The intertwined relationship between music and politics is one that’s always exacerbated in times of political change. From the prominence of John Lennon’s ‘Give Peace a Chance’ during America’s anti-war movement in the 70’s, through to the growth of hip hop in the 80’s due to Reagan’s administration, music has often served as a platform for social and political expression. This trend is resurfacing in current American politics, due to the turmoil of 2016’s presidential campaign and the recent inauguration of Donald Trump.
Many musicians have taken it upon themselves to protest the Trump presidency by signing up to Our First 100 Days, a subscription service that aims to release one new song for every day of Trump’s first 100 in office. The songs can be previewed online, and for a minimum donation of $30 you can access to unlimited streaming and downloads.
“But how is this a protest against Trump?”, you might ask. Well, all proceeds will go to organisations aiming to protect causes affected by Trump’s policy proposals. Amongst the beneficiaries are All Above All, working to protect reproductive rights, The People’s Climate Movement, helping to battle climate change, Southerners on New Ground, who support the LGBTQ community and also Cosecha, supporting America’s immigrants.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89HSPkH5gAo
In the musicians’ camp, Whitney, Angel Olsen and Twin Peaks represent just a handful of the artists behind the music industry’s war on Trump. The project was inspired by Kurland and Eggers’ 30 days 30 songs, which saw a song released every day in the run up to the election. It’s since been decided to extend this number to 1000 songs for 1000 days, aiming to span much of Trump’s four year presidency. A playlist has been set up on Spotify featuring unreleased live songs and remixes, as well as original but relevant songs such as R.E.M’s ‘It’s the End of the World as We Know It’, all aiming to inspire and amuse American citizens in these dark times.
These campaigns are emblematic of the relationship between music and politics, which has become especially poignant in America over the past year. Many artists, like Adele, Cher and Neil Young, have used their prominence on social media to express their distaste. Miley Cyrus even pointedly referred to the new POTUS as a “stupid ass sexist sh–” and a “nightmare” on her instagram.
Similarly, Shakira expressed her outrage on twitter at Trump’s racist speech about Mexicans, in which he states “they bring crime and their rapists [into America]”. With her 38 million twitter followers, Skakira demonstrates the power pop stars wield with social media: the chance to express solidarity to millions in the face of divisive politics.
However, Trump and his campaigners are hardly unaware of the power music presents in influencing voting, employing the unauthorised use of songs from the likes of the Rolling Stones and Neil Young at rallies. A spokesperson for the Stones expressed their distaste of this usage, stating the band had “never given permission to the Trump campaign”, while Young took to Facebook to express his anger at the use of “Rockin’ in the Free World” for Trump’s presidential candidacy announcement.
Music’s influence in American politics was also prominent in the women’s marches held in more than 500 cities across the United States. The numerous female artists that performed, including Angelique Kidjo and Janelle Monae were more than just entertainment; their presence highlighted the pressing issue of unequal representation of women in the music industry. The 3.3 million who attended bore witness to female artists who, just by their very presence, defied Trump’s efforts to oppress women. Monae neatly summed up her feelings on performing: “Music has always been a powerful tool for galvanising unity… singing and standing together, our voices will be stronger than any force that tries to repress us.”
Much like the wall Trump so desires between American and Mexico, one already exists between himself and the music industry. Music has acted as, and will continue to act as, a mode for which unity can be achieved throughout, not just America, but the whole of the world that has been affected by Trump’s proposals. If there is one consolation of Trump taking office, it’s that great music has flourished as a result!
Mairead Nolan
[image: YouTube.com]