Protest music confronts the Trump era: 20 protest songs of 2017
St. Paul, MN – In 2017, the people’s movements took to the streets in huge numbers, facing off against Donald Trump as he assumed the presidency along with his band of billionaires and generals. Like many hated right-wing politicians before him, Trump has provoked not just protests but also a lot of music reflecting on and expressing outrage about his reactionary actions and words.
Here are my top 20 or so songs (in no particular order) that emerged in the context of the first year of Trump-era injustices. Add your favorite political songs from 2017 in the comments here.
(Note: some of these songs contain profane language)
Marcel Cartier – Resist Trump
Marcel Cartier – Red Flag Revival
Las Cafeteras – If I Was President
Hooray for the Riff Raff – Rican Beach
A Tribe Called Red (feat. Leonard Sumner, Shad, Northern Voice) – How I Feel
The Hamilton Mixtape – Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)
David Rovics – Today in Charlottesville
David Rovics – Text Message of the Apocalypse
Dessa – Fire Drills
(song inspired by the #metoo movement)
Downtown Boys – A Wall
Logic – America (featuring Black Thought, Chuck D, Big Lenbo, No I.D.)
Prophets of Rage – Unfuck the World
Run the Jewels – 2100 (featuring BOOTS)
Joey Bada$$ – Land of the Free
Alice Bag – White Justice
(Song about racist government repression against the 1970 Chicano Moratorium)
Brother Ali – Before They Called You White
Vic Mensa – We Could Be Free
Lin Manuel Miranda – Almost Like Praying (featuring Artists for Puerto Rico)
(written in the aftermath of the devastation of Puerto Rico by Hurricane Maria)
Rebel Diaz – Viva Fidel
LessThree – Love Me I’m a Liberal (updated for Trump)
(cover of Phil Ochs song from 1966)