The Human Rights and Music Playlist

As part of "HRTS 500: Advancing Human Rights" with Prof. Bill Simmons in fall semester 2024, students have created the Human Rights and Music playlist and written this blog to share it with the community. The playlist was created by Angela Aung, Corinne Burbank, Staci McDermott, and Chris Pagan with input from others.  

The creation of the Human Rights and Music playlist stemmed from a desire to explore how music serves as a powerful medium for social commentary, activism, and cultural resilience across diverse global contexts. In a world where oppression, conflict, and inequality are common, music has consistently played a pivotal role in reflecting struggles, hopes, and calls for change. This playlist, featuring songs from the United States, Latin America, Ukraine, Myanmar, and Russia, aims to provide listeners with a deep sense of how artists have used their voices to confront injustice and inspire solidarity.

Each region in the playlist offers a unique perspective, highlighting specific themes. In the United States, the tradition of protest songs traces back to the civil rights movement, with tracks like Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" calling for love and understanding amidst racial and social turmoil. Meanwhile, in Latin America, songs often reflect the painful history of colonization and dictatorship, such as Rebeca Lane's "Ni Una Menos", an anthem against gender-based violence, and León Gieco's "Solo le pido a Dios," emphasizing the need for justice and perseverance against injustice.

The playlist also includes music that addresses more recent conflicts in Ukraine and Myanmar, where songs have become urgent outlets for expressing resilience and defiance. Ukrainian songs like Andriy Khlyvnyuk's rendition of "Oy U Luzi Chervona Kalyna" and Okean Elzy's "Misto Marii" serve as tributes to those fighting against Russian aggression, evoking national pride and the hope for a peaceful future. In Myanmar, songs such as "Arnarshin Sanit Asone That Ya Myee" by Generation Z MM rally the youth to resist the military junta, capturing the determination of a nation striving for democracy and freedom.

This project aimed to compile these diverse voices into a single, cohesive playlist, offering listeners an emotional journey through the themes of resistance, hope, and the quest for human rights. The selected tracks reflect not only the struggles faced by the people of each region but also their undying hope for change and justice. Each piece serves as a testament to the power of music to galvanize movements, memorialize pain, and celebrate the resilience of the human spirit.

By engaging with this playlist, listeners are invited to connect with the stories and emotions of those fighting for a better world. It offers a chance to appreciate how artists have used their creativity as a tool for resistance and how their messages continue to inspire and uplift those who challenge injustice. Through this collection, listeners can gain a deeper understanding of the universal desire for dignity, freedom, and peace that music so powerfully communicates.

You can read more about the Human Rights and Music playlist.