Music generes and political ideologies?

[Musician From Norway]

Hi there, this is my first ever post on this forum! :-)
I was wondering about your theories about different music generes (or big artists from a genere) representing different political views. I know thats it's both right and left wingers in all generes, i just want to see it in general and hear your experiences and opinions.
-punk - well known for anarcistic and left wing ideologies, same with grunge, hardcore etc
-todays mainstream pop - I think it might be more right wing/ capitialistic. Often the meaning is to sell the most
-country - alot seems to be right wing to me
-metal- now this one is hard because it is a ton of sub generes.but i feel that its going against sosciety in many ways, so its not concervative

[Craig_J]

I'd say punk is definanlty left wing and anarchist. However, some neo-nazi's do produce their own nazi racist punk. Still though, he majority and origins of Punk are definantly left wing and anarchist.

Mainstream pop is just disgusting to be honest. I have no respect for most of the songs (notice I said most) that comeout now days as theyonly exist to be catchy and make money. They have no meaning, they're just a catchy jingle that gets stuck i your head.

Country is very nationalist and usually mentions your roots a lot.

Metal like you said is hard to place to be honest.

Rock is the same. It can be about manyu differnet things and is very hard to place.

As a raver I'd say music such as hardtrance, hardtech and dnb are very left wing the majority of the time and that generally ravers are very left wing, hence the reason so many are hippies.

[Ele'ill]

there are mall music versions of every genre and every genre usually has something that I can connect with although not usually on a political level. It takes really specific political stuff in a song for me to like it and even then that usually only means that I like the song and nothing else from the group

[evermilion]

I don't hear a lot of left-wig politics in metal as I experience it. Black metal often expresses neo-völkisch themes and has become associated with Nazism thanks to N.S.B.M. But those metals, including black metal, that feature pagan themes express anti-authoritarian, anti-religious, and environmentalist themes. This is usually the case with pagan and folk metal. Death metal, at least in my experience, might borrow Third Reich imagery; its actual content isn't likely to sound approving of fascist regimes. And Gaelic doom metal? That's like the cult comic book movie of the metal genres; no political substance, but fucking awesome sound.

[Yuppie Grinder]

Good country is about hating the police and smoking weed.

[Yuppie Grinder]

Good music in general is usually about that though.

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

Most listeners of "today's mainstream pop" strike me as apolitical rather than right-wing.

[Yuppie Grinder]

Most listeners of "today's mainstream pop" strike me as apolitical rather than right-wing.

lots of people on revleft like pop music, including myself

[evermilion]

Good music in general is usually about that though.

If I could thank this post a million times.

[L.A.P.]

I don't think music is like the visual arts where you have all these ideologies associated with it. Historically, vast majority of music genres have been concomitant with relatively progressive ideologies. There are a few exceptions like neofolk and Norwegian black metal.

Also, the popular ideology of the audience is totally different from the musicians themselves. Hence why you have conservative petty bourgeois store managers blast Metallica songs raging against war and authoritarianism.

[Fourth Internationalist]

Most listeners of "today's mainstream pop" strike me as apolitical rather than right-wing.

Hey, I just read this

and this is crazy

'cause I'm an anarchist

so shut up maybe?

:lol:

I'm just kidding about the shut up partThis is a parody of Call Me Maybe, btw, just to be clear

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

Metal is definitely hard to put down ideologically....partly, I think, because metal musicians on the whole tend to not take themselves too seriously.

(Unless you're talking about the old-school Norwegian Black Metal bands, who probably take themselves far more seriously than they should).

The big four of American Thrash Metal (Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth and Slayer) used to have strong anti-authoritarian views and lyrics in their early work. Of course, that changed when Metallica became a money machine and Megadeth began to reflect Dave Mustaine's right-wing conspiracy views.

Slayer and Anthrax, however, have largely kept their anti-authoritarian views intact.

Personally though, I prefer Metal bands that prefer subjects other than strict politics. Anthrax are basically the huge nerds of the Big Four, what with their obsession with comic books and horror literature.

[Yuppie Grinder]

ideologically, metal is mostly awful
black metal is largely far-right and occult
the punk side of grindcore is politically the same as most hardcore, but there are white power grindcore bands
other than that, metal is about petite-bourgeois individualism and edgey shit about satan designed to alienate parents

[Nevsky]

Metal is definitely hard to put down ideologically....partly, I think, because metal musicians on the whole tend to not take themselves too seriously.

(Unless you're talking about the old-school Norwegian Black Metal bands, who probably take themselves far more seriously than they should).

Some of the original Norwegian Black Metal musicians are cool, down to earth people, though. Fenriz of Darkthrone for example is pretty much the contrary of what you'd expect an ultra-serious, semi-fascist black metaller to look like.

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

If you want some left-wing/progressive country music, you can't do better than Steve Earle.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

I listened to a very interesting and incisive podcast on the political roots of punk, think it's called 'Punk, Politics and the collapse of consensus in Britain' by Matthew Worley of Reading University. Downloaded it from the Historical Association, you may have to be a member. Still, worth a listen.

[L.A.P.]

ideologically, metal is mostly awful....other than that, metal is about petite-bourgeois individualism and edgey shit about satan designed to alienate parents

that's why one would listen to Sepultura, comrade.

[c0mr4d3]

i'd say some kind of rap is leftist (see coup)

[Sinister Intents]

There are a few seemingly left metal bands like Kalmah, arch enemy, suffocation, cattle decapitation, abnormality, I can go on and on

[melvin]

-todays mainstream pop - I think it might be more right wing/ capitialistic. Often the meaning is to sell the mostthis sounds like something a left winger might say just because they don't like pop. it's apolitical music.

[Palmares]

Most listeners of "today's mainstream pop" strike me as apolitical rather than right-wing.

Apolitical is right-wing. Inaction and brainlessness maintains the status quo - global capitalism.

But of course you knew that! :grin:

-----

But back on topic, I think it's more accurate (to some degree), to talk more specifically, say, like sub-genres, or regions.

For example:

RABM (Red & Anarchist Black Metal), though not distinctly a genre, is very left-wing.

Cascadian BM is very left wing.

Black Metal is France, though not exclusively, is represented quite well in left-wing views.

Eastern European Black Metal... Especially Russian, is very very very Nazi...

Anarcho-punk, obviously left-wing.

Christian Metal, in all it's forms, are stuuupid god-lovers. Right-wing.

[NewLeft]

house is obviously communist

and trance is alien music

[ÑóẊîöʼn]

lots of people on revleft like pop music, including myself

Your point being? You aren't "most listerners".


Apolitical is right-wing. Inaction and brainlessness maintains the status quo - global capitalism.

But of course you knew that! :grin:

No, you're wrong. Right-wingers actually give a shit about maintaining the status quo, they actively work to preserve it. Apolitical types don't give a shit at all, and if they do then they aren't apolitical even if they claim to be.

[evermilion]

house is obviously communist

This user deserves so much money.

[Lord Testicles]

ideologically, metal is mostly awful
[...] metal is about petite-bourgeois individualism and edgey shit about satan designed to alienate parents

I'd say that's an unfair stereotype.

_kdlXCbEoTk

Udd-5g08U7o

-mD-pKu-5bw

[B5C]

As an Metal Head. I can tell you this that most Metal can come from the left or the right. Black or Death mental maybe most favored by right wing bands, but most of the music is just stuff to be anti-religious, war, death and etc.

Metal doesn't make things right or left. It is the band which can make the metal left or right. Most bands I listen to don't have a political favoritism. Unless you think favoring Satan over Christianity is a sort of political favoritism.

Does Dethklok's Murmaider prove Dethklok to be left wing or right wing?
30Rk1gjtK68


Before I became an metal head. I was a listener to country music. Country music has been right wing since almost forever. Also note that many of the left wing country stars have left country to pop because many country fans don't like listening to left wing country bands anymore because they believe they are anti-America. A good example was the whole Dixie Chicks fiasco. God, I remember when I was an hard core Republican. That I gave my Dixie Chicks CDs to Goodwill because I thought the girls were traitors because they were ashamed that Bush jr was also from Texas.

Yet, there are a rare left wing country artists:

Willie Nelson- Pro Pot, Ends the eviction of small family owned farms, anti-Iraq war, environmentalist, and supporter of gay rights.
Steve Earle- Anti-Capital Punishment

There is a debate if Johnny Cash is a left winger even with the very religious life. He was a mixed bag type of guy. He was for social justice, Native American rights, and prisoner reform. You can call Johnny Cash as an Social Justice Christian.

The song "Man in Black" basically defines what his political beliefs is.
y0VvmiU9xZM


Well, you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone.
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.

I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town,
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,
But is there because he's a victim of the times.

I wear the black for those who never read,
Or listened to the words that Jesus said,
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.

Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,
In our streak of lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back,
Up front there ought 'a be a Man In Black.

I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them cold,
I wear the black in mournin' for the lives that could have been,
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.

And, I wear it for the thousands who have died,
Believen' that the Lord was on their side,
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
Believen' that we all were on their side.

Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
And things need changin' everywhere you go,
But 'til we start to make a move to make a few things right,
You'll never see me wear a suit of white.

Ah, I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
And tell the world that everything's OK,
But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
'Till things are brighter, I'm the Man In Black.

[rednordman]

i find it really perplexing when people try to link any music at all to certain ideologies. As a bit of a hardcore (techno) head, i know that the media in both the UK and Holland tried so dam hard to portray ALL the gabbers of the mid 1990s as Die hard Nazis. As a result, a lot of actual neo-nazis actually got attracted to the raves and music at the time and such, because they saw if as being friendly to to them. Which is sadly ironic as some of the most prominent producers (DJ Paul, Gizmo, and others) are not white at all. Also the Rotterdam Terror Corps are often duped by nazis and given credit for fascist songs that they never made. I mean the lead mc is black for f sake, why would he be part of some song about the waffen ss?

[ed miliband]

house is obviously communist


dance music in general. moments of collective joy.

[bricolage]

Good country is about hating the police and smoking weed.
and about drinking beer and telling your boss to do one.

[B5C]

and about drinking beer and telling your boss to do one.

Losing your girlfriend and having a good time with a solo cup.

Welcome to the new country:
BKZqGJONH68

[bricolage]

toby keith mostly writes terrible 'party' songs as well as hyper-patriotic ones about america... but he's also done songs that mention foreclosures and rural poverty so I dunno. I think there's always a kind of underlying tension in country music.

[Total]

As a raver I'd say music such as hardtrance, hardtech and dnb are very left wing the majority of the time and that generally ravers are very left wing, hence the reason so many are hippies.


That may be true where you're from, in the netherlands dance music has a right wing image. nazi's mannaged to recruit a lot in the gabber scene in the late 90's, early 00's. I found myself once on a party surrounded by sieg heiling wankers.

On the other hand u have the tekno freepartys, those are usually more leftist.



In general i don't think u can puit a pollitical idea to a music genre, like said before there are extreme';s going both ways.

[rednordman]

That may be true where you're from, in the netherlands dance music has a right wing image. nazi's mannaged to recruit a lot in the gabber scene in the late 90's, early 00's. I found myself once on a party surrounded by sieg heiling wankers.This. But I do get the impression that that has changed a lot now. If anything its seems more like Gabber has become more mainstream attracting normal party goers with Big commercial gigs like MOH and Bassleader etc. I know that now a lot is done at those raves to stop the far right element gaining access. and have heard that it can get you thrown out of an event if you where to provocate those views.

[Yuppie Grinder]

I'd say that's an unfair stereotype.

_kdlXCbEoTk

Udd-5g08U7o

-mD-pKu-5bw

Dude I know there are metal bands with good politics like Thou and Assuck, it's just that that for the most part isn't true.

[Onquaenthtonsul]

If you want some left-wing/progressive country music, you can't do better than Steve Earle.

[Lord Testicles]

Dude I know there are metal bands with good politics like Thou and Assuck, it's just that that for the most part isn't true.

I never said anything about metal bands having good politics, I was pointing out how your description of most metal being "about petite-bourgeois individualism and edgey shit about satan designed to alienate parents" is total bullshit.

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

TO THE CLIFFS - QUEER ANARCHIST BLACK METAL - THREE GUITARS.

Also, Ke$ha is totally the sound of communism. Get over it.

[Flying Purple People Eater]

Look at all the pop-loving reactionaries in this thread.

Gulags for all of you.

(Although I agree that metal is absolutely horrible)

[Total]

This. But I do get the impression that that has changed a lot now. If anything its seems more like Gabber has become more mainstream attracting normal party goers with Big commercial gigs like MOH and Bassleader etc. I know that now a lot is done at those raves to stop the far right element gaining access. and have heard that it can get you thrown out of an event if you where to provocate those views.


Actually, the example i gave was a MOH party. And yeah, they 'try' and stop it at the door, often extreme right symbolism was forbidden (also soccer shirts) according to the flyers, but if the bouncers don't know where to look for or just don't care..
At the party i mentioned i saw nobody getting kicked out for sieg heiling, but if you revealed a soccer shirt the bouncers came out of nowhere.
On the other hand, the MOH in dortmund was really strickt on it and removed evreybody who dared

[Goblin]

As an Metal Head. I can tell you this that most Metal can come from the left or the right. Black or Death mental maybe most favored by right wing bands, but most of the music is just stuff to be anti-religious, war, death and etc.

Metal doesn't make things right or left. It is the band which can make the metal left or right. Most bands I listen to don't have a political favoritism. Unless you think favoring Satan over Christianity is a sort of political favoritism.

Does Dethklok's Murmaider prove Dethklok to be left wing or right wing?
30Rk1gjtK68


Before I became an metal head. I was a listener to country music. Country music has been right wing since almost forever. Also note that many of the left wing country stars have left country to pop because many country fans don't like listening to left wing country bands anymore because they believe they are anti-America. A good example was the whole Dixie Chicks fiasco. God, I remember when I was an hard core Republican. That I gave my Dixie Chicks CDs to Goodwill because I thought the girls were traitors because they were ashamed that Bush jr was also from Texas.

Yet, there are a rare left wing country artists:

Willie Nelson- Pro Pot, Ends the eviction of small family owned farms, anti-Iraq war, environmentalist, and supporter of gay rights.
Steve Earle- Anti-Capital Punishment

There is a debate if Johnny Cash is a left winger even with the very religious life. He was a mixed bag type of guy. He was for social justice, Native American rights, and prisoner reform. You can call Johnny Cash as an Social Justice Christian.

The song "Man in Black" basically defines what his political beliefs is.
y0VvmiU9xZM
Johnny Cash also covered Merle Travis' "Sixteen Tons", which is a pretty left wing song.

tfp2O9ADwGk

I dont think the fact that he was a christian leaves out the posibility of him being a lefty. I have heard alot of people refer to Johnny as a "Jesusist" (christian socialist).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesusism