Soundtrack for these dark times?
I used to listen to the band Muse a lot in high school. I was one of those quiet but rebellious types, so their music really resonated with me. As I got older and started my corporate career, the political messaging in their music, especially in their most recent album, felt a little too strong.
I am ready for it now.
If you’re feeling rage right now, like many of us are, I highly recommend listening to the entire “Will of the People” album by Muse. Really listen to it. Put on your headphones like we used to back in the day and take it all in.
Music has become background noise for me in my 30s, but I think it’s time to bring it back into focus.
Got any songs or albums you’d recommend with similar themes?
Rage against the machine, all of them, can't miss
Nobody said System? Maybe I missed it. Toxicity the album. Individual tracks: Prison Song, Deer Dance, BYOB.
Solid rec. System is the band for this. Prison System and Deer Dance have been up there with my favorite songs since the first time I heard the album.
All research and successful drug policies show that treatment should be increased, and law enforcement decreased, while abolishing mandatory minimum sentences.
BYOB is off Mezmerize, though.
For sure. Just saying Toxicity is good and individually, BYOB.
I've been playing Mr. Jack from Steal This Album! on repeat
Fuck you, Pig!
I'm partial to Highway Song, as far as Steal This Album goes.
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero. Christofascism and the apocalypse. Still relevant almost 20 years later.
This one is perfect, from first to last track.
holy shit i love this album. every track perfectly woven into the tapestry.
System of a Down is GOAT
Godspeed You! Black Emperor — F#A#∞
I'm cruising through Rise Against constantly, because a ton of their songs resonate with my anger
Rise Against is always my "The world is fucked I'm so mad" band. All their stuff is great, but Re-education(Through Labor), The First Drop, and Mourning in America are so incredible and so relevant.
Not a whole album but I had found this little modern folk song specifically about the current state of the US a while back:
https://open.spotify.com/track/5ff9fGBykcLIctsvauVTod
Oh say can you see what I see The future ain’t what it used to be And I’m not proud of anything That I have seen tonight
So tell me ‘bout that flag you wave And what your bumper stickers say And how you parse apart your faith Who's seated on the right?
So dress up in your suit and tie And say your thank yous real polite And raise your arm out to the sky Your fuhrer is your friend
And when that grifter steps in shit They lick his boots from heel to tip Or feel the wrath of all of it Praise Jesus Christ amen
Cause now we’re great again
Dissolve the law and federal courts Defund the peer reviewed reports Retract the hand that feeds the poor The hungry ones can’t speak
So raise a glass to business whores The autocrats and saboteurs And text the world about your wars Let flow your whiskey leaks
Berate the south, invade the north And conquer all impoverished shores Identify and then extort All those who lack defense
Forget the Paine of Common Sense We reign with our incompetence And designate all immigrants As sick and evil men
Cuz now… we’re great again
Then Francis Key tries to explain That freedom’s not a first class train Your red hat cannot be exchanged As credit toward your rent
The land of all the free’s a lie So where do all the brave reside The bombs are bursting through the sky That’s where your money went
A modern Betsy Ross has made A flag that fascists celebrate Our motto now commemorates The sword above the pen
No we are not inspired hosts Your huddled and your tired folks Are propaganda for our shows And we are not your friend
But now… we’re great again
Now weakness is admitting wrong So do your part and play along The showroom on the White House lawn Would make your grandad proud
So tell me who needs enemies When you've got Fox and friends like these Who spend the daytime on their knees In service to the crown
We bow down to the motorcades With banners and our boat parades The emperor we celebrate’s Not wearing anything
That starry spangled banner waves Goodbye to golden yesterdays The ramparts now have all been raised To clearly represent
That now... somehow... we are great again
Rage Against The Machine
Obsolete by Fear Factory
It's a concept album that involves fighting against a totalitarian police state that subjugates humans to the machines they created.
It also has an awesome "Cars" cover for whenever you're feeling good.
I was there with you until "Cars". That's my problem, though.
Atari Teenage Riot has been my go to. Digital Punk anarchist.
This should be higher. Delete Yourself! is an amazing album.
Fuck yeah! Glad someone appreciates it. ATR is pretty unknown amongst most people.
Rage against the machine, Dropkick Murphys, NOFX
HEALTH
Ordinary loss https://youtu.be/-tvl8sDu9vo
Demi-gods https://youtu.be/dbSPb0bFmms
Free to die https://youtu.be/F5nCQW53l-E
Additional important listening
Trash Decade https://youtu.be/7Og1orQecxQ
Don't Kill Yourself https://youtu.be/jjsv1JACJCY
If and when I want to feel political listening to music, it's mostly RATM or some down to earth 90's black rap, such as Wu-Tang Clan (I'm white though). Occasionally I drink a few and sing Bella Ciao until my voice gives out.
Otherwise, nowadays, I'm mostly depressed (clinically) and I often just flee into some darksynth like Perturbator.
The first Rage Against The Machine album feels more relevant today then when it was released. Like this is the first time I've really, really felt like RATMs intended audience and not a 3rd person.
Panopticon's album Kentucky. Still hoping to see the level of solidarity and mutual aid those Appalachian coal miners embodied.
Seconding Kentucky.
In fact he posted this just today apparently!
https://panopticonmerch.myshopify.com/
Leftover Crack - Fuck World Trade
Love me some leftover crack.
Who doesn't like Leftover Crack?
Straight Edge punks?
I dunno, my daily mix is my daily mix.
Check out the ![email protected] community, it's usually pretty political, and has some diverse genres.
Grandson.
Check out their newish single BRAINROT to start. That album Inertia is packed with great music.
Too relevant.
Also check out Blood // Water.
Great shit that really speaks.
Fucking live Grandson. I tried to find more artists like him. Lmk of any
Check out Ren.
He's got many many good songs but I love Money Game pt 2.
From King Crimson's first album:
Incubus - A Crow Left of the Murder
Anything by Reagan Youth is gonna scratch that itch
Fuck yeah
Refused
Cro-Mags
Napalm Death
Power Trip
Iron Reagan
Exodus
Non-metal suggestions:
Thievery Corporation
Skinny Puppy
Massive Attack
Public Enemy - Say It Like It Really Is - especially the video.
Post what you're listening to on ![email protected] IMO.
Deafheaven - Revelator, Black Brick
Hell yeah Black Brick fucks
Ironically, R.E.M.- It's the End of the World As We Know. It
Unironically, Rage Against The Machine, Public Enemy
Also this: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-protest-songs-1235154848/
Wheres the revolution by depeche mode is pretty good :)
"Father's Advice" from the album Songs for Parents Who Like Drugs by Hamil on Trial
the entire album The Great Depression by Defiance, OH
"SST" by Strike Anywhere
Bluegrass and independent country artists are getting really good with their messaging lately.
Check out Jesse Welles. His song RED hooker me hard and now I’m a big fan.
I switched from almost all jazz, electroswing mostly, the summer of 2024 and added in what little dark hard rock I knew, or whatever you call it, like tool and rage against the machine, a perfect circle, old stuff. I knew we were fucked in july 2024. For sure fucked I knew before, I actually called kamala getting the nomination after biden back in like 2019.
Want some more kind of dark or hard stuff to listen to, but there was a lot more good rage against the machine stuff than I was aware, they weren't as popular as tool where I grew up.
Will of the people is great but in my personal opinion they've never topped the greatness of Uprising.
It's been around for a while now but in case anyone hasn't heard it: https://youtu.be/w8KQmps-Sog
Or for something a little more raw and underground, these folks came out and gave a great performance at a local rally in my city: https://youtu.be/VNH1ytlS5-g
If you can get hold of it, there’s a live set from a Big Day Out in Sydney getting around if you can find it.
I saw the Brisbane set. That was two days before the Sydney one, which incidentally was this date (26th), 2004 IIRC. It was one of the best live sets I’ve ever seen.
Amazing band. Live and on record.
Chumbawamba
Subhumans
Dieselboy - The Dungeonmaster's Guide
https://tidal.com/browse/album/14620847?u
I love muse
Check out here's solo work.
And flogging molly
Enter Shikari - A Flash Flood of Colour
How are we gonna get through this alive?
It's not too late
It's not too late
I was not expecting to see them here. I am pleasantly surprised.
There's a handful of Audioslave tracks that could work. Going to listen to them shortly, I'll mention some specific tracks. Definitely my favorite rock band of all time. RIP Chris.
Here are a few:
Fen - Monuments to Absence (post-black metal)
GY!BE - NO TITLE (post-rock)
Ashenspire - Hostile Architecture (avant-garde black metal)
A Silver Mt Zion - this is our punk rock... (Post-rock)
As far as I can tell Muse has only one good song (Take a bow). And even that is a bit cheesy.
Check out the album titled The Holy Bible by The Manic Street Preachers.
Perhaps you will recall Knights of Cydonia from back then.
Doom metal
Expedition 33 soundtrack. I don't wanna know nothing about reality half of the time.
Germany has many great punk bands. Fahnenflucht, Slime, Pascow, Terrorgruppe, WIZO, Fucking Angry, Feine Sahne Fischfilet, HASS.... so many great bands. I could go on. lol
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=mQYJYY4VkWA
Edge of a Revolution by Nickelback
Change by Taylor Swift
No Place Like Home from Wicked: For Good
I remember once reading that in bleak times, like the Great Depression, people historically favored upbeat movies; they wanted escapism. And then in boom times, people tend to favor grittier movies.
There might be something to that. That is, if you're not happy, you might be better off consuming happier media.
Came here to mention king gizzard and the lizard wizard who is carrying all of the genres into the future.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4CSCjCSCjJM&list=OLAK5uy_m1ABaNjc7jZhb8FNXn4j9VtYZcH1zNN18&pp=ygUZS2dsdyBpbmZlc3QgdGhlIHJhdHMgbmVzdA%3D%3D
Glow by aviators
https://youtu.be/ppG_fCn2IIg
Red water Dreams by aviators
Eye of the storm by aviators
Writing on the walls by aviators
Wartorn by aviators
Raise your flag by hidden citizens
The times they are a changing.
youtube.com/watch?v=MClg7zpm6V…
Start a playlist with Voidnet. You'll feel like you're in a terminator movie fast.
Super old school folk/country western or other older clasic rock. Its got its stigmas and opinions but if you control your Playlist library then id recommend adding the generic artists like Kat Steven, Willie Nelson, Dylan or stretch out to other mega-artists from that gen like the Beatles. Everyone knows their name and knows their billboard br3akers but theyr library is sooo deep with artists like that, there will absolutely be songs you never heard that sound better than their chary toppers.
My last recommendation: go down the limit Hendricks live recordings, rabbit hole.
If you are like me you might write off most rge artist ive named as being too... idk... legendary. But what ive found empirically, is that even the worst songs from great artists are better than any great song by an average to good artist.
To the Wilder by Woodkid.
Bullet by Hollywood undead
Nothingface is good angry music.
Kill Memory Crash - Crash v8.
The entire album channels rage.
https://youtu.be/hrkRU1fHl6U
Looking for justice? Seek out a Headhunter.
Beat Us, by B. Fleischmann.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6dccz7ozro