Image courtesy of Giovana Fleck.

Music has the power to change communities and shape history. There are countless examples of how music has challenged the status quo and become the face of social movements. Whether it's anti-apartheid music in Nigera, anti-war music from Ukraine, or feminist protest songs in Latin America, music is often key to authoritarian resistance and community support. But like any mode of powerful artistic expression, music and musicians can be targeted by those who seek to silence or censor voices of change or resistance. In some cases, governments will attempt to ban music that challenges their power, while other times they may attack the artist directly. 

On the other hand, music also has the power to amplify voices and promote language diversity. Marginalized communities can use song to teach others about their communities, histories, languages, and more. Global Voices has explored how Roma communities are leveraging music to gain inclusion in Czech society and how Dalit groups in India are sharing their stories and experiences as a form of community resistance. Similarly, there are Puerto Rican rappers working to challenge the hegemony of English in the United States music scene. 

To celebrate the stories of music that seeks to change the world, the Global Voices Music Club meets on a monthly basis to discuss music-related stories, plan our music coverage, and simply share songs and musical inspiration from our regions and cultures. Through our global community, we share our musical traditions, offer recommendations and support, and impart our own musical experiences and histories. 

Would you like to contribute? For more information about Global Voice’s Music Club email our Music Club coordinator Sydney Allen. 

Find our Spotify account here with playlists and song recommendations that pair with our music-themed articles and see some of our recent music stories below.