Been thinking a bit about this, popular music (the ones that hit top 100 charts or whatever) never has lyrics that point out real problems or point to culprits and how they’re fucking our shit, which is very easy to find in punk rock and some variations, as well as rap.
Of course, part of the problem are the record labels themselves, which often hold artists “hostage” in order to profit off them. Bigger ones will obviously prefer to avoid having such lyrics become popular.
Still, there seems to be absolute zero songs in certain genres that even come within 10 meters of talking/singing/teaching/bringing awareness about situations that affect a LOT of listeners, even from far away, and would be extremely helpful in spreading some knowledge.
Granted, doing so is easier said than done, a catchy tune that calls out big oil’s many attempts to burn the world, or big pharma’s frequent price gouging, aren’t things “any idiot” can come up with. But that nobody outside “angry” genres seems to be doing it is what saddens me.
Alternatively, most people don’t want to hear about such things in music because it’s an escape for them. When I’m listening to music its because I want to zone out and forget the world. Often because I’m stressed or overwhelmed. I can relax to the music and drift off.
Every other part of the world is enraged about social issues. Social media, news, TV and movies, advertising, politics, idle chit chat, even the products you buy when they have banners and shit on them. Art can be used to heighten social issues but it’s also used just as frequently to hide away from them and give yourself a reprieve from the storm.
I always thought it was pretty stupid that rage against the machine was criticized for simultaneously being anticapitalist and commercially successful. What do we want, commercially successful bands to all be bootlickers or completely apolitical? Much better to reach more people.
How is rage against the machine reaching more people when their latest concert tickets were going for like $500 a piece. Seems like they’re only reaching the wealthy at this point. I mean rage is a band that loses its meaning the moment they get big and wealthy. Now we got a bunch of millionaires on stage, singing to the children of millionaires, about how unfair society is. It’s kind of a joke
Rage Against the Machine and Public Enemy come immediately to mind.
Edit: I guess those would fall into, what you call, “angry genres”. Not sure if that matters when it comes to spreading information. Popular is popular regardless of tone, and what is popular changes pretty regularly.
Record companies are complete shithouses but they’re not part of some global conspiracy
Music of rebellion makes you wanna rage; but it’s made by millionaires who are nearly twice your age.
-Porcupine Tree
Damn, that song was written for this thread.
I think it’s because the top 100 or whatever chart you’re looking at is meaningless these days. It used to be a fair representation of what people were listening to, I remember people taping the top 40 off the radio on a Sunday to listen to through the week, everyone was on the same page regarding new single releases.
Now we’re atomized, I don’t even know what the #1 single is on any given week and I don’t care. I’ve got 30,000 tracks on my home server. There’s no new artist who can speak for a generation like Dylan or Woody Guthrie could in their day.
Not to mention those charts are easily manipulated nowadays. The criteria changes depending on who they want to put at the top.
It’s a byproduct of diminishing sales of singles. You couldn’t rig the charts in the 70’s or 80’s without spending a small fortune.
True. At same time, permitting angry music subcultures keeps the angry masses docile enough to not completely lose their shit. Engaging in angry music is a bit the same like writing angry political comments online - it feels engaged but changes little.
About pop music, I do respect that some people enjoy catchy tunes, easy melodies, dance-able rhythm as a kind of escapism. Listening to political comment can be exhausting, and music is, among other roles it can play, meant to be enjoyed.
That said, give me punk rock before pop anytime. Most shallow music these days makes my brain melt with the use of autotune alone before I even try to make out the lyrics.
I feel like pop songs are incompatible with the kind of message you’re proposing. Pop songs need to be generic, lighthearted and catchy to receive as wide an audience as possible.
U2, Midnight Oil both managed it
i don’t treat music, or any entertainment medium, associated with reality. whenever i watch or listen to something, i want to be transported to the world the artists created.
like listeners who listens to whatever top charts now, they want escapism and we should not give a damn about it. the real world is depressing enough, you want to extend it?
Escapism is a valid reason to enjoy music, but catharsis is a thing for some too. Sometimes it’s helpful to hear someone artfully articulate something I feel but haven’t put words to. When I’m frustrated with the world I put on some Against Me, rage about things for a bit, and then feel better.
Fit For An Autopsy exists. Listen to them. They just had a tour like last year.
Are they ‘popular music’? How much airtime are they getting on mainstream radio? Where are they in the charts?
They packed the Nile, man.
Rage Against the Machine has had a Billboard Top 100 song with Guerilla Radio. As have a lot of other angry songs over the years, especially in the 90’s, 2000’s and 2010’s when grunge and numetal were big.
Are you only actually looking at “pop music” which is itself a genre and doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s actually popular? Or do you just mean here and now in 2023?
Thinking more about genres than isolated songs. Down here (Brazil) the more popular genres completely lack anything that goes beyond typical party music.
If you care for music that touches on climate change and class disparity, you could check out King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard’s albums Infest The Rats Nest and PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation.
I really enjoy those albums even though I don’t typically get into Metal music. For something that’s not Metal, the song Plastic Boogie from their album Fishing For Fishies is also great.“Less Talk, More Rock” and “How To Clean Everything” by Propagandhi were released damn near 30 years ago and sadly that shit is still relevant
I’m pretty sure that there still are a lot of songs about social issues.
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That was not the point I was making
My friend. Rich Men North Of Richmond was number 1 for quit some time
Ah yes, the song against taxes and welfare, with capitalist realism and confederate undertones will liberate the masses.
Lol it’s a song about how the system is broken and the welfare system is broken. Allowing people to milk it while others starve in the streets.
