Protest in Pop Music - Roots in Folk

When considering protest in pop music, the first thing that comes to my mind is Folk music. Let me make clear that when I say "Folk" I mean popular music of the Western world which is based in traditional styles. Artist examples include Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, and Joan Baez, all of whom were deeply involved in protest through pop music.

It makes a great amount of sense that a strong force of protest arose out of the Folk music style. Folk is the uncut raw voice of the people, often representing those of the lower class and those in struggle. With a great emphasis on lyricism, the style of Folk has always had a stylistic edge on making points through music.

Although often overlooked, Phil Ochs was perhaps the greatest of all Folk artists in the genre of protest. Listen as he sings "I Aint Marching Anymore".

A traveling man, Woody Guthrie saw much of the U.S. during his time. In doing so, he noticed many of the injustices which existed in American society. Putting his observations into songs, Guthrie crafted classic protest songs such as "Jesus Christ". 

In 1963 John Baez and Bob Dylan marched on Washington with Martin Luther King Jr. in the support of Civil Rights, performing "We Shall Overcome" in front of the crowd.

Listen as Baez and Dylan play "Blowin' in the Wind", a popular protest song.

Folk music of the 50's and 60's continues to influence political artists today. For example, Rage Against the Machine, one of modern music's most political groups, covered the Dylan song "Maggie's Farm".