A protest song is often a kind of folk music (or, more recently, pop-influenced folk music). Such songs become popular during times of social disruption and among socially neglected groups and their supporters. They rail against injustice, racial discrimination, war, globalization, inflation, social inequalities and the like.
Folk songs occur throughout history, as in the American Revolutionary War and in the abolitionist movement of the 1800s. In the 20th Century, the union movement, the Great Depression and the Vietnam War also spawned protest songs. Some protest music traditions also date back to the American Civil War, when traditional songs such as 'We Shall Overcome' served as protest songs.
A common form of protest song, with acoustic guitar and harmonica, was popularized by the work of Woody Guthrie during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl.
Protest songs regarding unions and labor
Protest songs concerning racism, apartheid and civil rights
Protest songs concerning war
Protest songs concerning nuclear weapons
Protest songs concerning politicians or world leaders
Protest songs against police or authority
Protest songs concerning poverty
Protest songs concerning alienation
Protest songs concerning governments and imperialism
Protest songs concerning feminism
Protest songs concerning environmentalism
Protest songs concerning prohibition and the War on Drugs
Protest songs concerning heroin, drug abuse, and drug culture
Protest songs concerning globalization and corporate dominance
Protest songs concerning guns and violence
Protest songs concerning materialism
Protest songs concerning slavery
Protest songs concerning the persecution of homosexuals
Protest songs concerning the days of the week
Protest songs concerning television
Protest songs concerning music critics and the music industry
Protest songs concerning animal rights and meat consumption
Protest songs concerning protest songs
Protest songs concerning Youth Rights
Protest songs concerning Land Rights
Other protest songs
Some protest song artists:
