I generally dislike political music and political musicians. Most of them, anyway.

It tends to put a giant sell-by date on the art, as opposed to creating something bigger and more timeless. Which is why Sonic Youth's "Death Valley '69" (trashy, creepy) gets played around here a whole lot more than "Youth Against Fascism" (cringe, as the kids like to say). And why Malignant Growth has aged way better than Minor Threat. Not even gonna justify something like Crass.

I know it's gotten big in recent years (decades?) to not separate the artist from the art, but looking to musicians for responsible, smart politics is probably a dumber idea than expecting the same out of your plumber.

But that's very much my personal problem, not yours.

Anyway, for what it's worth... I live in a mostly Latino and Chinese neighborhood and spent a chunk of my childhood in Spanish-speaking countries, so there's plenty of reggaeton blaring from cars around here. I much prefer some hopped-up electrosalsa or just about anything from PR or the DR w/all that speedfreak live percussion. Reggaeton to me just sounds so... lazy. And fundamentally pop.

Bad Bunny? Don't like his music. Seems lightweight.

But I totally love what he represents.

It's fucking absurd to me that there's even controversy around him and that we're posting about this in a politics-adjacent thread. (No blame to any of you. The PRF did not politicize him; a bunch of morons did.) And it's weird that he, as an artist, has sorta been thrust into this position.

Were people flipping out about Shakira (woman + Latina + Arab + not even an American!) playing the Super Bowl all those years ago? No. But that's just how low the culture has stooped.

Kid Rock has always been a dipshit making unlistenable crap. I have trouble even justifying his existence.

But I'd gladly enjoy a tripleta and some platanos w/Benito anytime...

that was a poor example. fugazi was more overtly political than minor threat, and they have held up quite well.
but i take your point. the music must stand on its own.

OrthodoxEaster wrote: Sat Feb 14, 2026 12:33 pmThe PRF did not politicize him; a bunch of morons did.) And it's weird that he, as an artist, has sorta been thrust into this position.

same as it ever was
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hlvTXNq9UqU

hbiden@onlyfans.com wrote: that was a poor example. fugazi was more overtly political than minor threat, and they have held up quite well.
but i take your point. the music must stand on its own.

OrthodoxEaster wrote: Sat Feb 14, 2026 12:33 pmThe PRF did not politicize him; a bunch of morons did.) And it's weird that he, as an artist, has sorta been thrust into this position.

same as it ever was
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hlvTXNq9UqU

Unpopular opinion around here, but I'm not much of a Fugazi fan. Love the ethics, respect the hell out of them, lukewarm on the music, don't dig the preachiness (of the early releases, anyway; day-school kids yelling at you) at all. Couldn't really think of a nonpolitical analogue to Fugazi to use as a counterexample.

Anyway, all of that is hair-splitting and just personal tastes. No big deal.

But yeah, totally agree about music standing on its own.

The whole thing about Fugazi is none of their music was overtly political. The way they operated both as a business entity and the causes they supported were clearly political, but they didn't saddle their music with topical lyric writing.

losthighway wrote: Sat Feb 14, 2026 3:13 pm The whole thing about Fugazi is none of their music was overtly political. The way they operated both as a business entity and the causes they supported were clearly political, but they didn't saddle their music with topical lyric writing.

Ian MacKaye even mentioned on Soft Focus how he resisted the urge to write topical "fuck Reagan" songs and sought to write lyrics that were a lot more abstract like "fabric" rather than concrete ideas after Minor Threat (16:09 - 18:09).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L1D4V3cDtA?t=969
Still, not like any of the aforementioned approaches would've helped the TPUSA Halftime musical acts. Shit songs, shit ideas, shit politics, shit music, and shit people.

Right. Plus, Jesus, what a has-been Kid Rock seems like.

I feel like he was rap's (and I use that genre term loosely and charitably re: him) answer to Limp Bizkit.

Fugazi was a whole lot less didactic than Minor Threat. Yeah. And again, I don't love 'em, but I saw them live twice in the early days. Much respect.

Still, "Yes I know this is politically correct/But it comes to you spiritually direct." Oof. Not for me.

losthighway wrote: Sat Feb 14, 2026 3:13 pm The whole thing about Fugazi is none of their music was overtly political. The way they operated both as a business entity and the causes they supported were clearly political, but they didn't saddle their music with topical lyric writing.

I don’t even want to know what got yall to this point but yes there are overtly political Fugazi lyrics. Just because every song wasn’t doesn’t mean none of it was.

losthighway wrote: Sat Feb 14, 2026 3:13 pm The whole thing about Fugazi is none of their music was overtly political. The way they operated both as a business entity and the causes they supported were clearly political, but they didn't saddle their music with topical lyric writing.

I’d say their best album (IMO) In on the Killtaker is extremely political. It’s just not RATM or early Manic Street Preachers shoved in your face political. Colonialism, the surveillance state, sexism but it’s done poetically more as a singular art piece when combined with the sonic treatment.

A lot of music is “political”, I think it’s how it’s presented that counts.

Oh boy, wait until you find out about Big Black, OE.

Gramsci wrote: Sun Feb 15, 2026 3:03 amI’d say their best album (IMO) In on the Killtaker is extremely political. It’s just not RATM or early Manic Street Preachers shoved in your face political. Colonialism, the surveillance state, sexism but it’s done poetically more as a singular art piece when combined with the sonic treatment.

This is just one of several ways that they got better as they went: writing about ‘political’ things in ways that were artistically and musically fitting. I think of the Lockheed Lockheed Martin Marietta line which serves as a cool hook regardless of the song’s meaning. Some of the 13 Songs era stuff is pretty cheesy on both fronts.

As far as forced and clunky I think more of something like Propagandhi, which sounds like whole passages of Howard Zinn or Ch*msky crammed into fast punk verses. I’m sure they’re great people but.. not for me.