Modern Protest Music Analysis

Music allows people the opportunity to show their true selves. During the 1960s, people used music as a way to protest against all kinds of issues. Music does this job well because it can express things that words cannot. The protest music of the 1960s can be considered a counterculture because it was a period where individuals used music to protest against the social norms as well as other pertaining issues of the day such as war and civil rights. As music has changed over time, modern protest music can be considered to be an extension of the 1960s counterculture of protest music because it is intended to drive home some type of message of the people who live in modern America today like how the people did back in the 1960s.
Protest music

of the 1960s is considered to be a counterculture. The music protested against issues such as the norm, war, the government, civil rights etc. Music was the main force for the younger generation to rebel against the older generation and the government. In the documentary Greenwich Village: Music That Defined a Generation, Tom Bernadin stated, “money was not the driving force behind your existence” (Greenwich Village). Greenwich Village and other places around the United States were places for those to settle who did not buy into the social norm. It was here that they created their protest music, which was a way for them to get their opinions and a message out to the world. They did not create their music as a way to earn money or be on the top of the music charts. They did it because they wanted to. This music was a way of opposing the social norm. Because of this, protest music can be considered to be a counterculture of the 1960s.
As part of the 1960s counterculture, the protest music went mainstream. It was a very popular form of protest. Music was an easy way for the younger generation to express their opinions and emotions. Happy Traum said in the documentary Greenwich Village: Music That Defined a Generation: “I don’t think you can underestimate the importance of that little section of New York City called Greenwich Village to the explosion of creativity and politics and music and poetry and literature that took place from the late part of the 50s through the 60s” (Greenwich Village). Protest music exploded out of Greenwich Village and other places that were advocating for change in the United States. It gained a lot of attention and support and helped to expand the popularity of protest music in the United States. Because protest music was an easy and efficient way to get your message across, more people began to produce it. Protest music also helped people to feel unified and not like they were all alone. Because of this, people began to believe that there were others out there that were fighting for and believing in the same things that they were. The protest music of the 1960s went mainstream as a result of the growing popularity and the music’s unifying message.
The music that came out of the 1960s was protesting against many different issues that had become a problem in the United States as well as in other places around the world. Some of these controversial issues were the Vietnam War, the government, social norms, the older generation, civil rights, etc. The songs protested issues that were current popular problems in the world during the 1960s. This included music that protested the war in Vietnam that America was involved in as well as protesting for civil rights movement back home. Barry McGuire’s “Eve of Destruction” is an antiwar song that protested against America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. The lyrics, “You’re old enough to kill but not for votin’ / You don’t believe in war but whats that gun you’re totin’?” are protesting America’s involvement in the Vietnam War (McGuire). The soldiers fighting in the war were too young to vote for their country, but they were not too young to kill for their country. They also didn’t believe for the cause of the war, but still fought, as they had no choice because of the draft. Many of the protest music in the 1960s protested the Vietnam War, but the music protested against other issues as well like the civil rights movement and the government.
The 1960s protest music intended to reach the audience of the older generation. The music’s purpose was to say that the younger generation is not like them and does not want to be like them. Money wasn’t driving them to do what they do or become who they are. They were fed up with the system that the older generation had set for them and want the government to make changes to the American society. The protest music was also out there in part to reach the younger generation as well. With more support, they could put up an even more unified front against the older generation and the government. Peter Yarrow said in the documentary on Greenwich Village that Greenwich Village “was like an enchanted fairytale for many of us who loved singing together, who loved the music, and who were really young enough not to be thinking about or worrying about a practical consideration” (Greenwich Village). With music, the more unified younger generation could rebel and protest against the society and government that the older generation set up. They had little to no say in the matter of the political and social decisions of that time and wanted this to change. They wanted the older generation to feel as if their only option was to side with them, the protesters. The protest music of the 1960s intended to reach the audiences of both the older generation and younger generation.
Music was also one of the best ways to deliver a protest message in the 1960s. It was an easy way for people to express their opinions with music as their outlet. It allowed people with the opportunity to connect with the music. It was easy to access and a quick and efficient way to get the message out during the 1960s. In the documentary of Greenwich Village, Ritchie Havens said the following about the people of the 1960s: “In the early 60s, people were searching for something. They didn’t know what it was because what it was is that they really weren’t searching for something yet. They were running away from something…They didn’t even know what they were going to do with it but they had it” (Greenwich Village). They were running away from the norms of the 1960s and expressed these thoughts and feelings that they were having through protest music. Music became their outlet. It allowed them to be and do whatever they wanted. There were no restrictions on music. Because it was easy and accessible, music was one of the best ways to deliver a protest message in the 1960s.
Modern protest music is still a way for people to express their opinions and thoughts and protest against current issues.

The music addresses and brings attention to our culture and society’s current issues with the purpose of advocating for change. The music intendeds to drive home some type of message as a voice of the times that we are living in. Green Day’s song “Holiday” is a song of the modern protest music. The chorus of the song, “This is the dawning of the rest of our lives / On holiday” embodies the purpose of modern protest music (Green Day). Today, protesters are using music to advocate for change, but the government and society are sitting back and not doing anything as if there are no problems. This is just like what the chorus to “Holiday” means. People should be out protesting and making a difference instead of sitting back as if they are on vacation. If we don’t hold anyone accountable and no one takes responsibility nothing will change. In modern America, protest music is a way to advocate against and for today’s current issues by driving home some type of

message.
The protest music of modern America protests for some of the same issues as was back in the 1960s as well as more issues that have become relevant in today’s society. Some issues that modern music protests against are global warming, pollution, and climate change as well as war and the government like that of what was protested in the 1960s. Today’s music protests a large range of issues from police brutality to slaughtering animals. The Smith’s song “Meat is Murder” protests against slaughtering animals for the purpose of eating their meat. They said that the action of killing cows is “death for no reason / And death for no reason is murder” (The Smiths). Killing for meat is not a good enough reason to kill an animal and therefore the animals are being murdered against their will. Those who kill animals are no better than those that murder humans and nothing will change that fact. To them, slaughtering for meat is not justifiable. Modern music today protests issues that are currently a problem in today’s society.
The protest music of modern America raises awareness and brings attention to today’s current issues. By using music, the protesters can send out the message and urgency of all of these different issues. It is necessary for them to get their message out. In Rage Against the Machine’s song “Killing in the Name,” the abuse of authority is being protested. Out of fear from those that are the authority, people are subject to do whatever the authority wants them to do, “And now you do what they told ya / (now you’re under control) and now you do what they told ya” (Rage Against the Machine). But later in the song, the same people start to rebel and refuse to be controlled no more “I wont do what you tell me” (Rage Against the Machine). They are helping to fuel the change that needs to be made. The message of modern protest music may not be noticeable at first because today people make music that other people will like. The songs are not as obvious as like they were back in the 1960s. They are not necessarily set out to be protest songs. It may take a few listening’s for one to actually notice the message or purpose of the song. This allows protest music to sneak up on people. Modern protest music is used to bring attention to and help fuel change in modern America.
Today’s protest music intends to reach the audiences of today’s government and society. They aim to advocate for change. Without this change, problems in our government and society may reach the point of no turning back. That is why the music aims to provoke and move the listener with emotion, so that they feel compelled to advocate for their cause. This is such the case in Bruce Springsteen’s song “Born in the U.S.A.” The chorus “Born in the U.S.A. / I was born in the U.S.A.” provokes a lot of emotion (Springsteen). At first listen, one might find this song to be patriotic, but really it is a song of hopelessness. Their country upon their return back home is not supporting the soldiers that fought for their country overseas. The protest music of modern America intends to reach the audience of today’s government and society.
Today’s protest music is not necessarily its own counterculture, but rather an extension of the counterculture of the 1960s. The 1960s protest music is considered a counterculture as it was considered to be the first significant time that music was used to carry out a protest message. For this reason, protest music isn’t necessarily a counterculture today because it has already been used for a long time. Rather, the protest music has changed over time to appeal to the different times in America. “Monkey Gone to Heaven” by the Pixies protests the issue of global warming. This is a problem that is damaging our atmosphere: “The creature in the sky / Got sucked in a hole / Now there’s a hole in the sky” (Pixies). In today’s society, we know that global warming is a problem and that the ozone layer is thinning, but very little has been done to change or try to correct this problem. People advocate and protest for global warming all of the time, but there have been no significant changes to help stop the thinning of the ozone layer. Those who produce protest music today have found inspiration and been influenced by the musicians of the protest music counterculture generation. For this reason, modern protest music is an extension of the 1960s counterculture that has changed with the times.
Music is not one of the best ways to deliver a protest message in modern America anymore.

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

America.
During the 1960s counterculture, music was a form of protesting against the social norm and other issues such as the war and civil rights movements. As protest music has changed overtime, it has become an extension of the 1960s counterculture to create the modern protest music of today, which protests for similar and different issues to those of the 1960s. Protesters use music as a form of protest to get their messages out and advocate for change. This proved to be very successful when protest music went mainstream in the 1960s and is still in use today. Protest music may not be as influential or popular now than it was in the 1960s, the music still drives home some message as a voice of the times that people are living in whether it be the 1960s or today.