Protest Music In The 1960's

Politics and music have always had a close relationship. Events like the Vietnam War and and other political movements influence the creation of protest music. This type of music is a significant part of the culture that led to many of the political events in the 1960’s. Both Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer proposed the culture industry and mass marketing concept in their The Dialectic of Enlightenment essay.They argue that one could never escape from the influences of the media.The protest music of the 60’s left a huge impact on the american people as well as the music industry from years to come.
Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer explored the American culture.Adorno had fled from germany during the Nazi movement in search for freedom from
Tensions among the americans started to rise, and with the conflict of the Vietnam War, tensions among americans came to an all time high. Throughout this decade, music became a huge source of expression for the people. It reflected how people were feeling, their hopes, and their fears, that they were experiencing during this time. Music became a way for the american people to join together for a common purpose.In the ducumentary Get Up, Stand Up: The Story of Pop and Protest,they showcase the American history of protest songs and how these songs brought people together for change.One of the songs feature in this documnetary was Give Peace A Chance.This songs was released by John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band in 1969.John and Yoko famously promoted peace with their Bed-In protest, during their honeymoon. They set up a camp in a Montreal hotel, were all of the world’s media was there recording their pley for peace.The song’s chorus famousy echoed around the world and it became the most popular anthme of the Anti-Vietnam War movement.One of the verse suggest the urgency for the United Nations to end the war when Lennon Sings, “Regulation, Integrations/meditations, United Nations,
Just before americans began to disapprove it’s involvement in Vietnam, the lines “There’s a battle outside/and it’s ragin’/It’ll soon shake your windows/Rattle your walls” are an obvious reference to the Vietnam War.Most of the popular music in the 1960s was a way of protest for people that were against the Vietnam War. Several influential music artists used their talents to appeal to people that were against the war.While catchy melodies can capture a listener’s attention, the lyrics of the music spoke to minds. In many ways the 1960s represented how music was able to speak out against the war.Not only was music a direct way of anti-war protest, but was part of the culture for peace and of