taken against members of the band at a peaceful protest. This song is not the first and was definitely not the...

    Read More

  • Modern Protest Music Analysis

    2438 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the 1960s, music was a very successful in delivering a protest message. Music has developed in modern America and it’s hard to tell protest music from other music. Protest music is overshadowed. But, protest music is not having the same effect as well. “Meat is Murder” did not stop people from eating cow’s meat and “Idioteque” a song of climate change and overconsumption by Radiohead didn’t stop people from changing the way that they lived their lives “Here I’m allowed / Everything all of the time” (Radiohead). The protest music is falling on deaf ears. Those who don’t want to hear the message won’t listen for it. As well, people will not put in the effort to make a change in today’s society. Music is not one of the best ways to deliver a protest message in modern

    Read More

  • Culture and Music of the 70's

    1856 Words  | 4 Pages

    Music is an outlet to all aspects of life and culture is a significant way of forming people and the way they live. Although not always seen directly culture has an overbearing influence on the music that is produced and made popular. The political Climate of the early seventies was full of fire with issues such as Vietnam and constant protest throughout the county. Later in the 70’s the end of the Vietnamese conflict brought the rise of the Watergate scandal and Iran Contra. These issues swept headlines and ingrained people’s thoughts. Social issues also played a big role in the developing culture of the seventies. Protests and constant outbreaks about gay rights and women’s rights seemed to overtake the country in storm. Later in the Decade the social climate changed to a celebration of the Past and a can-do attitude. Political and Social climates had an overbearing influence on the attitude that was being developed throughout the seventies. This climate was also transparent in the music world of this decade. In the early 70’s music lyrics were being created that were representative of the popular method of protest and social change. Music is a common way of expression and during this time artist and groups took the most of their popular music by expressing viewpoints on present issues. In the mid to late seventies the birth of new styles that broke from the old seemed to dominate the music industry. These new types of music ranged from disco to television pop. The music of the decade represented the culture and was greatly influenced by events and beliefs of the 70’s. At this time in American history, music and life became closely nit. In the late 1970’s, national issues settl...

    Read More

  • Protest Music In The 1900s

    245 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the article “Protest music” in “Encyclopedia of activism and social justice”, the authors inform about history and development of protest music from 1903 until now. In 1900s, protest music’s content was about convince or simple facts of life. However, it improved to higher level through 19th century that much more political issues, such as civil rights, civil wars, peace or activities movement. Until 20th century, protest music spreads widely and be more perfect about tunes and the diversity of genres. If in 1900s, most of protest music was written base on folk, blues, jazz, and country, it becomes more modern during 20th century as hiphop and rap. Depend on a message that author wants to give, siutable tune is chosen.

    Read More

  • Music In Protest

    2250 Words  | 5 Pages

    Music has been around for thousands of years. Music has progressed since that time and has slowly become what it is today. Though music has been around for such a long time, protest music just started to develop in the Vietnam Era, the year 1954. The war started the era of protest which, in turn, created a new form of music which incorporated a specific type of lyric that was a way of expressing protest through the song. Since music in this era was already a big thing, artists thought it would be a good idea to get their political viewpoints out there. They did it through something that affected everybody in that time and space. The artists view spread quickly through the country because of the catchy tune and the viewpoints that are listed. In the United States of America, it is a very common thing to conform to others in a group (Conformity…). Since conformity is such a common occurrence in a large group, all the artist has to do is find a couple of people in the group, group being an audience, who agree with the artist and the rest will unfold on its own. The artist will keep on performing while the word of him and his music will spread from person to person. Conformity will ultimately bring people together on the same viewpoint until eventually, there are thousands of people there with the artist to protest. These artists have grown over time along with the style of music that they bring along with them. Protest music still exists today and is one of the most effective forms of protest that we have.

    Read More

  • Essay On Political Media

    1630 Words  | 4 Pages

    This brings me to Jones’s proposed approach that says, “mediums affect meaning” this is true for the millennial generations interest in social power and social injustices. Political music, like political satire helps mold millennial ideologies because to Jones’s point mediums do in fact affect meaning. In the article What Riot? Punk Rock Politics, Fascism, and Rock against Racism, by Alessandro G. Moliterno, he says the following about how music influences political though especially when discussing social issues: “Rock music operates as a mass medium, which is experienced by hundreds of thousands of people almost simultaneously, then it stands to reason that punk and its message had the potential to reach, and therefore influence, a very broad audience (Moliterno, 2012.)” Bands like Desaparecidos, System of a Down and briefly, At the Drive-In are a few examples of bands that focus a lot of the music on social justice. Reinforced by an article written by New York Daily news that says “ political music is meant to appeal not only to the oppressed, but to those compassionate to the cause as well (Gavish, 2009.)” As Gavish discusses the event of the cause is usually more often than not created by the meaning that is transmitted to the citizens, as Jones would call the population, through a musical medium that affects audience’s political beliefs. For example: In the song

    Read More

  • The Importance of Freedom Songs to the Motivation of African Americans

    2022 Words  | 5 Pages

    Denisoff, Serge. "Protest Songs: Those on the Top Forty and Those of the Streets." American Quarterly 22, no. 4 (1970): 807-23. Accessed January 21, 2014. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2711871 .

    Read More

  • Social Inequality In Popular Music

    1158 Words  | 3 Pages

    Popular musical meaning relates to ‘the social’ in many ways and can be seen in music through things like politics, how mass production changes meaning, and class/inequality. When it comes to politics and music an example can be seen with YG’s recent song that he made “F**ck Donald Trump”, which has made a big impact with the youth like the song “Fuck the Police” that came out in the early 90’s and one can see that there is a correlation between the two. Then there was the Grunge era where many stylists started mass producing the look after the music became so popular with the youth. Then finally there is the class and inequality that can be seen throughout the years in music, an example with that can be seen with Bring Cosby and Billie Holiday.

    Read More

  • Bob Dylan Vietnam Analysis

    1265 Words  | 3 Pages

    The protest music movement of the Vietnam War took a stand against US involvement in the war, the unjust treatment of US troops and the war draft. Through guitar strums, controversial lyrics and a little bit of vibrato, the protesters provided a wide reaching and beautiful voice for those American civilians and fighters who felt they had lost theirs.

    Read More

More about Protest Music Research Paper

Open Document