The Power of Music in Cultural Issues: How Rock Plays a Role in Activism and Social Justice
Activism comes in many shapes and sizes. Let's look at how rock music shaped many movements.

Rock music has had a long-standing relationship with social justice and activism. From the Civil Rights Movement to the feminist one, rock music has been used as a tool for mobilization and empowerment within marginalized communities.

Many rock musicians and bands have used their platform to raise awareness and advocate for various social and political causes, such as civil rights, LGBTQ rights, anti-war and anti-establishment movements, and environmentalism. The genre of rock music has been a powerful medium for expressing dissent and for demanding change.

The emergence of punk rock marked a significant shift in the relationship between rock music and social justice. Punk rock was a rebellion against the status quo, and it provided a platform for marginalized voices, particularly women, to be heard.

However, it is not only punk rock that has been associated with social justice and activism. Many other subgenres of rock, such as alternative rock and indie rock, have also been used to highlight and promote social and political causes.

That’s why we will discuss the strong connections the different music styles have forged with social and cultural affairs throughout history.

Social Justice and Activism

To begin with is important to understand what social justice and activism is. While the first is more related to equitable opportunities for all, the latter refers to opposing the established order.

According to the United Nations, social justice is understood as a fair distribution of economic growth. These results in equal economic, political, and social rights. In other words, social justice alludes to equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal treatment for every single person, no matter who you are.

When talking about activism we address supporting activities in contraposition to one side of controversial matters. Besides, activism is concerned with political, social, cultural, and environmental issues.

Both terms are intrinsically connected due to, in most cases, one precedes the other. What I mean to say is that activism sometimes makes more for social justice than the institutions intended for that.

Why Are They Related To Rock Music?

Rock music has a long history of being associated with counterculture and rebellion, which can align with the goals and values of social justice and activism movements. Many musicians have used rock music as their trademark to visualize questions such as poverty, inequality, and discrimination.

From the early beginnings in the 1960s, rock captured the essence of the youth, encouraging them to abandon old forms of teen or young adults. Youngsters' empowerment led them to sexual liberation and different countercultural movements.

With the raise of the hippie movement, people promoted ideals of peace and love in a rough political context carried out by the upcoming Vietnam War. The Beatles were probably the most influential group in raising awareness of these issues. In the same way, Bob Dylan touched young people’s hearts through his protest folk songs. Although Dylan affirmed not to be part of any ideology, his meaningful lyrics talked by themselves.

Besides, racism in America was as common as dirt. The Deep South of the United States comprised extremely racist communities which resulted in horrifying lynching events. When talking about this, the best example is the 1939 song Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday. Back in that time, the track had a great impact on society. Some people loved it while others hated it. Even though shortly after was banned from the radio, the omission of the song did not remove it from American history.

However, what was maybe the most interesting thing about rock music is that represented a lifestyle that involved rebelling against the established and questioning the status quo. As mentioned earlier, The Beatles popularized rock music, and with the appearance of other groups like The Rolling Stones and The Beach Boys that included elements from blues, soul, and other genres, rock build its own recognizable sound.

This social phenomenon hit hard at that time, especially among young people. Through the ideals of rock youngsters from wide dissimilar backgrounds joined together and protested against war and discrimination of any kind. Racial barriers were destroyed and black and white shared a sense of belonging.

The Evolution of Rock Protest Music

As time passed by, rock music continue to push for counterculture movements. Not only encourage the Civil Rights movement but also empowered feminists' rights.

The Empowerment of Women in Punk and New Wave Music

The empowerment of women within the punk and New Wave genre emerged in the 1970s in Britain and the United States. This bold era created many opportunities for women and the musical bands of which they formed a part.

The Raincoats were one of the first all-female punk rock bands, with a focus on embodying feminist ideals in their music. Despite the era's tendency to eroticize women in rock music, The Raincoats refused to be seen as sex symbols. Unfortunately, The Raincoats never achieved fame.

This neglect of women in the rock domain led to the emergence of the Riot Grrl movement in the 1990s. Riot Grrl allowed women to use their voices as a weapon and challenge conventional modes of feminism.

Female rock acts have become sexualized, and many female vocalists have reported being seen as sex objects on stage. Riot Grrl's lyrics exposed the alienation and distorted experiences of being a woman in the music industry.

U2 and Irish Rock: Music to Connect and Change

If we go back to the 1980s, we find a new generation of emerging bands that combined a punky attitude with the sensibility of rock music. These artists based their ideals on the rage provoked by the repression and economic problems of the time.

To this point, U2 made its appearance as one of the bands that pushed the boundaries of Irish rock and popular music. Thanks to the strength of their lyrics, U2 was able to connect with the public and powerfully convey their message. Today, the group is still known for the social consciousness and political alignment of their music.

Rage Against the Machine and the American Dream: Challenging the Status Quo

During the 1990s, problems did not cease in America. A group of young men determined to make a change joined together and started blending features from hard rock, funk, and hip-hop to create a groundbreaking sound.

Thus it was that in 1991 Rage Against The Machine released their debut album which featured songs that spoke of racism, injustice, oppression, and issues related to the abuse of power and violence in the streets.

The lower classes felt represented by this band since they not only transmitted a message through music but also carried out campaigns to support their ideals. As a consequence of the time, Rage Against The Machine suffered various types of censorship as their message was intended to disprove the much-acclaimed "American Dream".

How Rock's Message and Impact Shaped Society

As you may notice, music just like every form of art has been used to express feelings, spread ideals, and surprisingly created bridges between people. At this point, the strong impact of rock on society is undeniable. Thanks to the transmission of a message it managed to make visible tragic events that remained under the shadows. Maybe today these events are on everyone's lips but at that time, when the existence of the internet was unthinkable, the role of rock was crucial to change history.