We have reached the halfway point of 2025, so it is time to look back at some of the best socially conscious albums released so far. This list features a diverse array of artists, genres, and political issues. The albums are presented in alphabetical order. Many of the write-ups were reused from what I previously wrote.
DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS – Bad Bunny
The latest album by the international star is by far his most political, dealing with issues such as Puerto Rican independence and gentrification. For example, on the tune “Lo Que Pasó a Hawaii”, he sings: “No quiero que pase contigo lo que pasó a Hawaii (I don’t want what happened in Hawaii to happen to you),” a reference to Hawaii becoming increasingly Americanised and losing much of its cultural heritage due to becoming the 50th state. Bad Bunny speaks out against the ruling New Progressive Party, which supports statehood.
Lower – Benjamin Booker
The latest genre-bending album by the singer-songwriter is the perfect intersection of the personal and political. On the album opener “Black Opps,” Booker explores the history of the U.S. government’s covert operations to undermine African American liberation. He is also not afraid to be provocative, as evidenced by the track “Rebecca Latimer Felton Takes a BBC,” which references the first woman and last slaveowner to serve in the U.S. Senate.
Middle Spoon – Cheekface
This album by prolific indie rock band (their 2024 album It’s Sorted was one of the best albums of 2024) is a mix of their trademark quirky brilliance and witty satirical critiques. The songs are also influenced by the personal experiences, such as “Living Lo-Fi,” a commentary on the sad state of the American health care (“Are you living lo-fi? Are you living with some chronic pain? Are you using frozen food as medical first aid? Are you calling total bullshit on the welfare state?”), which band member Greg Katz was confronted with when his dad had a stroke.
Dead Channel Sky – clipping.
The experimental hip-hop trio is an expert in creating well-crafted concept albums. After two excellent horrorcore albums, this time around, they explore cyberpunk themes. They used dystopian futuristic elements to explore socio-political issues.
PO$T AMERICAN – Dead Pioneers
This is the latest album from the spoken word punk group featuring Algiers guitarist Lee Tesche and Indigenous artist Gregg Deal (their self-titled debut was one of the best protest albums of 2023). The exposes efforts to whitewash indigenous history. Previously featured the album track “Mythical Cowboys” as a Daily Dose of Protest.
Noble and Godlike in Ruin – Deerhoof
This is the latest album by the influential indie band that has been going strong for over three decades. Like previous efforts, they are not afraid to delve into social issues and explore subjects such as animal rights, immigration, and fascism. Previously featured the album track “Immigrant Songs” as a Daily Dose of Protest.
Insatiable – Divide and Dissolve
This is the 5th album by the doom metal project of Takiaya Reed. Like previous albums, the songs rage against colonialist genocide and systemic injustices against Indigenous and Black people. Previously featured the album track “Withholding” as a Daily Dose of Protest.
Goodbye Small Head – Ezra Furman
The title of the latest album by the folk punker is named after a lyric from the 1999 Sleater-Kinney song “Get Up,” which deals with death and ego dissolution. Societal evils and the challenges of having to face hostility as a trans woman also shape the emotionally gripping album.
Some Kind of Control – Ruby Gill
The sophomore album by the South African-born, Australian-based singer-songwriter is a mix of thoughtful introspection and witty social critiques. She explores themes such as body autonomy, queerness, and climate change. Previously featured the album track “Flood” as a Daily Dose of Protest.
Tonky – Lonnie Holley
The latest album by the 75-year-old experimental musician taps into his early life of experiencing abuse and hardship. The album also conveys an optimistic message of resilience and love triumphing over all. Also, two of the tunes, “What’s Going On” and “A Change Is Gonna Come,” are named after two of the greatest protest songs of all time. Even though they are different songs, they explore similar themes.
hunting season – Home Is Where
The third album by the eclectic emo band is a compelling concept album featuring 13 tracks, each one sung from the perspective of a travelling Elvis impersonator who dies in a car crash. The album was also shaped by the personal experience of front woman Bea MacDonald, who fled her home state of Florida due to the increasing hostility towards trans folks. As mentioned on the album’s Bandcamp page, “Home Is Where are no strangers to the worst of the havoc that this country continues to unleash onto its inhabitants. This album is their most stunning, warts-and-all encapsulation of their love-hate relationship with the American mess, often at its most concentrated south of the Mason-Dixon line.”
Kiniata – Kin’Gongolo Kiniata
This is the debut album by the resourceful Congolese group that plays instruments made from scrap metal. On the album’s Bandcamp page, it aptly states that the album “is a call for peace, social justice, and dignity for the Congolese people.”
Who Let the Dogs Out – Lambrini Girls
The scathing album by the UK feminist punk band righteously rages against corrupt cops, misogynists, and homophobes. They pull no punches, hitting their targets.
Blurring Time – Bells Larsen
The latest album by the Canadian trans musician is a poignant concept album documenting Larsen’s transition journey. Larsen also unfortunately had to cancel his US tour to promote the album, due to border crackdowns and anti-trans laws.
List of Demands – Damon Locks
The 4th album by the experimental jazz artist (who was previously the lead singer of the post-hardcore band Trenchmouth). It effectively blends sound collage and spoken word to explore themes of Black liberation.
Fire & Dust: A Woody Guthrie Story – Reg Meuross
Funded and produced by the legendary The Who’s guitarist, the latest album by the UK singer-songwriter is a riveting concept album that tells the story of Woody Guthrie. Featuring mostly originals, it also features a few covers of classic Guthrie protest tunes.
One Foot in Front of the Other – Muddy Summers and the Dirty Field Whores
The latest album by the UK folk punk is filled with anarchist energy, taking aim at capitalist, environmental destroyers, toxic masculinity, and human trafficking (those last two are addressed in “Tateworm,” a scathing tune indicting Andrew Tate).
Signs Of Life – My Politic
This album by the Americana duo is a mix of personal and political challenges. Issues include online toxicity and climate change, and these challenges balance a sense of bleakness with hope. The album track “The Lonely 21st Century” was a Daily Dose of Protest.
Demilitarize – Nazar
The sophomore release from the Angolan producer is a compelling listening experience that highlights the horror of war. The electronic artist effectively makes use of sound collage to tell the harrowing story of the Angolan civil war.
Black’!Antique – Pink Siifu
The latest album by the experimental rapper is a compelling embrace of Black culture. It is also a thoughtful critique of the Black experience in America.
From The Ashes/Make the Planet Earth Great Again/Deport the Billionaires – David Rovics
A bit of a cheat since it is three albums, but the prolific singer-songwriter and activist deserves props for keeping up the good fight. The three albums feature topical tunes on subjects such as the genocide in Gaza, the Amsterdam riots, the Los Angeles wildfires, and Trump 2.0. Rovics is a skilled musical journalist.
Hard Times Furious Dancing – Snapped Ankles
The latest album by the UK post-punk act is named after the following 2010 quote by author Alice Walker, “We can still hold the line of beauty, form, and beat. No small accomplishment in a world as challenging as this one… hard times require furious dancing. Each of us is proof”. The album provides dance tunes that speak against capitalism and politically chaotic times.
Héritage – Songhoy Blues
On their 4th album, the desert blues band fuses their rich Malian heritage with fresh acoustic arrangements, exploring themes of identity, migration, and tradition.
Cowards – Squid
The 3rd album by the UK post-punk band examines the inherent evil of human nature. Climate apathy is another prominent theme explored on the album. on their new LP, which focuses on the banal evil of human nature. “The future’s perfect,” they sing on its closing track, “from the back seat.”
The Film – Sumac and Moor Mother
This collaborative album between experimental metal trio Sumac and spoken-word jazz poet Moor Mother is jarring in the best possible way. Sumac’s abrasive soundscapes provide the perfect framework for Moor Mother’s provocative critiques on displacement, war, climate change, and more. It perfectly reflects our times.
Armageddon in a Summer Dress – Sunny War
The latest album by the singer-songwriter features her trademark blend of anarcho-punk and Americana. The album is a mix of the personal and political and features incisive social commentary on fascism, racist cops, and the Gaza War. The album does include several notable contributors, including Steve Ignorant of the pioneering anarcho-punk band Crass.
Circle Breaker – The Taxpayers
On the album Bandcamp page, the band’s lyricist, Rob Taxpayer, mentions what he would tell his son concerning these challenging times:
“It is always right to be kind.
It is always right to seek to be better.
It is always right to confront cruelty and to oppose violence.
We are here to help each other.
We are here to understand each other.
We are here to learn how to love each other.
And that, I will tell him, is what being punk as fuck is all about.”
That could also be described as the album’s mission statement.
Flying with Angels – Suzanne Vega
The latest album by the veteran singer-songwriter is the perfect intersection of the personal and political. For example, the opening three songs were inspired by her husband, who suffered multiple strokes after contracting the COVID-19 virus. “My husband was a First Amendment lawyer and a spoken word poet,” Vega said. “The idea that he would suddenly have this affliction, at this moment when we need First Amendment protection, I couldn’t get over the irony of that. I pushed myself to include these topics because he wasn’t able to do it. He’s not able to do what he normally does, which is protect protesters. Instead, he’s learning to speak again from the beginning.”
Middle – Jesse Welles
This is the latest album by the prolific singer-songwriter (whose 2024 album Helles Belles was one of the best 2024 albums of the year). The album is jam-packed with witty political satire. One of the album’s highlights is the Gaza-referencing tune “War Is A God,” which indicts the ridiculousness of fighting wars in the name of religion.
GOLLIWOG – billy woods
On the latest album by the acclaimed underground rapper, he effectively incorporates various horrorcore elements to explore different aspects of the black experience. The album track “Born Alone” was previously featured as a Daily Dose of Protest.
Check out the ongoing playlist of 2025 protest songs.
