The changemaker playlist - Music Edition

• Main Author: See, Gabrielle
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2019
• Subjects: Music
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lien_research/170; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/lien_research/article/1183/viewcontent/SocialSpaceJuly2019_60_65.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Music is meant for the listener’s enjoyment and entertainment; however, some songs will go down in history for not just sounding good, but also delivering a powerful message. Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit” was released in 1939 when lynching of African Americans still occurred, while Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” came out in 1971 in the midst of the Vietnam War. Songs like these, and others, paved the way for music to become an effective platform for social commentary. Today, the appeal of socially conscious music endures—Gaye’s work is said to have influenced thatof Aretha Franklin, who in turn inspiredMs. Lauryn Hill, who then influencedSampa the Great. The list goes on. In that same spirit, I have compiled a playlist of contemporary songs that bear an impactful message. May their lyrics and tunes inspire changemakers of this century and beyond.