Music Is Power: Popular Songs, Social Justice, and the Will to Change

by Brad Schreiber

Honorable Mention, Graphis 2021 Design Annual Competition​

Popular music has long been a powerful force for social change. Protest songs have served as anthems regarding war, racism, sexism, ecological destruction and so many other crucial issues.

Music Is Power takes us on a guided tour through the past 100 years of politically-conscious music, from Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie to Green Day and NWA. Covering a wide variety of genres, including reggae, country, metal, psychedelia, rap, punk, folk and soul, Brad Schreiber demonstrates how musicians can take a variety of approaches— angry rallying cries, mournful elegies to the victims of injustice, or even humorous mockeries of authority—to fight for a fairer world. While shining a spotlight on Phil Ochs, Gil Scott-Heron, The Dead Kennedys and other seminal, politicized artists, he also gives readers a new appreciation of classic acts such as Lesley Gore, James Brown, and Black Sabbath, who overcame limitations in their industry to create politically potent music

Music Is Power tells fascinating stories about the origins and the impact of dozens of world-changing songs, while revealing political context and the personal challenges of legendary artists from Bob Dylan to Bob Marley.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, History, School

238 pages, Hardcover

First published November 21, 2019

Reviews

[Raymond Rusinak · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book and I certainly was informed about certain events and artists. But, i don't know, i just expected more. And also, any book about social justice and music that decides to discuss The Sex Pistols and not The Clash leaves me scratching my head.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m reviewing texts for a course I’m teaching on popular music in social justice movements and this is one of the best books I’ve read so far...as a supplement. It has very current information (up to 2019), isn’t too left leaning, and includes detailed information about diverse musicians not included in other books. Unfortunately, it leaves out or just touches upon a lot of the seminal songs that I really want to focus on with college age students. Perhaps he assumes the reader already knows about those songs and that enough has already been written on them so he is filling in the gaps, which he does well. It will be one of the first books I send my students to read for additional information and highly recommend for others. Enjoyable read, doesn’t read like a textbook, and diverse group of musicians (though of course he spends a LOT of time in the 1960s still!) means this book is 4.5 stars for me!

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and researched. I wish the book was a little longer in order to include other bands/artists and more songs, but this collection of musical snapshots over time was still quite enjoyable. I would recommend using your favorite streaming platform to find the artists and songs mentioned and listen to them at the end of every chapter.

[Maxine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This machine kills fascists

This slogan, written on Woodie Guthrie's guitar, refers to the power of music to change the world and, in his book Music is Power Popular Songs, Social Justice, and the Will to Change Brad Schreiber looks at music over the last 100 years from the folk music of Joe Hill, Guthrie and Pete Seeger to Green Day and NWA and the protest songs that have influenced generations.

The book covers many artists and songs in genres like folk rock, reggae and punk that are know for their social relevance, people like Dylan and Phil Ochs. But he also points to artists and songs that are often overlooked as socially relevant eg Lesley Gore’s You Don’t Own Me which was the first pop feminist song and Black Sabbath’s War Pigs.

This is a fairly short book and, as a result, there are many artists who are probably better known for their socially conscious content absent from it but, whether you agree or disagree with many of his choices, this is a very well-researched, well-written, and highly readable book about the songs and artists who have been willing to take a stand often against the industry and the political landscape of their time to bring about change.

Thanks to Edelweiss+ and Rutgers University Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall this book was interesting to read. The people he discusses in this book are interesting and it's interesting to see how artist used their voices and music to protest and stand up for their beliefs. However it felt like in chapters 5-10 and chapter 12, it felt like the author was grasping at straws to defend his claiming of how the artists' music can be considered protest music. It felt like he would get close and then dance around to how the music is protest music. At times, the book feels like it is heavy with so many facts, in a way it was like looking at a piece of art that is just too busy to look at.

The artist that felt like he didn't do a good job of explaining how their music could be considered protest music were Green Day, Peter Gabriel, Grandmaster Flash, and the Beatles. He talked about how these artists were activists, but it felt like he didn't explain how their music was protest music. Just because they were activists what ever their reason/cause, doesn't automatically mean that their music is protest music.

I also won't lie that it felt the book peaked at chapter 4 (but I also don't know if it's because they talk about one of my favorite artists in that chapter). But it seemed like the traditional and very obvious protest music came to an end in chapter 4.

But overall I did enjoy the book. I am glad that my teacher assigned this book to the class (I even finished it way ahead of schedule too). I would recommend reading it at least once. It was enjoyable to see how certain artist pertain to protest music. Plus, there's something enjoyable about reading powerful music.

[Emily Ann Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Because people use music and song, I think, in large part to keep chaos at bay. We take people’s fears and experiences and dreams and things that they’re afraid to talk about, or that they’re uncomfortable talking about, and we put them into a form that they can use as a mirror, to see themselves at a distance, where it’s a little safer.”

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well researched, well written and enjoyable book that kept me hooked till the last page.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read chronicling songs created to effect some sort of social change. Any music lover would definitely like this book.