Was mainstream music more political in the 80's?

[redqueen]

I can think of dozens of political songs from back then, but not so many now, or in the 90's for that matter. There were some during bush's reign of terror... but it just didn't seem as commonplace as it was in the 80's.

Is it just me or does anyone else think so as well?

I had to edit the title to say 'mainstream' music cause a lot of punk was very political, but that's not really what I'm talking about. I mean stuff that was on the radio, MTV, Friday Night Videos, etc.

[Cush]

1. Hmm, songs about sex & nuclear war were big

[Tikki]

2. Music during that time seemed...

more about wanting love and love lost.

But then...you did exclude Punk.....

Tikki

[asdjrocky]

3. There were a lot of political rap and punk.

Don't remember an mainstream music that had any message at all.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

16. The mainstream music of the time was very empty/shallow.

nt

[redqueen]

4. Examples:

99 Luft Balloons
Russians
Two Tribes
Games Without Frontiers
Biko
Dear God
The Message
All She Wants to Do is Dance
The End of the Innocence
Born in the USA
Under Cover of the Night
Bonzo Goes to Bitburg
Rock the Casbah
Why?
Small Town Boy
Telegraph Road
Brothers in Arms
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Pride in the Name of Love
Beds are Burning
Luka


There is a subthread about pop culture in the 80's in a thread about relations between America and Russia in GD: P... that's what got me thinking about this.

Just thought of another one: Land of Confusion.


Just noticed that I do have at least one rap and one punk song on that list... I posted it in that other thread first. But from what I remember, The Message was popular.

[Louisiana1976]

5. A few more:

19
Lawyers in Love
Anything Can Happen

[redqueen]

6. Gah, yes... 19.

I thought about that one a few times since I read that thread... forgot to post it both times I responded there. Thanks.

[MissMillie]

7. Loved this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oepXF2B5NK4

[redqueen]

8. Oh yes, same here.

I like to rag on Genesis without Gabriel, but I do like several Genesis songs.

[CatholicEdHead]

9. I think so

When I listen to my Scorpions, GnR, Metallica, and Megadeth albums from that time with their latest stuff, it also went along with the youth of the bands when they were younger and more rebellious. Somewhere around the early 90's there was a shift in content.

[redqueen]

10. I wonder what changed.

I mean there are still political songs around... Harrowdown Hill comes immediately to mind... but just not nearly as many, it doesn't seem like.

[CatholicEdHead]

11. Aging of these bands for one thing

Clear Channel for another filtering out many progressive local bands who crossed lines, and just a different view on life for bands who came after them.

[PVnRT]

12. Clear Channel and others

The slow conglomeration of radio stations killed mainstream "political" songs. Now it's all about nice, safe stuff that won't cause controversy. Or older stuff the boomers like, with any political message largely forgotten or ignored (like "Born In The USA").

[AngryAmish]

13. No. Mainstream music in the 80s was absolute dreck.

Billie Jean and Pour Some Sugar On Me.

[redqueen]

14. I was specifically asking about political songs...

not whatever music you seem to prefer to recall.

[EndersDame]

19. I just discovered Gary Numan

he and the Tubeway Army were awesome!(and no that is not my generations music I am 23)

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

15. When I think of political music in the 80s, I don't think mainstream

I think of the political songs of the 80s belonging to more underground genres like hardcore punk and bands like Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Black Flag. I also think of hip-hop and the development of it as a "genre". Neither of those genres were what I would call "mainstream" in the 80s. When I think of mainstream 80s music, I think of pure electro/pop/new wave/synth - Duran Duran, Queen, Michael Jackson, Madonna. Certainly the biggest political statements were not coming from any of these artists.

[LeftyMom]

17. I just remember it being terrible, really.

Even the stuff that was supposed to be political and more meaningful was mostly shallow and seemed to be more about drawing attention to how much the performer cared than about any particular problem.

[Avalux]

18. Here's a nifty link...

...mainstream 80s protest songs:

http://www.inthe80s.com/protest.shtml

I prefer Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains and DOA but they weren't mainstream. ;-)