Well, it’s finally here. After months of hoping that we’d all awake from the nightmare we’ve been living in, Donald Trump is taking the oath of office. In that time, musicians of all genres have expressed their dissent through music, and today two new compilations have been released as forms of protest, with all proceeds going to charities that need our support now more than ever.
The first is called Battle Hymns, which features Carrie Brownstein, Stephen Malkmus, Mac McCaughan, Corin Tucker, Doug Martsch, and others offering up unreleased new songs with all proceeds being split between Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union, and 350.org. The second is a collection of covers that sends all proceeds to the ACLU, and sees the likes of Laura Stevenson, Jeff Rosenstock, The Menzingers, Radiator Hospital, and over 30 others using this as a means to vocalize their “love, anger, hope and protest.”
Once Trump is actually in office, the number of artists releasing music that serves as dissent will only grow. The Our First 100 Days project will see a new song released every day of Trump’s first 100 days in office, as the likes of Angel Olsen (this song was released as Trump was sworn in), Mitski, PWR BTTM, The Mountain Goats, and countless others will offer up new songs that’ll serve as a constant reminder of the important work that lay ahead.
Battle Hymns is available here, Don’t Stop Now: A Collection Of Covers is available here, and Our First 100 Days just released its first song. Meanwhile, those looking for distillations of pure anger can turn to new releases from United Nations and Anal Trump. There is also the newly released Is There Another Language? compilation, featuring songs from Mount Eerie, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, and Surfer Blood. Barsuk Records has joined in, offering a compilation called Sad!. Let these songs serve as both a soothing balm for the raw emotions running inside all of us, and as a reminder that we all have a voice. Now’s the time to use it.