The 10 Top Political Rock and Roll Songs

I finally came up with my 10 best political Rock and Roll songs. Political expression is one of the cornerstones of Rock and Roll The best bands have always waved their political flag, whether it be left wing or liberal or right wing. Narrowing down the 10 best political rock and roll songs, was hard. It would be easier to pick the Top 100 best political rock and roll songs. But here we go with my favorite top 10 best political rock and roll songs.

10: Working Class Hero, album Plastic Ono Band, 1970 by John Lennon.
This song has been song by such artists as Marianne Faithful, Cyndi Lauper, and Green Day (who have won an award for playing ths song) it is about the smart Working Class hero who is absorbed by the middle class into a bureaucratic position, leaving the working class with few leaders or heroes.

9. Testify, from the album Battle of Los Angeles in 1999, by Rage Against the Machine.
This group is so political that I am sure that their dreams have riots in them. It would also be so easy for me to pick all top ten political rock songs from Rage against the Machine. This anti war song has so much energy.

8. Beds Are Burning, from the Diesel and Dust album, 1987 by Midnight Oil
A song to help us focus on the injustices against the Australian aborigines.

7. Survivalism, the album Year Zero in 2007 by Nine Inch Nails
Trent Reznor has outdone himself with this political rock song about propaganda . I believe that he has matured as an musician.

6. Wild International, on the album One Day as a Lion 2008, One Day as a Lion.
An excellent anti-war political rock song by Rage Against the Machine lead singer Zack de la Rocha.

5. B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bombs), on the album Mezmerize, 2005 by System of the Down.
A Grammy award winning hard, loud political rock song about the poor fighting the battles of the rich.

4. Symphony of Destruction, on the album Countdown to Extinction 1993, Megadeath
A great political song about tyrants by one of the best Heavy Metal bands.

3. Another Brick in the Wall, on the album The Wall, 1979 - Pink Floyd
A Pink Floyd song about the socialization of children in an institute that the children will spend at least 12 years in a modern industrial society - the school.

2. The Ghost of Tom Joad, from the album The Ghost of Tom Joad, 1995, Bruce Springsteen
A song that was inspired by the character in the John Steinbeck novel Grapes of Wrath. YouTube has an excellent version of this song with Bruce Springsteen and the Rage Against the Machine guitarist - John Morello

1. Sunday Bloody Sunday, on the album War 1983 by U2
This is one of the most played songs by U2. It expresses their horror at the British Troops firing on and shooting 20 Civil Rights demonstrators in Northern Ireland on January 30th 1972. It is ranked as the 268th song on Rolling Stones top 500.

You can purchase all of these great political rock songs at Amazon.com. I hope that enjoy my list of 10 of the best political rock and roll songs.