The intersection between politics and music has been a constant battlefield in contemporary cultural history. From the explosion of rock as a phenomenon of resistance in the sixties to the confrontation between pop artists and political leaders today, this relationship has followed a recurring pattern: politicians rarely succeed in the cultural battle, and the musicians trying to influence In politics they usually find great obstacles. In an increasingly polarized world, this dynamic intensifies, transforming artists into symbols of social struggle, and right -wing politicians in opponents of the so -called Woke culture.
Scenery
“They have so many lies, so many cryptocurrencies, so much freedom,” he sang to the rhythm of “Take it “on the scenario of Cosquín Rock the last weekend Ciro Martínez, in a clear allusion to the cryptophaf scandal promoted by President Javier Milei in his social networks. The crowd, about 120 thousand people, soon responded with songs against the president.
While the event received a VAT for 4,000 million pesos, benefit that reached producer José Palazzo (already criticized in 2024 by Milei with shots by elevation to the Cordoba governor Martín Llaryora), this edition of Cosquín Rock was one of the most politicized in years.
From the public, slogans were heard as “Milei garbage, you are the dictatorship” and “the one who does not jump, voted to Milei”, reflecting the discontent with the management of the libertarian leader. And criticism also came from the musicians themselves. Emiliano Brancciari, you will not like, dedicated his show to artists such as Lali Espósito, María Becerra and Milo J, denouncing what he considered “grievance and censorship of culture.” Wos, in his usual improvisation, launched sharp verses: “Do not listen to the sick dogs that speak, which only bark, who only want power, but make bullshit and lose it,” turning even more at the audience.
Dillom, another of the critical artists, joined the defense of his colleagues: “He who gets with María Bcra gets with me. No matter the ideology, beliefs,” he exclaimed before the public resumed the song against Milei. And Pato Sardelli, from Airbag, also took advantage of his time on stage: “We are going to get all the shit outside, we will leave all those problems: the government …”, causing a generalized ovation.
Reverse
One of the most paradigmatic cases of confrontations between musicians and politicians is that of Taylor Swift versus Donald Trump. Historically apolitical, the pop singer decided to break her silence and express her support for the Democratic Party in the 2020 presidential election. Her support to Joe Biden and in 2024 Kamala Harris, marked a turning point in her career.
However, far from consolidating his influence, Harris’s popularity decreased, and in the presidential elections last November in the United States, Swift’s impact on the young vote was not expected.
In terms of sales and audience, the artist did not suffer a direct blow, but confronted a boycott by conservative sectors that tried to discredit their political position. Platform audience studies such as Spotify and Apple Music showed that their listener base remained stable, but with increasing polarization between those who supported it and those who rejected their position. Something that put many artists of the progressive wing in doubt about the way and the position to be fixed in political issues, in a balance of cost and benefits.
Versus
In Argentina, the phenomenon has its own particularities. Javier Milei’s rise to the Presidency triggered a series of clashes with pop culture figures, mainly from the musical field. Lali Espósito, one of the most influential artists of the local scene, became the target of attacks by the president and his followers base after expressing criticism of his policies. Milei’s response and his circle has been to place these figures in the place of mere “pawns” of a light industry and with little real weight in politics.
In a symptomatic episode of this dynamic, former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner used Lali’s “fanatic” song to frame his dispute with Milei. Beyond the symbolic use of the issue, what this gesture denotes is a crisis within Kirchnerism in the generation of new political leaders with their own projection.
In this context, Cristina’s attempt to attract Lali and her partner, the journalist Pedro Rosemblat, towards politics reinforces the idea that pop culture is today a key dispute terrain. However, the impact on Lali’s career has been ambiguous: while his most politicized followers celebrated their position, some sectors of the broader public showed a rejection. Little about this is seen the sale of tickets of their shows in certain provinces of the country. But the reprogramming of his shows in Vélez responds to the football agenda and the needs of the stadium.
Cultural battle
The confrontation between progressive artists and right -wing leaders is not accidental. Anti Wake policy has found in confrontation with musicians and celebrities an effective tool to reinforce its narrative. In this scheme, the figure of the artist committed to progressive causes is used to discredit to the left, presenting it as an ideological force limited to an cultural elite disconnected from the common citizen. In this sense, the strategy of Milei and other leaders related to its line, resembles that used by Donald Trump at the time, when he turned Hollywood and pop stars in his favorite adversaries.
In doing so, he not only mobilized his base, but relegated these artists to the role of secondary actors in a battle where politics marked the rhythm. This type of confrontation also had an impact on artists such as Bad Bunny, who in 2023 faced a negative reaction of followers after expressing positions against certain conservative speeches in the United States and Latin America: American Latinos voted mostly to Trump
Music and politics
The phenomenon is not new. Since the time of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and John Lennon, musicians have tried to influence politics. However, not always successfully. A paradigmatic case is that of Lennon and his song “Power to the People “ (1971), who tried to become a political anthem but ended up associating with failed campaigns: that of Democratic candidate Tom Bradley, who used the issue in his attempt to become governor of California in 1982, but lost to Ronald Reagan.
On a commercial level, the song also did not have the expected impact, demonstrating that protest music does not always translate into effective political changes or sustained sales successes. In Latin America, artists such as Mercedes Sosa, Víctor Jara or León Gieco represented resistance in dictatorships and social conflicts. However, in social networks and extreme polarization times, the relationship has changed.
Pop stars, with massive and global audiences, face greater scrutiny when they decide to take sides. What distinguishes the present from previous times is that right -wing policy has learned to capitalize on confrontation with artists. If previously rock and popular music were used as weapons against the establishment, now conservative leaders make them symbols of a cultural left come less.
Given this scenario, the musicians who venture into politics are at a crossroads. On the one hand, support for social causes remains a powerful mobilization and visibility tool. However, the cost is high: the constant attack by political leaders and their followers, the loss of part of their audience and the risk of being trapped in a logic of confrontation that can wear its public image. For many artists, the intermediate path is the best option: maintaining its activism in specific causes without aligning directly with political parties.
By rn
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