It took a moment to shake off the stupor of a second Trump administration, but we are back in these streets. From No Kings Days to anti-ICE marches, picketing Tesla dealerships to rallying against war in Iran, America is protesting anew. No great political movement is complete, however, without an anthem to promote the cause. So let’s celebrate the soundtrack of change in this latest edition of the annual tournament you've all been waiting for.

Yes, it's that time again! As college basketball fever sweeps the nation, we here at ATRL turn to what we do best: pitting celebrities against one another. We've already crowned the most creative sample, the #2 hit that deserves a turn at the top, the most indispensable cover, the most scene-stealing guest verse, the most legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, the dreamiest song by a teen idol, the supreme girl group track, the most bloody brilliant British single, the most iconic album cover, Oscar's gold standard Best Original Song, our favorite female video, the one-hit wonder we'll never tire of, the best Record of the Year winner, the greatest #1 hit of all time and Hollywood's hottest hottie. For our 16th (!) contest, we're showing some R-E-S-P-E-C-T to the music that makes a difference.

Throughout the tournament, everyone will have a chance to participate by voting for their favorite songs in one-on-one match-ups, whittling down the field of 64 contenders until we reach our champion. But I need your help before we can begin! Please nominate your list of the ten most inspiring protest anthems (no ranking necessary) in the thread below. These ballots will be used to determine the final list of competitors and help decide their tournament seeds. Now get to it, because the fun begins in a few days and you don't want your picks to be left out!

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We're back, baby! Are you ready to play?

I'll get my list ready. Just know Janet will be there

10 minutes ago, KatyPrismSpirit said:

I'll get my list ready. Just know Janet will be there

For "The Knowledge"?

Well, how exactly are we defining "inspiring," "protest," and "anthem" here? Or can we just list any song with a sociopolitical subject? Like, I wouldn't consider Gary Clark Jr's "This Land" inspiring and it's technically too niche to be an anthem, but it's probably the best protest song of the last decade.

Edited March 12Mar 12 by Achilles.

If you need some inspiration:

https://www.ongoinghistoryofprotestsongs.com/2025/03/18/100-best-protest-songs-of-all-time/

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-protest-songs-1235154848/

https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/protest-songs/the-50-best-protest-songs-of-all-time

1 minute ago, Achilles. said:

Well, how exactly are we defining "inspiring," "protest," and "anthem" here? Or can we just list any song with a sociopolitical subject? Like, I wouldn't consider Gary Clark Jr's "This Land" inspiring and it's technically too niche to be an anthem, but it's probably the best protest song of the last decade.

Not this rhetorical debate!

Inspiring is just my branding for this tournament. I don't like to have the same verbiage every year: What's the best X? What's the best Y? But fundamentally, what you're doing here is picking your favorite.

I'll be generous with the definition of a protest anthem. If it's a song rallying people to a cause or a movement, that's good enough for me.

Nina Hagen - So Bad
Nerina Pallot - Everybody's Gone To War
The Cranberries - Zombie
Nina Simone - I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free
The Chicks - Not Ready To Make Nice (I mean sorta kinda right????)
Bruce Hornsby & The Range - The Way It Is
Björk - Declare Independence
Nena - 99 Luftballoons
System Of A Down - B.Y.O.B.
Sandra - Johnny Wanna Live

Edited March 12Mar 12 by Album Leak

How nice that Strange Fruit will get to win a second thing on ATRL!

1 minute ago, conatus said:

How nice that Strange Fruit will get to win a second thing on ATRL!

When it’s up against, like, mental health awareness anthem “Sweet But Psycho” in the championship

Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit

The Chicks - Not Ready To Make Nice

Gary Clark Jr - This Land

MUNA - I Know A Place

Brandi Carlile - The Joke

Kesha - Praying

Lesley Gore - You Don't Own Me

Tracy Chapman - Talkin' Bout a Revolution

Madonna - In This Life

Bruce Springsteen - Streets of Philadelphia

(Nina Simone - Mississippi Goddam, Shea Diamond - I Am Her, Shea Diamond - American Pie, Shea Diamond - Don't Shoot, Declan McKenna - British Bombs, Lorde - Royals, Janelle Monae - Screwed, Wrabel - The Village, Aretha Franklin - Think, Sam Cooke - A Change is Gonna Come, Janet Jackson)

yeah i can't really miss one of these

This is going to be a great one, what are the chances Paper Planes doesn't win though?

i'm really tempted to nominate chained to the rhythm because i still can't believe she had the bare faced audacity to write that f*cking song

7 minutes ago, makeawish said:

i'm really tempted to nominate chained to the rhythm because i still can't believe she had the bare faced audacity to write that f*cking song

Every few months I have to watch this. There are at least three or four moments that make me laugh out loud.

Let me try and not overthink it and mostly do songs that I think stand a fighting chance, though I feel like Sonny Sharrock would go down like a fart in an elevator on here.

1. Billie Holiday - Strange Fruit

2. The Chicks - Not Ready to Make Nice

3. Gil Scott-Heron - The Revolution Will Not Be Televised

4. Lena Horne - Now!

5. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

6. Nina Simone - Mississippi Goddam

7. Queen Latifah - U.N.I.T.Y.

8. Sleater-Kinney - Entertain

9. Sonny Sharrock - Black Woman

10. XTC - Living Through Another Cuba

Hoping someone else picks up the slack on stuff like A Change is Gonna Come, Fight the Power, etc. Was also kind of tempted to include a song by The Smashing Pumpkins, but couldn't decide which one.

Someone needs to pick up the slack and include some LGBT and HIV/AIDS crisis songs.

1 minute ago, Album Leak said:

Someone needs to pick up the slack and include some LGBT and HIV/AIDS crisis songs.

So true! FYC:

Edited March 12Mar 12 by conatus

15 minutes ago, conatus said:

Was also kind of tempted to include a song by The Smashing Pumpkins, but couldn't decide which one.

What is Billy Corgan writing protest songs about? Veganism and the Sandy Hook massacre being a hoax?

3 minutes ago, conatus said:

So true! FYC:

So “That’s What Friends Are For” is a great example of where this gets complicated. It was a charity single to benefit HIV/AIDS research, but the song itself isn’t political at all.

Just now, supaspaz said:

So "That's What Friends Are For" is a great example of where this gets complicated. It was a charity single to benefit HIV/AIDS research, but the song itself isn't political at all.

True, though I'll be honest - I was struggling to think of any songs off the top of my head that fall under LGBTQ+ or HIV/AIDS activism that are also... good

4 minutes ago, conatus said:

True, though I'll be honest - I was struggling to think of any songs off the top of my head that fall under LGBTQ+ or HIV/AIDS activism that are also... good

Oh, “Born This Way,” don’t make that face…

Just now, supaspaz said:

Oh, "Born This Way" don't make that face…

When What's Going On gets knocked out by We R Who We R...

4 minutes ago, conatus said:

True, though I'll be honest - I was struggling to think of any songs off the top of my head that fall under LGBTQ+ or HIV/AIDS activism that are also... good

i won't be surprised when someone nominates some megan trainor song as a protest anthem against fatphobia