Music & Politics: Does Genre Matter?

[Char. Limit]

I was wondering, do you think that any particular genres of music primarily have a certain political leaning? For example, would you call most rappers liberal, or most country music artists conservative?

In particular, is it possible to assign a political leaning to practitioners of metal?

 

[radou]

Haha, definitely yes! Practitioners of metal are often anarchistic, nihilistic and highly politically incorrect. (btw, I love metal )

 

[Char. Limit]

Haha, definitely yes! Practitioners of metal are often anarchistic, nihilistic and highly politically incorrect. (btw, I love metal )

So do I

So, would you call that Libertarian or Anarchist? Because it's not Liberal, because liberal is politically correct, and it's not conservative, because conservatives aren't that into anarchy.

 

[radou]

Hm, more anarchist definitely. Perhaps in a more subtle way. Here's an example of some Megadeth lyrics:

"What do you mean, "I don't believe in God"?
I talk to him every day.
What do you mean, "I don't support your system"?
I go to court when I have to.
What do you mean, "I can't get to work on time"?
I got nothing better to do
And, what do you mean, "I don't pay my bills"?
Why do you think I'm broke? Huh?

[Chorus:]
If there's a new way,
I'll be the first in line.
But, it better work this time."

 

[Char. Limit]

Yeah, I see what you mean. And most of the other genres are easy (indie and rap --> liberal, country --> conservative)... but rock was just confusing me.

 

[radou]

Oh yes, and this may sound funny, but metal lyrics are often basically pacifist - i.e. anti-war. Take, for example, "One" by Metallica.

 

[Char. Limit]

Oh yes, and this may sound funny, but metal lyrics are often basically pacifist - i.e. anti-war. Take, for example, "One" by Metallica.

They do. Of course, then you get the metal songs like "War" by Sick Puppies that don't seem to grasp this concept.

Also, one of my favorite metal bands, Disturbed, has an environmentalist song, "Another Way To Die". It's a great song.

 

[lisab]

I had a lesbian friend once who had her birthday at one of her gay bar hangouts...a country bar. Yes, there are gay country bars...in Seattle, at least.

 

[Leshok]

How about punk/hardcore leaning towards anti-capitalist or anarchist ideas? Anyone else familiar with the genre?

 

[russ_watters]

You mean like Rage? Yeah, they're a little anarchist...

 

[radou]

How about punk/hardcore leaning towards anti-capitalist or anarchist ideas? Anyone else familiar with the genre?

Got nothing against it, as long as they're not into animal rights crap.

That's why I always liked NOFX.

 

[trautlein]

practically everybody who listens to indie is very liberal. except those who have gotten so crazy that they looped around to conservative again...

 

[Proton Soup]

I had a lesbian friend once who had her birthday at one of her gay bar hangouts...a country bar. Yes, there are gay country bars...in Seattle, at least.

for lesbian, i think folk-type music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI1keSSwdcI".


speaking of pacifism, wiki says these guys are industrial. makes me think maybe war is the new opiate of the masses, something orwell seemed to get right.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4-bUYU3BH8

 

[Pythagorean]

Got nothing against it, as long as they're not into animal rights crap.

That's why I always liked NOFX.

Clams have feelings too!

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

I was wondering, do you think that any particular genres of music primarily have a certain political leaning? For example, would you call most rappers liberal, or most country music artists conservative?

In particular, is it possible to assign a political leaning to practitioners of metal?

I think that metal is really primarily anti-authoritarian. I do not remember ever hearing any serious or complex political ideas presented in the metal when I was young (mostly 90's). I think that the metal back then mainly fed on aggression, rebellion, and angst in a weird daydream fantasy sort of way.

How about punk/hardcore leaning towards anti-capitalist or anarchist ideas? Anyone else familiar with the genre?

Punk tends towards liberalism and anarchism but there are also the blue collar conservative influences (mostly in Oi and Hardcore). Punk also tends to be one of the few genres of music that is overtly socio-political.

 

[Loremaster]

I was wondering, do you think that any particular genres of music primarily have a certain political leaning? For example, would you call most rappers liberal, or most country music artists conservative?

In particular, is it possible to assign a political leaning to practitioners of metal?

Personally, I think it is a bit difficult to slap a definitive label over the entire range of metal because there are metal bands out there that actively seek to be associated with a particular ideology on the political spectrum. The most extreme example of this I can think of would be the National Socialist Black Metal movement.

But as far as more mainstream metal goes, I think radou is correct. It is apparent that the lyrics from "Peace Sells" tend to have an anarchist leaning (I think Dave's politics have changed somewhat over time).

Pacifism is also somewhat prevalent in mainstream metal. I think a lot of the early Black Sabbath material has pacifism as one of the underlying themes.

What I actually really like about metal is that at least some bands do not continuously seek to inject their songs with belief systems and instead focus on different subjects for a change, for example power metal bands to a certain extent (yes I listen to power metal, don't judge me! :tongue:).

 

[Char. Limit]

What I actually really like about metal is that at least some bands do not continuously seek to inject their songs with belief systems and instead focus on different subjects for a change, for example power metal bands to a certain extent (yes I listen to power metal, don't judge me! :tongue:).

What are some of the most well-known power metal bands? I won't judge you at least until then.

 

[Loremaster]

Some of the most well known ones that come to mind are Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, Iced Earth, Gamma Ray, Helloween, and Manowar.

Yes all you metal elitists, I mentioned Manowar, now stop giggling! They are the most epicest band evar because they said so themselves!

 

[G037H3]

Electronic music: European nationalist, socialist

<3

 

[Leshok]

For Metal I am thinking

GWAR


and

Municipal Waste

 

[Galteeth]

I think that metal is really primarily anti-authoritarian. I do not remember ever hearing any serious or complex political ideas presented in the metal when I was young (mostly 90's). I think that the metal back then mainly fed on aggression, rebellion, and angst in a weird daydream fantasy sort of way.

Punk tends towards liberalism and anarchism but there are also the blue collar conservative influences (mostly in Oi and Hardcore). Punk also tends to be one of the few genres of music that is overtly socio-political.

Right. The only thing I would say is that punk in general is anti-authoritarian. There is a huge spectrum of political and social belief.

 

[bp_psy]

Some of the most well known ones that come to mind are Blind Guardian, Hammerfall, Iced Earth, Gamma Ray, Helloween, and Manowar.

Yes all you metal elitists, I mentioned Manowar, now stop giggling! They are the most epicest band evar because they said so themselves!

You are the first in this thread to name an actual metal band.\m/. I would also recommend the lesser known Manila Road , Cirith Ungol and Virgin Steele they are the only bands that compete with Manowar in terms of epicness and Cheese.

For the OP question the answer is most definitely no. There is no general political stance that can be assigned to even to the sub genres of Metal. There are some views that are shared by most metalheads but those views do not amount to a coherent political stance. This is what makes it great.In general listening to something because it agrees with political views in the end shows that your political views are immature and that your musical tastes are immature.

Also you should note that most metal bands sometime write the lyrics that usually want express the opposite of what they are. For example this is certainly not a song that promotes war.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQNoTIiQOe8

 

[Galteeth]

There are really specific sub-genres that are known for their political stances, like d-beat, crust, or anarcho-folk.

 

[Proton Soup]

some more political stuff

Primus - http://www.lyricsfreak.com/p/primus/too+many+puppies_20110905.html"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2zQKqgNAeE

The Cranberries - http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/cranberries/bosnia_20033997.html"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCx3kDFJyGo

 

[Evo]

This reminds me of political bands of great importance during serious times.

This was very serious back then, don't laugh. This was back when the US had a mandatory draft. This is when your friends, your brothers, and you had to use your brains to not be sent to die in the jungles of Viet Nam. Luckily my brother and husband had the brains to negotiate themselves out of being sent there.

Country Joe and the Fish

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_"Fish"_Cheer_/_I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die_Rag



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBdeCxJmcAo

 

[Char. Limit]

This reminds me of political bands of great importance during serious times.

This was very serious back then, don't laugh. This was back when the US had a mandatory draft. This is when your friends, your brothers, and you had to use your brains to not be sent to die in the jungles of Viet Nam. Luckily my brother and husband had the brains to negotiate themselves out of being sent there.

Country Joe and the Fish

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_"Fish"_Cheer_/_I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die_Rag



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBdeCxJmcAo

Holy crap, blast from the past! I remember studying this song in U.S. History class!

 

[Proton Soup]

another from the vietnam era that still plays on classic rock stations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortunate_Son_(song)
Creedence Clearwater Reviva -l http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/creedence+clearwater+revival/fortunate+son_20034362.html"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUqYirB60Jg

 

[Evo]

another from the vietnam era that still plays on classic rock stations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortunate_Son_(song)
Creedence Clearwater Reviva -l http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/creedence+clearwater+revival/fortunate+son_20034362.html"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUqYirB60Jg

All it took was a functioning brain to get out of going to Nam. This being rich or having connections is crap. My brother looked up teletype machines and found one that was only used in Germany, walked into the Army recruiters office and said I'll enlist as long as I'm guaranteed to only work on these machines. He was sent to Germany and got early out in 2 years.

My husband enlisted with the Navy with the stipulation that he'd only be a photographic enterpreter and never leave the US. He was assigned to Naval Intelligence in Washington, DC and held a desk job until his early out in two years.

At that time my brother and my husband only had high school educations, being 18 years old. They later went to college on the GI bill.

 

[Proton Soup]

All it took was a functioning brain to get out of going to Nam. My brother looked up teletype machines and found one that was only used in Germany, walked into the Army recruiters office and said I'll enlist as long as I'm guaranteed to only work on these machines. He was sent to Germany and got early out in 2 years.

My husband enlisted with the Navy with the stipulation that he'd only be a photographic enterpreter and never leave the US. He was assigned to Naval Intelligence in Washington, DC and held a desk job until his early out in two years.

At that time my brother and my husband only had high school educations. They later went to college on the GI bill.

seems strange to me. i didn't realize anyone could make such stipulations. in fact, all i ever heard from guys in my own non-war generation was that recruiters would tell you anything to get you to sign, and then once in, they did whatever they wanted with you. guess it would depend somewhat on your ability to compete for any particular post, tho. i certainly couldn't have competed for a clerical position. it was the only part of the ASVAB i didn't ace. i actually tried to get out of taking that exam, but wasn't allowed. soon after, a couple of guys from the navy showed up at my door. just because i can fold boxes in my head and understand what each handtool is best used for.

meh, not for me, tho. i do not understand football on an emotional level. proverbial square peg here.

 

[Evo]

seems strange to me. i didn't realize anyone could make such stipulations. in fact, all i ever heard from guys in my own non-war generation was that recruiters would tell you anything to get you to sign, and then once in, they did whatever they wanted with you. guess it would depend somewhat on your ability to compete for any particular post, tho. i certainly couldn't have competed for a clerical position. it was the only part of the ASVAB i didn't ace. i actually tried to get out of taking that exam, but wasn't allowed. soon after, a couple of guys from the navy showed up at my door. just because i can fold boxes in my head and understand what each handtool is best used for.

meh, not for me, tho. i do not understand football on an emotional level. proverbial square peg here.

As long as it was in writing, they had to honor it.

That's why I don't understand why so many went to Nam, and so many became draft dodgers. I know the main thing was that you had to make your deal and enlist BEFORE your number came up. If you waited until you came up to be drafted, you could not make a deal. Maybe a lot of people thought they could beat the draft and waited too long. My ex and brother decided two years in a cushy job in the military was worth not taking the risk. They might not have been drafted, but why take the chance?

 

[Proton Soup]

Lynyrd Skynyrd - http://www.lyricsfreak.com/l/lynyrd+skynyrd/sweet+home+alabama_20086081.html"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Home_Alabama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwWUOmk7wO0

 

[Proton Soup]

took me a while to figure out there's not a Woody recording of "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key", but stumbled across a bunch of political stuff along the way. lots of pro-union and anti-fascist stuff, too.

Woody Guthrie - http://www.woodyguthrie.org/Lyrics/Mister_Charlie_Lindburgh.htm"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k83WArW5XU

 

[Borg]

My favorite Thankgiving song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_7C0QGkiVo

 

[DoggerDan]

I think this calls for a study.

I'm going to go study a bill that's been staring at me for three days.