50 Best Rock Songs About Elections

Rock Songs That Capture Election Energy

There’s a strange kind of pulse that runs through election seasons. Not pure excitement, not total dread, but something in between that makes people restless. You can feel it in the chants at rallies, the late-night debates on TV, the way every conversation somehow circles back to who’s running and what it means. Rock songs tuned into that energy tend to sound raw, messy, sometimes hopeful, sometimes bitter. Even when a track isn’t literally tied to ballots or campaigns, the vibe still fits the noise and tension hanging in the air.

The sound of an election year isn’t polished. It’s loud bars with TVs blaring results, crowds chanting outside city halls, and small-town diners buzzing with arguments nobody wins. Rock thrives in that atmosphere, spitting frustration and lifting protest chants into anthems that spill into headphones and car speakers. Mixed in are the quieter tracks that catch the private side of politics, the reflection when the shouting ends and people start wondering what’s next. Those songs stand shoulder to shoulder with protest staples, proving the soundtrack of a vote can be both riotous and weary.

Playlists tied to election seasons often blur genres too. You’ll find pop, rock, country, and R&B songs carrying the same restless charge, even if the lyrics don’t mention campaigns outright. Some cuts come from big names, others from unexpected corners, but they all grab that electric atmosphere that follows debates, rallies, and long lines at polling stations. Here are the best rock songs that bring election season to life.

1. 'Elected' by Alice Cooper

2. 'American Idiot' by Green Day

3. 'Fortunate Son' by Creedence Clearwater Revival

4. 'The Times They Are A-Changin'' by Bob Dylan

5. 'People Have the Power' by Patti Smith

6. 'Won't Get Fooled Again' by The Who

7. 'Living On The 110' by Prophets of Rage

8. 'Know Your Enemy' by Rage Against the Machine

9. 'God Save the Queen' by Sex Pistols

10. 'London Calling' by The Clash

11. 'Holiday in Cambodia' by Dead Kennedys

12. 'The Government Totally Sucks' by Tenacious D

13. 'Blowin' in the Wind' by Bob Dylan

14. 'Power to the People' by John Lennon

15. 'Rock the Casbah' by The Clash

16. 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' by Gil Scott-Heron

17. 'Ohio' by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

18. 'Redemption Song' by Bob Marley

19. 'Masters of War' by Bob Dylan

20. 'Bullet' by The Misfits

21. 'A Change Is Gonna Come' by Sam Cooke

22. 'Surfin' USA' by The Beach Boys

23. 'Bullet the Blue Sky' by U2

24. 'This Land Is Your Land' by Woody Guthrie

25. 'Youth Against Fascism' by Sonic Youth

26. 'I'd Love to Change the World' by Ten Years After

27. 'State of the Union' by Rise Against

28. 'Viva la Vida' by Coldplay

29. 'Mr. November' by The National

30. 'Man in Black' by Johnny Cash

31. 'Get Up, Stand Up' by Bob Marley & The Wailers

32. 'Killing in the Name' by Rage Against the Machine

33. 'We Called It America' by NOFX

34. 'The Power of Equality' by Red Hot Chili Peppers

35. 'Beds Are Burning' by Midnight Oil

36. 'California Uber Alles' by Dead Kennedys

37. 'Know Your Product' by The Saints

38. 'Run the World (Girls)' by Beyoncé

39. 'This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)' by Talking Heads

40. 'Let the Day Begin' by The Call

41. 'Don't Stop' by Fleetwood Mac

42. 'The Battle of Evermore' by Led Zeppelin

43. 'We Shall Overcome' by Pete Seeger

44. 'A People's History of the World' by Propagandhi

45. 'Only the Young' by Journey

46. 'Hurricane' by Bob Dylan

47. 'Give Peace a Chance' by John Lennon

48. 'The Ripper' by Judas Priest

49. 'Get on the Raft with Taft' by Abe Holzman

50. 'I Won't Back Down' by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers