What are top protest songs today? What are the songwriters protesting against? What style are these works in? Do some genres suit protest more than others - for example, reggae, rap. Do you share the issues? The anti-war movement and human rights movement had very powerful songs that joined us all together. Is there a PEACE SONG today that you sing at rallies? Are there rallies?
Someone just sent me more modern protest songs to listen to. Dear Mr. President by Pink
I don't think you should limit it to folk singers or songs about war/peace. For example, Macklemore, the same guy who brought you Thrift Shop, also has a song called Same Love in support of Gay marriage and equality. Meanwhile you have Ry Cooder putting out that song, No Banker Left Behind, which I'm sure you can guess what that's about. You also have Lupe Fiasco, who is constantly putting out what is essentially protest music. This song embodies what he's about particularly well, which is racial equality and Occupy Wall Street (back when that was huge). So there is a lot of music out there, however, it is not as concentrated or confined to one or two scenes as it was in the past. You don't have artists making exclusively music for protesting or with the purpose to incite rallies, but releasing it along with their other music.
I am listening to all the songs you suggested right now. These are great! You are so right about protest music - there are a lot of issues that music can and does address. Same love is so powerful - all the way to the death scene at the end followed by the newborn - well done! I see there's a lot more protest stuff to find and listen to now!
I'm very much fascinated by the pro-war songs about the Iraq war. Clint Black's "Iraq and I Roll" is my favorite. Its simultaneously hilarious, sad, and dumbfounding that there were a whole slew of songs encouraging a pointless war, like the writers were begging to be lied to and used. It turned the whole spirit of the Viet Nam protest movent into a farce. But to answer your question, I'm pretty sure Highway 61 Revisited killed folk in one fell swoop.
Yeah, when Dylan went electric a lot of people were all shook up. But what an album that was. Back in the day -- surely you weren't around in 1965 -- we memorized ALL the words to "Like a Rolling Stone." The song was a serious cautionary tale to girls everywhere.
Glad you mentioned Billy Bragg -- Everywhere is one of the most cohesive and emotional protest songs I've ever heard. And they said Oh Little Slanted Eyes can't you forgive and forget
And he said, Oh Mr Friendly Ghost
Can you catch water in a net?I never got home, my platoon was never saved
That little fox hole became my island grave
Lee got out of jail but a prisoner he remained
Till he ended his own life to lose that ball and chain