In times of political unrest and turmoil, many people turn to creative endeavors to express their frustration and elevate their message onto a platform. Music is a particularly popular medium for this expression, and many successful examples can be noted through modern history.
Bruce Springsteen’s recent single, “Streets of Minneapolis”, has garnered international attention and succeeded in its goal of denouncing the ongoing violence in Minnesota. He is just one of many artists speaking out against immigration policies and the state of our government as a whole, but artists who are not creating blatantly political media are still engaging in the political conversation.
Existing in the public sphere today means allowing the world to know personal thoughts and opinions, and the inherently vulnerable nature of creating music amplifies the public’s perceived relationship with an individual. Sharing music with an audience implies sharing a perspective of the world, which cannot exist outside the realm of politics.
The world can no longer debate on the topic of whether or not art should be political. The only question remaining is if we are willing to acknowledge the political nature of all forms of media. From production, to access, to deciding who gets to tell their story, politics are and always have been at the center of every form of art.