
Rumours have been circulating on Twitter concerning the popular 1990s metal band Rage Against the Machine partnering with US president-elect Joe Biden and his transition team to encourage youth to follow government COVID-19 mandates of mask-wearing and physical distancing.
While Rage fans gave the band flak for partnering โalongside the machine,โ the bandโs guitarist Tom Morello tweeted, โFake News. Trust me, if u wanna sneeze your Covid into your MAGA grandpas mouth I 100% support your kick ass freedom to do so. #NaturalSelectionBro.โ
These rumours have yet to be confirmed by either the Democratic Party or Rage Against the Machine, but the confirmation of this partnership may not be best for the bandโs publicity.
Notable for singing about the corrupt elite and human rights, such as the police brutality in the 1991 case of Rodney King in โKilling in the Name,โ the bandโs partnership with a political party could be perceived as hypocritical and unfaithful to the messages theyโve expressed in the past.
Rage Against the Machine is just one example of how artists want to disassociate themselves from politics as evidenced by various artists like Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, and The Rolling Stones being opposed to their songs being played at Trump rallies. One notable case is the severely pissed off Neil Young filing a lawsuit against Trumpโs use of โRockinโ in the Free Worldโ during the 2016 presidential campaign, and again in 2020.
However, some musicians will overtly support a politician and allow their music to be used for the politicianโs campaign. In the 2020 election, Taylor Swift, Madonna, and Cardi B encouraged their audiences to vote for Biden, and Eminem was the first rapper to authorize his music to be used in a political ad.
Campaign songs have been a tradition in U.S. politics since George Washingtonโs campaign changed โGod Save the Kingโ to โGod Save Great Washington.โ John F. Kennedy used Frank Sinatraโs โHigh Hopes,โ and Ronald Reagan used Springsteenโs โBorn in the U.S.A.โ despite the song being a criticism of the American governmentโs treatment of Vietnam War veterans.
Having said this, the relationship between music and politics goes both ways. While the context of the song brings meaning to its audiences, it is also the song itself that can invoke meaning and societal change.
Historical examples include Bob Dylanโs โThe Times They Are A-Changinโโ leading the 1960s anti-establishment movement, and John Lennonโs โGive Peace A Chanceโ as the anthem for the countercultural movement at the end of the decade. Both artists and their songs acted as a voice for the masses, helping the public call for equality and societal change.
In the 1980s and 1990s, there were groups like N.W.A. calling out systemic racism and the prejudicial policing system while bands like Rage Against the Machine were criticizing the U.S. government and standing against its authoritarian system.
Today, we have a variety of popular and upcoming artists who sing in protest for justice and societal change.
From Childish Gambinoโs โThis Is Americaโ to Sunny Warโs โOrange Man,โ current American protest music largely targets systemic racism in the U.S., not only because of its deep historical roots but also because of the large resurgence in white supremacy and the increase in documenting the brutal murders of African Americans.
Musicโs influence on politics has even gone so far as to have musicians run for office. While we all know Kanye Westโs 2020 campaign, there have been musicians in politics before like famous R&B singer Martha Reeves who ran and won the 2005 election of Detroit City Council.
While Bidenโs partnership with Rage Against the Machine is merely a Twitter rumour, the rumour alone carries a lot of weight as music is a major influence on the framing of politics and the outcomes in politics.
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