The other morning I woke up and reached for my phone to read the news. A terrible habit, but it has become part of my routine, a way of focusing my mind out of partial slumber. I came across a story about a superstar DJ from France who had offered a completely inane and tone deaf display of solidarity to the Black Lives Matter protestors following George Floyd’s horrific murder at the hands of the police.
“Shout out to his family” Guetta says, before playing a record he supposedly created the night before – a non-descript, straight out of the catalogue beat overlaid with MLK’s iconic I Have a Dream speech. I cringed, stunned in horror at a scene that would have been at home in a deeply satirical comedy about the emptiness of celebrity activism. But no, this was real life, affirming the fact that we are living in a post-truth world where satire and irony is meaningless now.
When we think of protest music, it is hard to think of examples in recent decades where music has really encapsulated a movement for social change. Of course artists have never stopped producing powerful political statements through their music, but if we think about the movement against climate change for example, there isn’t a collection of songs that come immediately to mind that have helped inspire and push forward this agenda within the popular consciousness.
The recent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Ahmaud Arbery and more over the past few weeks have been the catalyst for a global outpouring of grief, frustration, and determined action against institutionalised racism and police brutality. And it appears musicians and record labels are also finding their voice against racism.
Guetta’s crass misstep comes at a time when music is being utilised as a powerful tool of protest. There have been some fantastic new releases that vehemently attack and condemn police brutality and racial discrimination.
Terrace Martin’s collaborative Pig Feet is one that stands out in particular. Featuring Denzel Curry, Kamasi Washington, Daylyt and G Perico, the track is a vicious attack on the horrors subjected to black people in America. The accompanying video uses footage from the protests, highlighting the fact that the police’s response to these protests is to unleash yet more brutality, before finishing with a long list of names of black Americans who have been killed by police.
There have been many more releases from the likes of Conway the Machine, Hiss Golden Messenger and Trey Songz, LL Cool J – I could go on. These are all important statements that forces the listener to confront the reality of racism today. There was the social media blackout across the music industry and beyond, which whilst it could be considered an empty gesture, it still displayed a united voice against racism. However, it is perhaps more exciting and important to see how artists and labels are using the means of distribution to become a tool for direct action.
Bandcamp has become the platform through which music communities can support grassroots activism through direct action, and they have done so in droves. There is a plethora of releases available right now through which fans can support organisations on the front line of fighting social injustice, or charities who are helping provide funds for food banks, or are supporting the tide of climate change. Purchasing compilations, live recordings and unreleased material can become an act of support towards protest, albeit whilst gaining something in return.
Recent years have shown the potential for Bandcamp to offer a means of direct political action came to the forefront. In 2017, when Trump began restricting the entry of refugees and by people travelling from seven major Muslim countries, Band camp announced they would donate all their income from one day’s sales to the American Civil liberties Union. Over 400 artists and labels joined them in also donating all their proceeds. When a wave of legislation that worked towards dismantling women’s reproductive rights in some American states flooded the country in 2019, the music industry responded in a similar way, through releases such as this brilliant compilation (https://blackflagsoverbrooklyn.bandcamp.com/releases).
It is now become commonplace for Bandcamp to waive their fees on the first Friday of every month. On March 2020, they donated their revenue share in order to help artists and labels impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic, doing so again on May 1st. By doing so, fans responded by spending £11.4 million. On June 5th, they waived their fees once again, whilst also promoting a list of artists and record labels who were donating their share of profits to organisations that support racial justice and change.
There was a time when it seemed music’s power to protest seemed softened by the relentless force of commodification. The political content of songs rendered meaningless, created just to appeal to the changing moods of their listeners in order to sell, sell, sell. Through Bandcamp, musical activism has emerged in an ‘exchange economy’ form, with music offered in return for donations. It’s exciting, and hopefully forces the hand of large behemoths of the music industry, prompting the likes of Spotify, Warner and Universal to consider how they can appeal to an increasingly morally-conscious consumer base, and thus take greater responsibility towards societal injustice.
On June 19th, Bandcamp are once again taking a stand by directing 100% of profits to the NAACP Legal Defence Fund. Whereas other major music industry players are receiving significant criticism for their inaction and silence, whilst continuing to profit hugely from the work of black musicians, Bandcamp are leading the way towards a more responsible, and accountable music industry.
Here is a list of some great new releases that are in aid of causes fighting against racial injustice, and other causes:
SIGE Records have got a load of new releases in support of various organisations, with this being my favourite release so far:
Here is a link for a great compilation raising money for NHS charities:
https://huntingseasonpunx.com/?fbclid=IwAR0TJKK5JuBvOBsqstidotKa2BnkGKcR1a2nA5Vj2XgujlUv3bWRGgrkMSo
Noise Compendium 