America is in a time of crisis and a time of borderline-revolution. The outrage and protests in America as well as ina several countries have occupied news outlets for the last month. As the news coverage of such protests has diminished, the protests continue – showing that Black Lives Matter is a legitimate movement of a generation rather than a momentary outrage. This led me to research other historical movements in American history and try and discover what music was used during these movements and their significance was to each respective movement.
It was near-impossible to find just one artist that are the defining artists of their generation. However, there are artists who had a distinct and apparent effect on the times and their respective movements. The 60’s “Hippy Movement” was musically pioneered by artists like Jimi Hendrix. The funk genre being spearheaded by artists like George Clinton and James Brown became a mainstay instead of the flash in the pan a lot of critics at the time thought it would be. A genre that was an amalgamation of psychedelic drugs, the youth, and many electric guitar riffs quickly became a genre that never was going to go away.
Flash forward towards the 90’s and groups like NWA and Wu-Tang Clan became the voice of the streets, reaching the masses. The struggles of the hood were now broadcasted for all to hear. These voices still resonate in the artists of today. The 90’s progressive-punk movement was also a movement that gained popularity. Artists such as Kurt Cobain would use their music and resources to go out of their way to highlight their beliefs.
Flash forward to now – it is very difficult to pinpoint what artists truly define the generation. Artists such as Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole and Joey Bada$$ are artists who continue to use their platform and music to convey the black struggle to the masses on a chart-topping level. In the same breath there are the people who, in 2020, don’t like to feel they’re being “preached” to and choose to listen to artists that aren’t introspective at all in favor of just having fun. Playboi Carti, NLE Choppa, and NBA Youngboy, for example.
With movements such as Black Lives Matter being more widely supported than ever, it isn’t a stretch to point towards music that picks up where the 90’s left off and turn towards highlighting the black struggle as the music of a generation. Albums like “To Pimp a Butterfly” by Kendrick Lamar and tracks like “Pig Feet” by Kamsi Washington, Denzel Curry, and Terrace Martin are two examples that stand out as such.
What’s interesting in highlighting those pieces of music is how relevant music from the 90’s is, as well. Tracks like “Life Goes On” by Tupac hold just as much relevance now as it did in the 90’s decades after its release and Tupac’s death.
Although it might be difficult to pinpoint what is truly the music of a generation in modern times, there is music relevance to now. Whether someone agrees with it or not, it is important to realize that art imitates life and there is a lot of music with direct correlation and similarities to what is happening in today’s times.
Teren Kowatsch can be reached at arg-life@uidaho.