80s music post 2

The music of the 80s returned to lyrics that protested American systems, wars, and policies. The popularization of hip-hop allowed hip-hop artists from different social classes and regions to express different concerns. Some artists did not come from low-class environments, such as Run-DMC, and their songs were merely for expressing materialistic and sexual desires such as in "It's Tricky" and "Walk This Way". Other hip-hop artists expressed the views of the decade by expressing their dislike for the American system in regards to the financial situation in which they were raised, many coming from low-class families. For example, "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash expresses discontent for the American system during this decade. For the most part, music in the 80s, just like music in the 60s, returned to protesting wars in which America was involved. Songs such as "99 Luftballoons" by Nena illustrated people's concerns of the threat of nuclear war. "Nikita" by Elton John also depicted American's issues with the Cold War. A growing tension with the Russians was shown in the aptly named "Russians" by Sting. This song best illustrates the sentiment of the decade by showing the Americans' relationship with the Russians and the anxiety it caused throughout the nation.