Do you think there's no good protest music these days? So did I, until I started looking for it. Every month, I listen to it all, then select the best that relates to that month’s political news. Here’s the round-up for January 2025.
1. DAVID ROVICS - FROM THE ASHES
Climate change-induced wildfires sent Los Angeles up in flames on January 7. At least 29 people were killed and 16,000 structures destroyed or damaged, including the homes of many well-known musicians. Days later, US protest singer David Rovics released his new LP, From The Ashes. On its song "Ashes Of LA", he sings: "Will we look back at the time when politicians all agreed, it turns out really to be true, we’re in the same society? From the broken-down bus to the crowded tenements, from the Malibu mansions to the nearest tent, will there come a moment when this society can say, we learnt this lesson while we stood amid the ashes of LA?" Yet politicians had learnt little. Donald Trump blamed the fires on water restrictions to protect an endangered fish. His "first buddy", Elon Musk, blamed the fires on fire services hiring Black lesbians, rather than straight white men, as firefighters. LISTEN>>>
2. RETRIBUTION - WAITING ON THE WORLD TO BURN
On the same day the fires broke out, US hardcore band Retribution released their aptly-titled new album, Waiting On The World To Burn. Asked about its title track, they said: "To recognise the bad in this world is something we should all do. But it seems like more and more the powers that be will stop at nothing to destroy it. At some point we have to step back and watch the fireworks go off as they continue to obliterate each other in the name of profit and power." But the LP also tackles immigration, capitalism and genocide. Its song "Your God" "focuses on the fact westernised Christianity fully believes what is happening to the Palestinian people is justified". The track "Chains" is "all about being a working class citizen in America". And of the LP's song "Flesh, Blood, and Bone", they said: "The practices we’ve seen by our government to 'keep the border safe' have been very cruel." LISTEN>>>
3. CRAIG G - THE WORLD IS COOKED
Rapper Chuck D pleaded with people to stop sharing footage of the fires soundtracked with a 1990 song by his group, Public Enemy, on January 10. “'Burn Hollywood Burn' is a protest song,” he wrote on Instagram. “We made mind revolution songs aimed at a one-sided exploitation by an industry. Has nothing to do with families losing everything they have in a natural disaster. Learn the history. Godspeed to those in loss.” That came after his friend Craig G released his presciently-named album, The World Is Cooked. Chuck D appears on the LP, saying: "Here's a word from a hip-hop god, surprise, he ain't one of them other guys... Ain't gun culture, war culture, thug culture, drug culture, enough to climb to this climate, in a cooked world, where intelligence is silenced. Thus, salute this hip-hop god, Craig G, for the audacity and nerve to get action out of the word. Look, this world is cooked." LISTEN>>>
4. LAMBRINI GIRLS - WHO LET THE DOGS OUT
Firefighter Cam Walker wrote an article warning about the misinformation surrounding the Los Angeles fires on January 11. When the Australian Firefighters Climate Alliance posted it on Facebook, its parent company, Meta, removed it. The move came after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg tried to impress Trump by announcing Facebook was getting rid of fact checkers. Zuckerberg then told right-wing podcaster Joe Rogan on January 10 that Meta was dumping its policies on diversity, equity and inclusion because firms needed more "masculine energy". The same day, English feminist punks Lambrini Girls released their critically-acclaimed new album, which features the song "Big Dick Energy". "Big dick energy," they seethe. "How big is that dick in reality? It's not that big." But they don't stop at toxic masculinity - the LP also takes on sexist bosses, police brutality, homophobia and financial inequality. LISTEN>>>
5. BAD BUNNY - DEBI TIRAR MAS FOTOS
When Trump was inaugurated as US president on January 20, Zuckerberg posted a photo of himself and his wife heading to the event, captioned: "Optimistic and celebrating." Among those grimacing would have been the Puerto Ricans labelled "garbage" by a comedian at a Trump rally before the election. They include the world's most-streamed pop star, Bad Bunny, who released "his most political album yet" on January 5. On the song “Lo Que Pasó a Hawaii”, he sings: “No quiero que pase contigo lo que pasó a Hawaii [I don't want what happened in Hawaii to happen to you]." In 1898, Puerto Rico and Hawaii were seized and declared US territories. Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959 and is now significantly Americanised. But Puerto Rico remains an unincorporated territory and retains its own language and culture. Bad Bunny is against the ruling New Progressive Party, which promotes statehood. LISTEN>>>
6. LOUISE WISECHILD - THE SPIRIT OF THE PEOPLE
As soon as Trump - the first convicted felon to become US president - was inaugurated, he began deporting non-US citizens from the country, including those whose children were born in the US. His move followed the release of the highly political new folk album by US expat Louise Wildchild, who now lives in Guatemala, south of the US border. On "I'm Not The Enemy", she sings: "I bring my body and my brain to work with you. My strength, my dreams, these are my gifts to you. Together we could be much more, if you’d open up the door. Now you say you don’t want me. But perhaps I’m what you need. You’re all so frightened of me, shouting, go home refugee. Someone filled your ears with lies, and now your eyes can’t see. I’m not the enemy." US economists certainly don't see non-US citizens as the enemy. Many have warned that Trump's move will increase inflation by eliminating a cheap source of labour. LISTEN>>>
7. JOHN MCCUTCHEON - FIELD OF STARS
Also slamming such xenophobia is the new album from veteran folk musician John McCutcheon, released on January 10. Its track “Ms St Louis” tells the true story of an ocean liner full of Jewish refugees seeking asylum from Hitler during World War II. They sought shelter in North America, only to be turned away at every port. Discussing the song, McCutcheon said: “I’ve often used history to shine a light on contemporary life. Plenty of refugees are being turned away right now, and it has to do with the same thing that turned the Jews away: racism.” After Trump's inauguration, Musk sparked outrage worldwide by making a Nazi salute twice during a speech on stage. Pro-Israel group the Anti-Defamation League defended his actions, despite previously condemning pro-Palestine activists as antisemitic. Days later, Musk ramped up his support for far-right German political party the AfD. LISTEN>>>
8. RSD - MIXTAPES FOR GAZA
Israel and Palestine declared a long-awaited ceasefire on January 15. One week later, Israel blocked Palestinians going home to northern Gaza and killed 22 in Lebanon. Trump then vowed to "clean out" Palestinians from Gaza, adding what media called "another risk to an already fragile ceasefire". Amid the conflict, English dub reggae record label RSD released a fundraising album on January 20, featuring "five hours of music for a very modest price". It said all proceeds from the album would go to Unicef and the Red Cross. The release came after pro-Palestine protesters condemned Israel for its attack on the Kamal Adwan hospital and the arbitrary arrest and detention of its director. Health care worker Yassmin Khadra told a rally in Brisbane on January 5 that “this is not just an attack on one hospital, but an attack on the very principles of humanity, justice and the sanctity of health care”. LISTEN>>>
9. XAVIER RUDD - LIVE IN BELGIUM
Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters joined Aboriginal activists in rallies across Australia on January 26. In doing so, the activists drew parallels between the colonisation of both peoples. The date is officially celebrated as "Australia Day" because that's when white people invaded Australia in 1788, but many councils nationwide have dumped such festivities. As the date loomed this year, the conflict continued. Geelong council controversially moved to rename the day Australia Day, opposition leader Peter Dutton vowed to stop displaying Aboriginal flags if he was elected, a Captain Cook statue was vandalised in Sydney, and Northern Territory bail reforms were slammed as a "direct attack on Black children". Addressing such issues was a new live album from Indigenous musician Xavier Rudd, released days earlier. On "Ball And Chain" he sings: "Ball and chain got me feeling like I'm a slave." LISTEN>>>
10. STICK TO YOUR GUNS - KEEP PLANTING FLOWERS
Native American dancers at Sydney's Yabun Aboriginal music festival on January 26 stressed similarities between Indigenous people in Australia and the US. Two days earlier, US investigative reporter Greg Palast - who has repeatedly proven in court that Republicans remove non-white voters from electoral rolls - revealed his findings on November's poll that elected Trump. "Trump lost," he said. "That is, if all legal voters were allowed to vote... Kamala Harris would have won the presidency with 286 electoral votes. And, if not for the mass purge of voters of colour... Harris would have gained at least another 3,565,000 votes, topping Trump’s official popular vote tally by 1.2 million." Yet he insisted his court victories showed there was hope. Summing up that defiant optimism was the new album from political US hardcore punks Stick To Your Guns, which urges listeners to "keep planting flowers". LISTEN>>>
[Mat Ward has been writing for Green Left since 2009. He also wrote the book Real Talk: Aboriginal Rappers Talk About Their Music And Country and makes political music. This month, Mat Ward released his new single, "In Our Blood".]
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Read about more political albums.
Stream our new “Best protest songs of 2025” playlist on Spotify. This replaces the previous “Political albums” playlist, that was getting too big at more than 700 albums.