4 Underrated Musicians Who Perfected the Art of the Protest Song

Everyone has heard legendary protest songs from icons like Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Marvin Gaye, and John Lennon. But what about the unsung heroes of that particular niche? Let’s pay our respects to just a few underrated musicians who perfected the art of the protest song, but don’t get praised nearly as often as the more well-known greats.

Edwin Starr

Edwin Starr’s 1970 song “War” is far from a vague, subtle tune. It’s an intense piece of work penned by Motown stars Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. It’s one of the most legendary protest songs of all time, and the phrase “War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing!” is one of the most iconic lines from a protest song of all time. The Temptations’ version is excellent, but you just can’t beat Starr’s unique, powerful delivery.

Merry Clayton

“Southern Man” was originally written by Neil Young, a folk artist who is often heralded for his works in protest music. However, I had to include Merry Clayton on this list for the way she perfected Young’s song with her captivating voice. This anti-racism song’s original recording by Young is gorgeous, but the way Clayton belts it all out with so much soul breathes new life into the tune. If you don’t know Merry Clayton, you should. She did those killer vocals on “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones.

Bob Marley & The Wailers

This 1973 protest song from Bob Marley & The Wailers is a legendary one. “Get Up, Stand Up” might just be one of the most well-known reggae songs of all time, and it deserves as much love for its political and cultural influence as it does for its fun musicality. Marley wrote this anthem after seeing the poverty that people in Haiti were experiencing in the early 1970s. The song was a co-written effort with Peter Tosh, and the funk-rock outfit War’s melody makes up the song.

Bikini Kill

More than one protest song by Bikini Kill could have made it to this list, but I decided to go with “Feels Blind”. This band is the most well-known one to come out of the riot grrrl movement of the 1990s, and some of their songs are still used as protest songs today. “Feels Blind” is a snarling, intense look into the alienation felt by young girls with misogyny coming at them from many different sources.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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