Ev’rybody’s talkin’ ’bout
Bagism, Shagism, Dragism, Madism, Ragism, Tagism
This-ism, that-ism, ism ism ism
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s famous song was written and performed during their “Bed-In” in a hotel room in Montreal in June of ‘69. But it didn’t become a true anti-war anthem until Pete Seeger led nearly a quarter of a million people to sing the song during the largest anti-Vietnam war protest in America in November of that year in Washington, D.C.

This is just one example of the power that music, and the artists that create it, can have to change the world. And it’s the message of How The Beatles Rocked the Kremlin, a documentary coming to THIRTEEN on November 9th. The film tells the surprising story about how The Beatles and their music instilled rebelliousness in Eastern Bloc youth, ultimately bringing down the Soviet Union.

To celebrate music as a force for social change, THIRTEEN is asking viewers to go online – www.thirteen.org/beatles — to nominate bands or musicians that have changed the world. We’ve received almost 1,000 nominations so far. Here’s just a few of the more insightful and fascinating nominations we’ve received, from the obvious to the obscure:

Pete Seeger: His beautiful, straight-forward songs have inspired several generations of socially aware listeners. His music has awakened many sleepers. - Lotte Lachmann

Plastic People of the Universe: The arrest of this Czechoslovakian avant-garde rock band and fans in ‘79 lead Vaclav Havel and others to write a charter accusing the Communist government of violating human rights. The Plastic People’s simple stance of freedom – they were not political, they just wanted to play music and be left alone – united the people, bringing down the whole totalitarian house of cards. By the time The Rolling Stones played Prague in 1990, it was a whole new world. — Elizabeth Dwyer

Bob Dylan: I can’t think of any artist who has inspired more change in
civil rights, politics, & the anti-war movement. Because he brought so many young people into the arenas, he influenced the future: as his young audience became active & remained active as they matured into influential people themselves. His songs of protest were calls to right the wrongs in society, not to break society down. — Joan Adams

Bob Marley: Marley was a musical shaman. In the context of 3rd-world political corruption and economic and social oppression, Marley stood tall serving as the voice of the global masses, the downtrodden, and the hopeful. No other artist has been more influential and inspiring than Marley throughout the globe. No other artist has woven music, politics, religion, spirituality, economics, indigenous and pop culture together as Marley had. — Joshua Lachs

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: He’s lasted longer than any of these dudes. — Robin Dobson

So if you haven’t already, go to www.thirteen.org/beatles to make your nomination. Tell us – what band or musician do you think has rocked the world?

Ben Smith
Director, Online Fundraising & Promotion
WNET.ORG