4 Powerful Protest Songs That Fought the Power Through Sound

Protest songs can be powerful tools of change, and some of the greatest protest anthems of the last hundred years are still used for rallies and campaigns today. Let’s look at four amazing tunes that you might have forgotten about, but are still absolutely amazing to hear today.

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“Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday

We just couldn’t leave out “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday. Not only was Holiday an absolute powerhouse of a vocalist, but she managed to produce one of the most revolutionary and powerful protest songs in history. Based on a poem by secret communist and teacher Abel Meeropol, Holiday was taken aback by Meeropol’s words about the act of lynching black Americans. “Strange Fruit” is a haunting song and a cautionary tale.

“Fight The Power” by Public Enemy

“Fight The Power” by Public Enemy is still one of the most beloved modern-day hip-hop protest tunes. Originally, this song was commissioned by Spike Lee for the film Do The Right Thing, and the song took on a life of its own. The track explores the struggles and triumphs of the African American community up until the year of its release in 1989.

“In The Anthropocene” by Nick Mulvey

This is a more recent protest song that will surely remain a staple protest tune for years to come. “In The Anthropocene” by Nick Mulvey was released in 2019 and is a song about climate change. There aren’t many anthems that explore that particular subject specifically, but Mulvey managed to pen a tune that is both politically relevant, resilient, and clear as day.

“A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke

“A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke is still a classic today, and for good reason. Not only is Cooke’s vocal delivery incredible in this song, but the message is particularly powerful. In the song, Cooke sings about the struggles he has experienced as a black man in Jim Crow-era America. The song was inspired by the time Cooke was turned away from a motel in Louisiana for being black. Though, that single incident was simply the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Photo by Gilles Petard via Redferns/GettyImages

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