Kuennsberg questioned on BBC over whether musicians should speak politically
BBC Politics Show host Laura Kuennsberg asked if musicians should voice political views, sparking backlash invoking decades of protest music history.
What to know
- Kuennsberg's question whether musicians should speak politically drew sharp backlash, with commenters pointing to centuries of protest music as evidence of music's inherent political character.
- Critics invoked a lineage from Woody Guthrie through Dylan, Springsteen, Rage Against the Machine, and punk to argue the premise was historically ignorant.
- The conversation extended to attacks on Kuennsberg's journalistic impartiality and BBC credibility, with some suggesting bias toward right-wing figures.
The dispute Whether Kuennsberg's question was genuinely ignorant or a bad-faith setup designed to suppress left-wing political speech from musicians. · positions read across 59 posts and comments
Musicians have always been political; protest music is foundational to the art form across centuries.
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“Obviously missed the Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger and Donovan and Buffy Saint Marie and on and on To say nothing of Punk as a protest”
brierfieldpoet.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
Kuennsberg's question reveals bias and lack of knowledge; she and the BBC favor right-wing figures.
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“The question to ask her is whether journalists should be speaking out on political matters, or should they just be reporting on them?”
wigglepig.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
All people, including musicians, have a moral duty to speak out against fascism and injustice.
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“EVERYBODY, even talentless people like me, MUST (not should, MUST) speak out and work against fascism, racism, misogyny…”
bowreader.bsky.social · Bluesky ↗
Laura Kuennsberg BBC Politics Show hostWoody Guthrie Historical protest musician
How it unfolded 5 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump postscomments
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5
Critics attack Kuennsberg's credibility and BBC impartiality
Commenters express frustration with Kuennsberg's interviewing approach and the BBC's treatment of different political figures, suggesting bias in her questioning.
“It pisses me off that Kuennsberg gets paid by the licence fee paying public, to be an ass kisser to the far right.”
— shubdo.bsky.social -
Sheeran did himself no favours invoking the 'atrocities on both sides' argument. He must have lost all of his grounded friends and advisors
2 more of the top 3 · 40 posts in this stretch
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Perhaps you are already aware of @gregmitch.bsky.social's recent documentary film about a musician—Woody Guthrie again—speaking out on a political subject. And joined by a novelist—John Steinbeck. Stream WOODY GUTHRIE AND THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD TODAY here:
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So ... Sports presenters and musicians are not allowed political opinions!? What a shame Ms Kuennsberg is
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Commenters invoke contemporary examples like Bruce Springsteen
Responses cite ongoing examples of musicians speaking politically, including Bruce Springsteen's continued protest songwriting and his clashes with Trump.
“Bruce Springsteen. Still speaking out, still writing and singing protest songs, and, as a bonus, getting right up Trump's nose!”
— ktg222.bsky.social -
Bruce Springsteen. Still speaking out, still writing and singing protest songs, and, as a bonus, getting right up Trump's nose! 👏
2 more of the top 3 · 9 posts in this stretch
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Kuennesberg could ask how far back in time do we need to go to find a fully functioning National Broadcaster or mainstream News organisation? Meanwhile our musicians will report more accurately than anyone else.
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Rage Against the Machine, ladies and gentlemen
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Critics question Kuennsberg's journalistic standards and knowledge
Commenters challenged Kuennsberg's premise, pointing out that music has always been political and turning the question back on journalists: whether they should speak out on political matters or merely report on them.
“Music has always been political. The question to ask her is whether journalists should be speaking out on political matters, or should they just be reporting on them?”
— wigglepig.bsky.social -
Kuennsberg is a muppet. Music has always been political. The question to ask her is whether journalists should be speaking out on political matters, or should they just be reporting on them?
2 more of the top 3 · 8 posts in this stretch
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If Boris Johnson had ginger hair she'd still be all over him like a rash.
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I'd write that on my keyboards, but doubt the impact would be the same. But do admit never, ever on the piano.
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Social media pushes back with examples of protest music history
Commenters on Bluesky responded to Kuennsberg's question by citing a vast lineage of politically outspoken musicians, from Dylan and Seeger to punk as a protest movement, and arguing that music has always been inherently political.
“Obviously missed the Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger and Donovan and Buffy Saint Marie and on and on To say nothing of Punk as a protest…”
— brierfieldpoet.bsky.social -
Obviously missed the Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger and Donovan and Buffy Saint Marie and on and on To say nothing of Punk as a protest
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Kuennsberg asks whether musicians should speak on political subjects on BBC Politics Show
On the BBC Politics Show, Laura Kuennsberg posed a question about whether musicians should speak out on political matters, invoking the example of Woody Guthrie in the discussion.
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Laura Kuennsberg on the BBC Politics Show asked whether musicians should speak out on political subjects... Woody Guthrie, ladies & gentlemen:
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What people are saying 12 voices from 1 site · best of 59 · verbatim
- Sep 21
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Music - protest songs & chants, in particular - have throughout civilization been an unsuppressible tool for dissent. Asking that question reveals a lack of familiarity w both history & music.
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We would not have made it out of the 70s without folk and protest music.
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Lack of knowledge or ignorance. 200 years ago…
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Has she heard of Live Aid or Sun City? Or Rock Against Racism? Or really, anything?
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youtube.com/watch?v=jANu... Woody Guthrie wrote the lyrics to the protest song "Old Man Trump" in 1954, targeting his landlord, Fred Trump, for racist housing practices in his Brooklyn Beach Haven apartment complex... Woody Guthrie ~ I Ain't Got No Home #WoodyGuthrie #FredTrump #OldManTrump
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They actually got Billy Bragg on wato and asked him the same question. "I'm Billy Bragg," he replied.
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EVERYBODY, even talentless people like me, MUST (not should, MUST) speak out and work against fascism, racism, misogyny, and the other repressive dehumanizing attitudes that harm the present and prevent the future from unfolding as it should, i.e., with peace, justice, health and liberty for all.
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People can't be excluded or exempted from the duty to speak just because they have a way with words and music! Is Kuennsberg a serious person? Because this can't be a serious question!
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I guess if they support Reform or the Tories, that'd be OK in her eyes.
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This is not a question any sane person would ask!
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Musicians must be truthful to their morals in their music as in their life. That's what separates art from merely entertainment
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..."let's show these fascists whatta couple o' hillbillies kin doo"...