this post was submitted on 21 Nov 2023
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Showerthoughts

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The lack of "real world complaints" and "anger" in popular music genres helps keep the masses docile (programming.dev)
submitted 11 months ago by ICastFist@programming.dev to c/showerthoughts@lemmy.world
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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.

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[–] Hyperreality@kbin.social 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

which is very easy to find in punk rock and some variations, as well as rap.

When it comes to rap, it was far easier to find.

I'm not alone in noticing that a lot of mainstream(!!!) rap has become a minstrel show, glorifying capitalism, and racist stereotypes about black people.

[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, I should've mentioned that "root" or "OG" rap went into that more often

[–] be_excellent_to_each_other@kbin.social 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

Yeah, I should’ve mentioned that “root” or “OG” rap went into that more often

Here's a few (many still not that new I admit) to get you started - mostly rap but not all rap. Not posting these to argue with you, posting to help you discover some new music. 🙂 Each of these is a personal favorite of mine. (Edit: I see you are in Brazil. I admit these are somewhat US-centric in some cases.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFazh_Z69uQ 2020 Arrested Development - Amazing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKHf1YVATfk 2012 B. Dolan - Which Side Are You On?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNUl8bAKdi4 2020 Public Enemy and Others - Fight the power 2020 Remix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO18F4aKGzQ 2007 Brother Ali - Uncle Sam Goddamn (this one really hits)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKHsGh-y8d8 2012 Brother Ali - Mourning in America 2012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S18KrqrC01U 2022 Dropkick Murphys - Dig a Hole (you can say this is about Nazis because of when the lyrics were new, but based on this recent clip, yeah, I don't think they are only talking about WWII fascists in this cover)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlY9C6pzxKc 2014 Rob Hustle - Call the Cops

Edited to add: I have a tiny Kbin communityy/magazine specifically for music with a message. (I'm very nearly the only poster so far.)

I don't know how to link it in the correct way for non-kbin folks to hit it, but it's called Music With a Message https://kbin.social/m/musicwithamessage

Edit 2: Not sure if this is the way to do it for Lemmy folks: !musicwithamessage

I will continue to slowly grow the list there.

[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 0 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Can't seem to find a way to make the link work as something to see from within one's own instance.

For me it should be this: musicwithamessage@kbin.social, the link is c/musicwithamessage@kbin.social, but I guess due to how kbin orders its communities as magazines, /m/ instead, it doesn't quite work? m/ instead of c/ gives a 404

[–] be_excellent_to_each_other@kbin.social 2 points 11 months ago

There is a way to sub to Kbin magazines from Lemmy, unfortunately I don't know what it is.

On the kbin side I can search all "magazines" for keywords and Lemmy communities will come up there, and I can sub that way. I'd assume there's a similar reverse method on the Lemmy side.

If someone more knowledgeable wants to let me know how to format the link in a way that will work for Lemmy folks I'll remember it for the future.