The History of Protest Music

The protest song is a long and honored tradition in the United States.

Dating back to the 18th century, protest songs have been used to voice dissent and rally people to action on a variety of issues. From songs protesting slavery and war to those championing women’s rights and civil rights, protest music has played an essential role in American history.

One of the earliest protest songs in America was “The Liberty Song,” written in 1768 by John Dickinson. The song was a rallying cry for the American Revolution and called for Americans to unite against British oppression.

Other early protest songs include “Yankee Doodle,” originally sung by British soldiers to mock the American colonists but which the colonists eventually embraced as their own. The song “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” was also written during the Civil War to rally Union troops.

Protest songs continued to be written throughout the 19th and 20th centuries on various topics. “The Times They Are A-Changin’” by Bob Dylan is one of the most famous protest songs of the 1960s, a time of great social upheaval in America. The song calls for Americans to unite and fight for change.

Other well-known protest songs include “We Shall Overcome” by Pete Seeger, “Give Peace a Chance” by John Lennon, and “I Ain’t Gonna Play No Second Fiddle” by Nina Simone.

The protest song is still alive and well in the 21st century. Artists like Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, and Janelle Monáe have used their music to speak out on social and political issues. And, as the protest song tradition shows, music can be a powerful tool for change.

Stay tuned for some examples of protest music and how you can write protest songs.

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