NTS Guide to: Arabic Protest Songs

This selection reflects the voice of Beirut’s rebellion and resistance - a sound that gave hope and laughter in the middle of civil war and the Israeli occupation. Heavily incubated by the country’s 1970s socialist and revolutionary left, these tracks were driven by Communist and left-wing artists. Many songs emerged at the height of the conflict and occupation, while others arrived after the fighting stopped, yet still carried its heavy specters. This music came straight from the heart of the left-wing movement in Lebanon, created by independent composers, poets, and musicians.The tracklist captures a society operating in raw extremes. It charts the unyielding hope of a generation that believed structural change was imminent, while some songs lean into biting sarcasm as a survival mechanism against the absurdity of war. But it doesn't shy away from the crushing weight of collective despair and the stark documentation of absolute catastrophe. Ultimately, this collection serves as a definitive guide to the socio-political music of Lebanon. It functions as a roadmap through collective memory, navigating historical fractures to show how song can serve as both a mirror to structural ruin and a megaphone for political struggle. Selected by Ernesto Chahoud