Why do people write songs? The simple answer is to express themselves, but that really doesn't capture the range of things people feel the need to express. There are love songs, story songs, breakup songs, sci-fi fantasy songs, songs about historical events, angry songs, sad songs, silly songs. Pretty much anything you can think of has had a song written about it at some point. One of the most powerful song types are songs about social justice.
In the 1920s and 30s there were songs protesting economic unfairness and labor solidarity by artists like Woody Guthrie. In the 1950s and 60s civil rights songs by artists like Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye shined a light on how people of color had been, and were being, treated. Anti-war songs in the late 60s and early 70s explored the morality of war. Musicians wanted to help change the world for the better, and protest songs were the vehicle.
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