By the summer of 1967, Jimi Hendrix wasn’t just another guitarist—he was a fuse, burning down to a single, explosive moment. His destiny was waiting on a California stage, drenched in sweat, smoke, and distortion. But that night, when Hendrix struck the match and watched his beloved Stratocaster burn, it wasn’t just spectacle. It was rebellion. It was frustration. It was a man saying, “You’ll remember me—even if I have to burn my music alive”.

Every era has its anthem—those songs that don’t just reflect change, but ignite it. From haunting jazz ballads that condemned inequality to hip-hop anthems that shouted back at systemic prejudice, these tracks didn’t just soundtrack their times—they helped shape them. Here are 20 songs that completely defined political movements, proving that sometimes three chords and a mic can do more than a thousand speeches ever could.

Steve Perry was the unmistakable voice of Journey who turned away from the rock spotlight at the peak of his fame.

The 1990s and 2000s gave us more than just baggy jeans, glitter lip gloss, and Nokia ringtones—they gave us R&B groups that redefined cool. These artists didn’t just sing; they owned the decade with harmonies smoother than silk sheets and melodies that soundtracked a generation’s love stories, heartbreaks, and wild Friday nights.

Few musicians embodied both rebellion and redemption like Bob Marley. By the mid-1970s, he wasn’t just Jamaica’s biggest star—he was its conscience, its chronicler, and its reluctant political lightning rod.

Ah, 1994—the year when flannel was fashion, MTV actually played music, and CD towers proudly stood like monuments in every living room. It was a golden year for pop, R&B, and soft rock, yet some of its biggest hits have slipped through the cracks of memory. Sure, we all remember The Lion King and OJ, but these tracks? They once ruled the radio—and now they’re quietly hiding in karaoke binders, waiting for their moment again.