You need to hear these 10 radical new albums

August 29, 2025
Issue 
Protest albums from August 2025

Do you think there鈥檚 no good protest music these days? So did I, until I started looking for it. Every month, I listen to it all, then select the best that relates to that month鈥檚 political news. Here鈥檚 the round-up for August 2025.

1. ROGER WATERS - THIS IS NOT A DRILL - LIVE FROM PRAGUE听

At the start of August, New South Wales' Supreme Court ruled in favour of a "March for Humanity" for Gaza over Sydney's Harbour Bridge. The judge stressed "the right to freedom of assembly". The and cost. Up to 300,000 people marched in the pouring rain. A week later, Australia's Prime Minister cited as he announced the nation would recognise the state of Palestine. Days later, Britain's Daily Telegraph reported a Palestine benefit concert under the headline: Yet on August 6, US protest musician David Rovics had released not just one, but a . Five days earlier, famously pro-Palestine musician Roger Waters of Pink Floyd put out , which starts by advising any audience members against his politics to "fuck off to the bar".

2. COUNTLESS THOUSANDS - WOKE MORALISTS听

As the US continued to arm Israel's genocide of Palestinians, President for another war criminal on August 15. His meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin to broker a peace deal with Ukraine was widely mocked as an attempt to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. But by Trump's own admission, it was even less noble than that. he told Fox News on August 20. Evidently, saving Muslims from genocide doesn't qualify. A week before the Trump-Putin meeting, California punks Countless Thousands released their catchy and comedic new LP, which slams both leaders. On the track "MAGA" they mock Trump's "Make America Great Again" followers. And on "F*ck P*tin", they howl: "No one loves an imperialist, authoritarians don't get a hug, don't get a kiss!" Days later, grunge pioneers on their new LP. 听

3. WOODY GUTHRIE - WOODY AT HOME VOL 1 + 2听

Countless Thousands quote legendary protest singer Woody Guthrie on with the words: "This land is your land, this land is my land." Those same words kick off by Guthrie, released on August 14. Guthrie's daughter Nora suspects he wrote its song "Backdoor Bum and the Big Landlord鈥 about Donald Trump鈥檚 racist property developer father, who was at the time. Guthrie's granddaughter Anna Canoni, meanwhile, as he released a new album on August 22. 鈥淭he beauty of Woody鈥檚 work is that music can bring people together, and that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 hoping for Jesse鈥檚 work," she said. "But,鈥 she added with a laugh, 鈥渘o pressure.鈥 At least Welles looks genuine, unlike supposedly progressive musician on August 20 of sexual misconduct.

4. TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON & CHRISTIE DASHIELL - WE INSIST 2025!听

Donald Trump displayed his father's racism again on August 26, as the US president ordered the , Lisa Cook. Trump biographer Michael Wolff said the move reflected what he alarmingly called the Trump team's . A fortnight earlier, US jazz musicians Terri Lyne Carrington and Christie Dashiell discussed their new LP, which updates Max Roach's revered 1960 protest album We Insist! "The sad thing is the theme 鈥 a plea for ," said Carrington. "It may be a little different to 1960, but it鈥檚 still relevant." However, the album doesn't just copy the original LP - it expands on it with new songs and issues. 鈥淭imes change," said Carrington. "Unfortunately, racial justice is still a thing in this country, and all over the world, and we鈥檙e also dealing with gender justice."

5. DJ K - RADIO LIBERTADORA!听

Brazil's racist, sexist, homophobic former president and military commander before a coup trial verdict on August 27 due to fears he would flee the country. Bolsonaro, a Trump ally, is accused plotting to overthrow his democratically elected, leftist successor as president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. On August 8, Brazilian baile funk musician DJ K released his new album, which explores his country's long history of coups and attempted coups. " against military dictatorship," said DJ K. "Its opening track boldly declares 'down with military dictatorship', sampling a historic speech by communist guerrilla leader Carlos Marighella, originally broadcast during a clandestine radio takeover in 1969. This is more than an album 鈥 it鈥檚 a manifesto set to the raw pulse of S茫o Paulo's underground."

6. HARU NEMURI - EKKOLAPT脫MENOS听

Also resisting her is Japanese underground pop star Haru Nemuri, with her new album, released on August 1. "With the recent rise of populism and nationalism, things have gotten pretty bad," said the musician, whose stance is unusual in a country where most artists deliberately avoid politics. "Japanese audiences don't necessarily respond ." As she puts it on the album's track "Symposium": "This country sucks!" Four days after its release, Japan beat Germany to win a $10 billion . Countering such jingoism, Australian peace activists held a lantern parade in Tharawal/Wollongong on August 9. It marked 80 years since the US dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Nagasaki, three days after its nuclear attack on Hiroshima, killing more than 200,000 people.

7. VYLET PONY - LOVE & PONYSTEP听

Peace was probably the last thing on the mind of Luigi Mangione when he allegedly shot dead UnitedHealth's CEO last year. Yet the killing unleashed support worldwide from people who detest insurers' often fatal policies. On August 15, so-called "benevolent billionaire" Warren Buffett followed his recent investment in fossil fuels by , despite the . Summing up the sentiment towards such bosses is the new album from experimental electronic trans artist Vylet Pony. it declares. "Kiss me over fat beats, download that revolution in a zip file baby, take it all back from the nepo babies." As fellow LGBTIQA+ artists , and released LPs, the by paying $2 million to play its Grand Final.

8. HILLTOP HOODS - FALL FROM THE LIGHT听

As : "Australia has enough world-class talent to rock the AFL Grand Final, so why Snoop Dogg?" One such act would be rap trio Hilltop Hoods, whose latest LP, released on August 1, became their . Sadly, its only political track, "Don鈥檛 Happy, Be Worry" for criticising Trump, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, neo-Nazis, climate change and nuclear war. 鈥淚t's pretty amusing seeing the amount of middle-aged men that want to defend the richest people on the planet that I'm pretty sure have never done anything for them personally,鈥 said band member Pressure. His bandmate Suffa added: 鈥淚 never thought I'd reach a time in my life when people had their favourite billionaire.鈥 It came as Musk joined other billionaires pouring billions into , despite it and .

9. CROWN AND COUNTRY - CROWN AND COUNTRY听

As Australia's Labor government by pouring billions of dollars into , Naarm/Melbourne musician Marc "Monkey" Peckham hit back with a collaborative on August 1. On its track "Wantarri (Gift)", Jerry Jangala Patrick sings as his son, Wanta Jampijinpa Pawu-Kurlpurlurnu, says: "I want to crown you lot with the original crown of this country, the southern cross. You can be called Australian if you know the land, because it'll know you. Maintain the balance, live in harmony." Three weeks later, Hand To Earth, another collaboration between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal musicians, released their . "We each have our own relationship to this place, its difficult history, its contended present, its clouded future," they said. "This music is perhaps a way of thinking through this." 听

10. MUDRAT - SOCIAL COHESION听

Adding to Australia's clouded future are the new anti-protest laws proposed by Victoria's Labor government. On August 12, protesters rallied outside Victoria's parliament against the 鈥淪ocial Cohesion Pledge鈥, which Labor was set to table at the end of the month. In a direct reference, Naarm/Melbourne punk rapper Mudrat released his , on August 29. The LP, which and , came just days after new research showed the average CEO in Australia earns more than . On August 24, the as 200,000 people rallied across Australia for Palestine. Such reporters' support for genocide looked all the more pathetic when, the next day, , bringing the total killed in the war to almost 200. 听


[Mat Ward has been writing for听一品探花听since 2009. He also wrote听andmakes听political music. This year,听.]

Want to get this column every month? Just email matwardmusic@gmail.com and I鈥檒l add you to my monthly email that includes a link to this column here at听一品探花.听Yes, I want to read this column every month.

Read about听more political albums.

Stream our new听.听This replaces听听at more than 700 albums.

You need 一品探花, and we need you!

一品探花 is funded by contributions from readers and supporters. Help us reach our funding target.

Make a One-off Donation or choose from one of our Monthly Donation options.

Become a supporter to get the digital edition for $5 per month or the print edition for $10 per month. One-time payment options are available.

You can also call 1800 634 206 to make a donation or to become a supporter. Thank you.