The Influence of Music on Social Movements
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Date
2025
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Eurasian Experiment Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (EEJHSS
Abstract
Music has long served as a vital force within social movements, articulating collective identity, amplifying emotional expression, and sustaining momentum during times of political struggle. This paper examines how music, through its emotive power, lyrical messaging, and communal performance, has functioned not merely as a background element but as a dynamic agent of resistance and transformation. Drawing on historical and contemporary case studies such as the Civil Rights Movement, the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong, the Arab Spring, and the Black Lives Matter movement, this study explores the multifaceted roles music plays: from protest songs that unify and inspire, to digital-age dissemination via social media and festival performances that mobilize and magnify activism. Furthermore, the paper interrogates how music shapes collective memory, psychological resilience, and political messaging in activist cultures, while also recognizing the limitations and critiques regarding its commodification and fluctuating efficacy. By analyzing genres, performance practices, and sonic structures, this work offers a critical lens into how music functions as a cultural expression and a political tool in social movements.