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Pop music sounds more homogenous and inoffensive than ever before. Venture capital hoovers up publishing rights and record labels lean hard on TikTok trends, desperate to build as many data points as possible for a song that sells. As a result, even most of the music that stirs up controversy or much-needed discussion feels designed to do so by a committee of suits.
The past few years have increased our appreciation for songs that reach a mass audience and organically push an issue from underground and into focus to the consternation of the majority and/or those who control the levers of power. Whether that’s women’s rights, free speech, police brutality, or systemic racism, these songs remind us that popular music has a role in real change.
If you glance through the list, you’ll notice that not all of the songs are strictly pop. For our purposes — and to get a wider cross-section of music — we’ve defined “pop” as “popular.” In other words, songs that found a large audience thanks in part to the subject matter they cover. Some songs were released just a few years ago, while others are older than civil rights in America. But in all cases, these songs have turned the prospect of a more liveable world into a tune that you can’t get unstuck from your head.
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