About this episode

The episode explores the evolution of protest music from the Cold War to the present, questioning the absence of impactful protest songs today.

Cold War Protest Songs, Punk Anthems, and Nuclear Pop Culture Collide Why did the Cold War produce generations of unforgettable protest songs while today’s crises barely inspire a mainstream anthem? In this electrifying episode of History Rage , host Paul Bavill welcomes back historian, author, and Imperial War Museum senior manager Fraser McCallum to trace the history of protest music from folk ballads and Bob Dylan through punk, hip hop, Live Aid, and Cold War pop classics. From Two Tribes and 99 Red Balloons to Fortunate Son , London Calling , and Born in the USA , Fraser explores how music became the soundtrack to nuclear fear, civil rights, Vietnam, Thatcherism, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Along the way, the pair discuss why protest songs once dominated Top of the Pops and ask the big question: where have all the decent protest songs gone? Expect passionate debate on: Bob Dylan and the birth of modern protest music Folk traditions, skiffle, and anti-war ballads Vietnam War classics like Fortunate Son and Paint It Black Punk, Thatcherism, and London Calling Nuclear anxiety in Two Tribes and 99 Luftballons Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, and Cold War Berlin Why modern…

People in this episode

Host: Paul Bavill

Guest: Fraser McCallum

Topics covered

• protest songs
• Cold War music
• political anthems
• pop culture
• music history
• civil rights

Keywords

• protest music
• Cold War
• punk anthems
• Bob Dylan
• Vietnam War
• Thatcherism
• pop culture
• music history

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Cold War Britain, Fortunate Son, Paint It Black, London Calling, Two Tribes, 99 Luftballons

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