The Relationship Between Music and Politics
The connection between music and politics has been evident for centuries. Artists have been the faces of political movements, advocating and raising awareness of socio-cultural concerns. I will examine the effects that follow artists after involving themselves in politics.
Music has sparked revolutions. Just like presidential debates music is a form of communication that addresses a point. Artists, like Bob Dylan in the 60s, have used their talents by making music, called protest songs, that intrigue audiences to address social issues such as race, war, and poverty. This revolution in music and politics didn’t end with Bob Dylan but became the norm in music as world-renowned artists took the stage and became the figures of their time. Like Dylan, The Beatles become symbols for social change using their lyrics to get relatable messages across to their fans.
Although it’s tough to predict how an audience will respond to political music, artists followed the tradition of using music and their following as a medium to express their opinions. They also shared the opinions of others that they deemed necessary. In the ‘80s Hip-Hop and Raggae continued the movement as Kanye shook listeners with his political views and Bob Marley was praised for peace.
Even still, the peak of music and politics had not come. In the age of digital media, the 2000s had taken artists to new extremes. In which political views weren't only put into the lyrics of their songs but carried out through the use of social media. Now, artists could use outlets like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc., to persuade their followers to share not only a taste in music but also in political opinion.
Do these tactics work?
We know how much social media has taken over people’s lives. It’s also clear that a large source of our information about politics comes from these platforms. With this in mind, artists, like Beyonce that has 140 million followers on her Instagram alone, can influence voters in a matter of seconds- with just one picture. Although we cannot tell how many of these people that liked and commented on these photos went out to vote, we do know potentially 140 million people could react to this photo giving her voice and therefore the political candidates voice more attention.
This attention could also backfire if artists choose to use their platforms as a way to go against certain politicians and political views. Kanye West is a prime example of this, as he supported Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and urged his supporters to vote for him. As a vocal supporter for Donald Trump, West did lose a lot of support from his viewers but could have also swayed people toward Trump.
Furthermore, artists getting involved in political campaigns are successful because although many people disassociate themselves with politics, not many people disassociate themselves with music. Music and these artists have made a way for new generations to become involved in politics in a way that is understandable for them. An 18-year-old might not open up CNN or Fox News on the weekend, but will certainly open up Instagram and other social media outlets, and could result in a vote based off of a singular post from their favorite artist.
2020 Elections Who is Supporting Who?
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0hWEaKAa1x/utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
A year before elections Cardi B, an American rapper/songwriter had already been posting on social media in support of Bernie Sanders for the 2020 elections. Cardi B has 59.2 million followers on her Instagram alone and is one of many on social media advocating for Sanders.
Evidently, artists are continuously linking music and politics and have become even more influential in today’s society. With the use of digital journalism, social media has grown to become a platform for musicians to not only share music but to share and gain support in other areas of life. Music is the universal language and today’s artists are certainly fluent.
Feb. 7, 2020
