Here are some of the great songs of 2020. Some give voice to a specific struggle, while others tackle more general themes.While it may not have seemed like it at the time, looking back it becomes clear how much powerful content was created in the heat of the struggles of 2020.

You can also play these songs as a playlist on YouTube or Spotify.

(Content warning: some of these songs contain profane language and disturbing themes)

Janelle Monáe – Turntables

Jeezy (featuring Tamika Mallory) – Oh Lord

David Rovics – As I Watch Minneapolis Burn

Bob Mould – American Crisis

María Isa – Como Duele

Noname – Song 33

Anderson .Paak – Lockdown

Bambu featuring Ricky G, Kiwi & Ruby Ibarra – Dittybop

Lil Baby – The Bigger Picture

Kabaka Pyramid – Babylon Fallin

Soulside – This Ship

Rebel Diaz & Tef Poe – Fiyah to the Fascists

Alice Bag – No Gifts for Nazis

The Muslims – Punch a Nazi

MDC – No Trump No KKK No Fascist USA

Ana Tijoux – Antifa Dance

Resistance Revival Chorus with Rhiannon Giddens – All You Fascists Are Bound to Lose

Black Thought – Thought vs Everybody

Lonnie Oceans & Xtina Beni – Warfare

Coriky – Last Thing

Billy Bragg – Can't Be There Today

Tré Burt with Leyla McCalla, Allison Russell & Sunny War – Under the Devil's Knee

Des Demonas – The South Will Never Rise Again

Vic Mensa – Bethlehem / SC Freestyle

Black Thought – State Prisoner

Beyonce – Black Parade

Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion – WAP

Run The Jewels with Zach De La Rocha and Pharrell Williams – JU$T

Public Enemy – State of the Union

Jasiri X – Rob Jeff Bezo$

A Tribe Called Red ft. Boogey the Beat and Northern Voice – Land Back

Downtown Boys – L’Internacionale

Brick – Fake Names

Anti-Flag – A Dying Plea, Vol. 2

GMAC Cash – Tired

Lil B – I Am George Floyd

Vivir Quintana – Canción Sin Miedo

Las Cafeteras – Long Time Coming

Chicano Batman – Manuel’s Story

Ana Tijoux – Rebelión de Octubre

Dax – Black Lives Matter

Demi Lovato – Commander in Chief

H.E.R. – I Can’t Breathe

Alicia Keys – Perfect Way to Die

Bambu – Signing Off

#UnitedStates #PeoplesStruggles #Music #YearInReview #protestMusic

Here are my favorite political songs of 2019. Some give voice to a specific struggle, while others tackle more general themes.

I’m sure I missed out on some good ones – add more in the comments.

(Content warning: some of these songs contain profane language and disturbing themes)

93 PUNX, Vic Mensa – Camp America

David Rovics – So This is What It’s Like

Ana Tijoux – #Cacerolazo

Un Violador en Tu Camino – Mujeres en Chile

GmacCash – On Strike

Rebel Diaz – Fight for Chicago (Chicago Teacher Pt. 2)

Klassy – Power Trip (featuring Ruby Ibarra)

Residente, iLe & Bad Bunny – Afilando los Cuchillos

Orgullo Indio ¡Evo Morales NO renuncia! – Daniel Devita

Agent of Change – Stand With Bolivia

Algiers – Dispossession

Brother Ali – Father Figures

Lizzo – Juice

Ruby Ibarra & The Balikbayans – Someday

Bambu – Off the Wall

Blessed the MC – MeriKKKa

NoName – Song 32

The 1865 – Buckshot

The 1865 – John Brown’s Gat

The Muslims – Fuck the Cistem

Olmeca – Define

Inti-Illimani, El Pueblo Unido (Plaza Ñuñoa, jueves 24 de octubre de 2019)

Punto Negro – Ricky Renuncia

The Coathangers – Hey Buddy

Queen Zee – Sissy Fists

Ani Cordero – Pa' Poder Vivir (featuring Macha Colón y Renee Goust)

Emicida featuring Ibeyi – Libre

Instituto Mexicano de Sonido featuring Joe Crepúsculo – Cruzando el río

#UnitedStates #PeoplesStruggles #Music #protestMusic

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)

Talib Kweli – All of Us (featuring Yummy Bingham & Jay Electronica)

#SaintPaulMN #Music #protestMusic