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Throughout history, music has both influenced and reflected the events, social movements, and thinking of the day. This guide is a starting place to discover music that focuses on social issues such as war, labor disputes, women's suffrage, race relations, and other topics. Included are books, music scores, audio recordings, and videos from the MIT Libraries, as well as online resources. The guide began with music from the United States but will continue to expand to include other countries as well.
Riot Days by 
Soundtrack of the Revolution: the politics of music in Iran by 
Global Punk by 
Troubadours and Troublemakers by 
War, Exile and the Music of Afghanistan by 
Story Behind the Protest Song by 
The Resisting Muse by
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Suggested subject terms to use in Search Our Collections:
Protest songs
Music political aspects
Music social aspects
Tip: use Search Our Collections Advanced Search to limit by format/type (e.g. CDs, DVDs, scores)
Find more like this:
Suggested subject terms to use in Search Our Collections:
Protest songs
Political ballads
Depressions 1929 music
Political activists
Or search names of individual singers, e.g. Judy Collins, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Phil Ochs, Pete Seeger, Josh White, etc.
Tip: use Search Our Collections Advanced Search to limit by format/type (e.g. CDs, DVDs, scores)
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Research guide: Theater Arts
Music quick guides:
