Music and politics

I think there is a significant difference between putting politics into your music, and taking time out during a concert to preach politics. The former doesn't bother me at all. The latter I find annoying.

With respect to putting politics into the music, it's no different than the artist putting any other sort of message into his/her music. It's what they want to say. I once read that Neil Young regards "Ohio", which is certainly political, as the best song he ever wrote while with CSN&Y.

I also once read an interview with U2 members. Even though their music can be political, the other members of the group find it annoying when Bono goes on one of his speeches during their concerts. They tolerate it but they don't really like it. If he goes on too long, they have some signals for him to put a lid on it and get back to the concert.

I'm complainin' to the 'american federation of musicians'....oh shit!..a union? and all those country music guys are in it?....next thing you know they'll be singin' to babies and teens...tryin' to sell 'em the stuff...and puttin' it on TV. thank god for disney...what? s.a.g.,and others are in on this too? oh noooooo...

I attended a Roger Waters show which was excellent until he took 10 minutes mid-show to bash Bush, Blair, & Iraq to lead into "Bring the Boys Back Home". It was really off putting and took much of the savor from the show. Many artists do this kind of thing.

You pay your money to hear the music and see the performance of an artist. If politics are included in the music you know going in what to expect. But to have artists use the crowd assembled for a performance to espouse a political bent or speak from a political agenda on the stage is to me unprofessional regardless of whether the crowd agrees or not.

If I paid money to hear James Carvell or Karl Rove speak at an event then I expect a political agenda and it what I want to hear. I would be disappointed if they sang and did not talk politics.

Whoa! Artists getting political because they lost their talent????

You mean all those no talent bums like Bob dylan, woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, neil Young, and a hundred others? Many of their best songs are political.

If you don't agree with what they're saying, don't listen, but writing about something you believe in is something that many great artists have in common.

U2 has been leaning to the left for almost thirty years. If you're just noticing it now you haven't been paying attention.

I agree with Cruz123. I get very, very tired of being hit over the head with some artists' political viewpoints. (And, why is it almost always the left leaning musicians who do this?)

One other thing that I have found (IMHO, anyway), is that when an artist starts putting lots of political spin in their music, it is because their talent level has dropped to such a point that they have no talent left, or anything else to write about, and figure (rightly so), that the left leaning music lovers will just drool all over themselves when their music comes out. (The Grammy's and the Oscar's awards do seem to prove my point.)

I don't mind an artist having a political viewpoint, (hey, we all do), but they should just keep it to themselves, and don't use their stage act as a bully pit. I don't pay good money to listen to their political rants.

Several artists, including the aforementioned U2, have permanently turned me off their music with their ranting and raving like lunatics.

My two cents worth anyway.

I could care less about an artists politics or religious beliefs, but I do care if that artist feels compelled to constantly remind me of their beliefs on stage or in their music. It's just a turn off for me.

music mixed with religion and politics goes back to the beginning of time. i suppose those offended by any art, try to stop it.....that also goes back to the beginning. I think arguing about politics on this site just upsets everyone, and distracts from the big picture...acting like kids.