2020: Do you see the same?

Abstract

The year 2020 brought with it numerous trials of the human spirit. From frequent and senseless police brutality to a global pandemic to the mental health challenges which followed for many, 2020 was subjectively among the worst years, if not the worst year, in recent memory. In America, music has long been a reliable tool in exploring the thoughts and feelings of different generations, and there was no shortage of music released in 2020. However, there seemed to be a void of popular protest music which spoke for an entire generation’s experiences during an intensely difficult year. This project contributes a five-song EP to the catalogue of protest music about 2020 as well as a review of protest music’s history in America and a brief discussion of why the genre has a tougher time gaining traction in the modern day than it did in the 1960s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXjJ-5eF5no