Can music ever achieve genuine political change?

I do not believe music itself can change politics. However, it does not mean that music and artists have not tried to. Live Aid and Live 8 garnered some of the highest viewing figures in television history and together they rose over £200 million. This was achieved through a concert of music; therefore music can make a difference in the world and influence political leaders to make changes.

In 1994, trance music/raves led to the introduction of special legal provisions, however this was not intentional political change, but as a result of music influencing the masses in a negative way and evoking change as a result.

If popular music ever does create any kind of political change, more often than not it is only a temporary fix e.g. Band Aid – its very name concedes the limitations of the project given the scale of the problem. It’s unrealistic to think that one song could end world poverty, however it does raise awareness, but this does not ensure change. All in all I would say that music shouldn’t be considered a force for political change as it quite rare for a song to cause any kind of political conflict.