Researching the genre of protest songs

History

Protest songs have always been a part of history, but the genre is known to be more prominent sometimes more than others. For example, when there are more injustices or unfair treatment.

1950s - some protest music originates from soul music – black artists began making music such as gospel music, blues, and jazz that became the soul movement, which was positioned in direct response to the injustices of the civil rights era.

Protest songs are associated with persuasion for social change

When lyrics, rhythm and instruments all play together they are more powerful and able to create emotions and strengthen existing groups in society. From the emotion the music causes, it is meant to cause people to take action and engage to bring about the social change

Mise-en-scene

I have found that a lot of music videos are either very natural or very artificial, there is not so much in between.

A lot of bands, feature in their own videos, in a specific formation to have a normal layout, maybe more to emphasise a message or criticism rather than focus on what’s going on in the video. 

Camera work

In natural settings, there may be very log or short shots, not so much in between. 

In natural/ normal settings, there may be more handheld shots. Whereas, some artificial mise-en-scene means cameras are steady, maybe to focus on what is in the frame as oppose to natural settings where the handheld shots may be there to make it more interesting.

Interesting features

Either the artist is present to perform or the opposite. They narrate a whole narrative in the video that is being performed by someone else.

All the videos show that there is a direct message or criticism of something in/lacking in society

Most protest songs are either political or social:

-       Against people in power/ fairness of politics

-       Against negative views on sexuality

-       Against racism

-       Against sexism/ discrimination.

Always some form of emotive language

A lot of American protest songs appear to be very patriotic (through the use of flags)