How and Why Socially Conscious Music Artists and Superfans Will Vanquish Trump

Music has no purpose, it merely brings together people’s dreams, fragilities, licentiousness and weirdness. It can bring masses of people together through that. As much as those in the underground find each other, so do the Swifties and The ARMY. Scale, here, doesn’t stop the human capacity of bonding through music and the exchange of identity.

I firmly believe that music is an early indicator of social change.

Today, more creatives appear to be taking steps to safeguard their creative legacies. The Trump presidential campaign recently found itself in hot water for pumping out soul singer Issac Hayes’ hit ‘Hold On, I’m Comin’ at campaign rallies. Fast Company reports that a federal lawsuit filed in August claims the song has been used unlawfully by the fo... See more

As the great Harry Belafonte famously said, “When the music is strong, the movement is strong.”

14. All those nasty, rebellious songs that defy authorities are now owned by hedge funds.

Let’s cut to the chase. If this TikTok-ification of the music biz continues, what will be the end result? Here it is, in a single sentence: Only unsuccessful musicians still need a label. Think over the deep implications of that fact.