Amplify Your Impact: Why You Need a Protest Playlist

Written by Compliance Liaison · May 22, 2025

Feeling the momentum drain? Protests aren’t just about signs and slogans—they’re about the energy that carries you forward when it all feels too much. A carefully curated playlist can:

• Elevate morale — when fatigue sets in, the right track rekindles your fire
• Forge solidarity — shared anthems turn strangers into comrades
• Charge Your Conviction — sometimes you need a reminder of why you're fighting
• Signal defiance — when they expect silence...send noise.

Full Protest Playlist

Listen on YouTube.

1. Know Your Rights – The Clash
   A punk-rock wake-up call: you deserve freedom, not silence.
2. Fight the Power – Public Enemy
   Legendary hip-hop rallying cry—turn it up when you need that extra push.
3. The Times They Are A-Changin’ – Bob Dylan
   Folk protest at its finest: a timeless reminder that every era demands action.
4. Mississippi Goddam – Nina Simone
   Raw, unfiltered outrage against injustice—immerse yourself in its power.
5. What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye
   Soulful questions over lush grooves—a moment to reflect and re-energize.
6. Killing in the Name – Rage Against the Machine
   Unapologetic rage set to explosive riffs—perfect for cathartic release.
7. Born in the U.S.A. – Bruce Springsteen
   Misread by many but rooted in the pain of the forgotten—sing it loud.
8. Freedom Highway – Mavis Staples
   Gospel-powered march for justice—hope and defiance in harmony.
9. There Is Power in a Union – Billy Bragg
   Folk-punk paean to collective strength—ideal for union chants.
10. Hell You Talmbout – Janelle Monáe
    Modern call-and-response memorial for victims—move as you remember.
11. Zombie – The Cranberries
    Haunting riff channels frustration into solidarity.
12. Make America Great Again – Pussy Riot
    Satirical punk-art protest that flips slogans back at power.
13. When the President Talks to God – Bright Eyes
    Raw folk-rock critique of leadership that ignores the people.
14. Ju$t – Run the Jewels
    Hard-hitting hip-hop call-out on economic injustice—drop this when you need to vent.
15. Hurricane – Bob Dylan
    Narrative folk epic about wrongful conviction—reminds us the system can fail.
16. Sabotage – Beastie Boys
    High-octane rap-rock fury—perfect for blowing off steam.
17. What Did You Learn in School Today? – Tom Paxton
    Simple folk questions unmask indoctrination—great for reflective moments.
18. Nazi Punks 🦆 Off – Dead Kennedys
    Ferocious punk riposte to hate—no apologies, no exceptions.
19. Handlebars – Flobots
    From playful to political—an anthem about the slippery slope of power.
20. Fortunate Son – Creedence Clearwater Revival
    Classic rock critique of class and privilege—still punchy today.
21. War Pigs – Black Sabbath
    Heavy-metal scorn for warmongers—marching with this feels epic.
22. A Change Is Gonna Come – Sam Cooke
    Soulful, hopeful promise that justice will arrive—carry this when you need faith.
23. We Don’t Need This Fascist Groove Thing – Heaven 17
    New-wave sass rejecting authoritarianism—dance-protest approved.
24. Transgender Dysphoria Blues – Against Me!
    Punk-raw exploration of identity and resistance—visibility as protest.
25. Swing for the Fences – Elton John & Brandi Carlile
    Anthemic duet about daring greatly—uplifting fuel for collective courage.
26. Bullet Fee – Scot Dunbar
    Poetic folk-punk reflection on violence and accountability—pause and persist.
27. Tinfoil Hat – Early James
    Gritty rock meditation on paranoia and power—track the line between truth and lies.
28. London Calling – The Clash
    Urgent punk alarm channeling social anxiety into action—ignites the crowd.
29. I’d Love to Change the World – Ten Years After
    Reflective blues-rock questioning injustice—balances hope with hard reality.
30. Freedom – Beyoncé
    Powerful anthem of liberation and resilience—let this voice carry you through every moment of defiance.
31. Strange Fruit – Billie Holiday
    Haunting indictment of racial terror—its stark lyrics force reflection on America’s history of injustice.
32. Ohio – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
    Folk-rock indictment of the Kent State shootings—reminds us power can turn on its own people.
33. God Save the Queen – Sex Pistols
    Three-minute punk wrecking ball against monarchy and establishment—pure rage and rebellion.
34. (Don’t Worry) If There’s a Hell Below, We’re All Going to Go – Curtis Mayfield
    Funk-soul prophecy of social collapse—urgent groove for high-stakes moments.
35. Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2) – Pink Floyd
    Anthem against oppressive schooling and conformity—perfect for education-justice marches.
36. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised – Gil Scott-Heron
    Spoken-word jazz manifesto declaring real change happens in the streets, not on your screen.
37. The Preacher and the Slave – Pete Seeger
    Satirical folk classic skewering “pie in the sky” promises—ideal for labor-rights marches.
38. Eve of Destruction – Barry McGuire
    Fiery 1965 anthem calling out war, civil-rights abuses, and environmental neglect.
39. Red Right Hand – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
    Dark, brooding warning about unseen powers—question and confront hidden authorities.
40. Make America Great Again – Frank Turner
    Folk-punk deconstruction of nostalgia—pointed critique of nationalist rhetoric.