1. War Songs: The Pop Protest Movement During Vietnam and Iraq
Elizabeth Chapman

3. Pop music is defined as music having “a large volume of sales.”
(defined by Bindas and Houston)

4. Protest Songs Analyzed from the Vietnam Era
Born in the USA by Bruce Springsteen
For What It’s Worth by Buffalo Springfield
Give Peace a Chance by John Lennon
Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation by Tom Paxton
Masters of War by Bob Dylan
Peace Train by Cat Stevens
War by Edwin Starr

5. Protest Songs Analyzed from the Second Gulf War
B.O.B. (Bombs Over Baghdad) by Outkast
Freedom Time by Lauryn Hill
In a World Gone Mad by the Beastie Boys
Life During Wartime by Green Day
Mosh by Eminem
Son of a Bush by Public Enemy
Where is the Love? by the Black Eyed Peas

6. Categorization of Pop Protest Music
Songs of Anger and Sarcasm
Songs of Peace
Songs of Acceptance

7. Songs of Anger and Sarcasm
Characterized by aggressive attacks on the war
Hold the leader of the war accountable

8. Songs of Peace Opposed to violence in general
Optimistic about the future
Appeal to the individual

9. Songs of Acceptance
Pessimistic about the individual’s ability to make a difference
Accept war as a fact of life

11. Pop Protest Music: is it all about the Benjamins?

12. American Institute of Public Opinion, cited by Bindas and Houston

13. American Institute of Public Opinion, cited by Bindas and Houston

15. Why isn’t protest music today as popular?
Scope of the war
Popularity of the war

16. Gallup Poll

17. Is it still about the money?
Songs can speak to war without becoming controversial
Controversial songs can be released as MP3s

18. Conclusions
Contemporary pop protest music has its roots in the traditions set down by pop protestors in the Vietnam era
Pop music (and pop culture in general) balances both ideological and financial considerations