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The lack of "real world complaints" and "anger" in popular music genres helps keep the masses docile

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.

TheSpermWhale ,
@TheSpermWhale@lemmy.world avatar

Record companies are complete shithouses but they’re not part of some global conspiracy

Shurimal ,

But that nobody outside “angry” genres seems to be doing it is what saddens me.

There's a lot of "non-angry" (ie no thick distorted guitars and screamed vocals) music that has strong political themes and social commentary going on. A lot of folk, blues, EBM, EDM, reagge, dub is about the struggles of the working class, people of color etc, has anti-capitalist, anti-war and anti-globalisation message.

Leslie fish
Asian Dub Foundation
Later VNV Nation (early works are stylistically more "angry", but thematically similar)
Covenant
Chip Taylor
Shamen
And many more

Eldritch ,

90% of people have never heard of Electronic Body Music. And that’s a conservative estimate lol. Same goes for dub. Most may have at least heard of reggae and passing. And only generally associate wub wub wub with EDM.

If it isn’t the forcefed to them over radio broadcast, most people have never heard of it unfortunately. But yes, EBM postpunk and all those others are all pretty good for calling out society and the problems in it. They just aren’t popular, or at least never played on broadcast radio so they can get popular. But let’s be honest, who doesn’t like a good song about eating the rich.

Shurimal ,

You're right, of course, but my point is that it's not only metal, punk and other "angry" music, or more precisely, music that is aesthetically an acquired taste. There's a lot of mellow, danceable and catchy music that has themes other than "Ooh, baby, baby, yeah, aha". That this sort of music is not played on radio is a completely different problem.

Take a listen to eg VNV Nation's Tomorrow Never Comes and tell me it couldn't be a nr. 1 hit on radio and in clubs. It has all the making of a good catchy pop song, yet has some very thoughtful and contemplative lyrics.

Chozo ,

Someone clearly hasn't been listening to the lyrics in pop songs.

Some modern pop songs are actually about some pretty dark subjects and aren't happy at all. Pumped Up Kicks immediately comes to mind.

BirdyBoogleBop ,

Listening to the radio in the car its 75% breakup songs, 20% about sex, and 5% butchered rap that have any possibly “sweary” word taken out.

Norgur ,

Dude, you are overthinking this. Like, you spent longer thinking about the alleged pacification of masses by agenda driven producers than said producers spent thinking about the songs in question.

There is no agenda and/or purpose behind this. You just made the mistake to assume your views on one of the most subjective topics possible (music) are fitting for music in general. That's not the case.

You might like a little rebellion, commentary, what have you in your music. You might like to express the issues that move you via music. Many others don't.

The charts are, what people are actually listening to, so don't mistake the charts for something that's only pushed by labels or something. It takes listeners and labels to push something into the charts.

That doesn't say that there are never songs of the critical variety in the charts or anything. It's just rarer.

ICastFist OP ,
@ICastFist@programming.dev avatar

Fair points

you are overthinking this. (…) You just made the mistake to assume your views on one of the most subjective topics possible (music) are fitting for music in general. You might like a little rebellion, (…) others don’t.

Guess that’s why it’s a shower thought :P

Still, it’s something that I (over)think about every now and then, probably for dumb or wrong reasons.

galloog1 ,

“And all she wants to do is dance.” Nobody ever remembers the rest of the lyrics.

There’s a great podcast called Wind of Change on if the government is involved in music and specifically that song. I’ve never seen it and most government programs are highly documented and focused on Hollywood by giving them access to resources. The US Army is not going to let you borrow tanks if you are going to put them in a bad light. That’s just dumb. This is actually one of my dream programs to become involved with on a personal level.

KermitLeFrog ,

the charts are what people are actually listening to

But this statement by itself is incredibly disingenuous. Artists and record labels literally have to pay Spotify to get their songs to be played in the algorithm. Yes, it is technically what people are listening to but it’s actually almost always which record company decided to break open their wallet the most for that particular song.

Hyperreality ,

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 OP ,
@ICastFist@programming.dev avatar

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

be_excellent_to_each_other , (edited )
@be_excellent_to_each_other@kbin.social avatar

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 OP ,
@ICastFist@programming.dev avatar

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: [email protected], the link is c/[email protected], 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 ,
@be_excellent_to_each_other@kbin.social avatar

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.

Hyperreality ,

Subscribed thanks.

be_excellent_to_each_other ,
@be_excellent_to_each_other@kbin.social avatar

Thank you!

Froyn ,

On my way home yesterday I heard an updated remake of "We Didn't Start the Fire"...

Jaysyn ,
@Jaysyn@kbin.social avatar

Which isn't as good as the original, because the events aren't in chronological order.

Candelestine ,

Well, John Lennon tried but someone shot him. Imagine was an intensely political song though.

CarlsIII ,

Truly the most popular current artist

Candelestine ,

Would a more current musician dying make you feel any differently?

CarlsIII ,

About whether or not your post was relevant to OP? I would have to see.

Candelestine ,

Oh. Something happening in the past influencing how people in the present act isn’t that unusual.

CarlsIII ,

Are you trying to say that there isn’t any currently popular music with “angry” lyrics because these artists are afraid of being killed, based on John Lennon being killed?

Candelestine ,

I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a singular purpose, things are seldom that cut-and-dried, where this person over here made the choice they did just because of that one, singular, reason.

I would call it an influential event in the chilling of political music though. Which is a little ironic, since if I remember right, the guy that shot him was just mentally ill.

CarlsIII ,

Would your view change if I revealed to you that current popular artists DO have songs featuring “anger” and “real world complaints?” Here‘a one example. I’m not a huge pop fan so I don’t currently have any other examples at the moment.

https://youtu.be/k0QWX2M7W7M?si=21KV20GBdYGDWT6t

Candelestine ,

No, I was aware that exceptions would exist, as trends are merely trends, they do not mean something is true 100% of the time.

I imagine op was also aware that political pop songs still get made, and was not trying to say that zero exist.

CarlsIII ,

I suppose there is technically some hedging in “seems to be absolute zero”

Candelestine ,

Yea I guess I missed that part. I just skimmed the post, the gist they were going for wasn’t too hard to figure out.

Kolanaki , (edited )
@Kolanaki@yiffit.net avatar

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?

ICastFist OP ,
@ICastFist@programming.dev avatar

Thinking more about genres than isolated songs. Down here (Brazil) the more popular genres completely lack anything that goes beyond typical party music.

folivora ,

Been listening to Ren for a while now and it’s quite a good experience. Money game needless to say, crucify your culture and dear god are probably other songs that hit different.

omnissiah ,
@omnissiah@iusearchlinux.fyi avatar

Give me something to not feel depressed and let me tune out.

Stamets ,
@Stamets@startrek.website avatar

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.

MenschlicherFehler ,

IDLES are getting pretty popular and they are very vocal about social justice and politics. Still not a top 100 charts band though.

Things were a bit different in the 80s and 90s I would say, with songs like “Land of Confusion” by Genesis and “Civil War” by Guns n’ Roses charting in the top 10.

I think the reason we dont hear much music that is critical about current events in the charts is a consumer problem though. Mary and John just don’t want to listen to stuff that is uncomfortable. Record Labels would definitely produce music like that again, if it would be profitable.

dr_scientist ,
@dr_scientist@lemmy.world avatar

I was thinking about this watching the doc “Midnight Oil: 1984”. A year and a band (I think) that transcended the angry genre, music was catchy and very popular. So maybe the times will come around again. I feel sick of the media ignoring even the most basic issues (like, dunno, survival and stuff), and I think and hope others will connect with art that expresses some level of discontent. Which is a form of sanity these days.

Jaysyn ,
@Jaysyn@kbin.social avatar

FYI, AWOLNation & Rise Against just released a cover of "Beds are Burning".

FlyingSquid ,
@FlyingSquid@lemmy.world avatar

Does music necessarily need to bring awareness? I’m not even a big lyrics person. Half the time, I don’t really pay attention to them. I’m sure I’m far from alone. Otherwise there wouldn’t be right-wing RATM fans.

There are other ways to make people politically aware.

Melatonin ,

Pop music is happy, dance, fun music - usually. Nothing weird about that. It’s weird when it isn’t.

I think it’s called “escapism”

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