Well, Kendall said protest singers. Sure, rap probably incudes a lot of protest, but I don't really see most of us learning rap songs to share with others at pubs, song circles and gigs. I REALLY don't see Morse Code doing covers of Eminem.

I think a lot of people just don't like being preached at, and that's what many protest songs can sound like. I like Tom Paxton, but even he can get preachy at times. The best songs are ones that just tell stories or show pictures. They imply protest, they make the listener think and come up with their own conclusions - a risky thing.

In the 60's, most of us were younger. We listened to Dylan, Baez, PP&M, Paxton, Seeger ON THE RADIO, and it made some of us us want to sing. That style of music just isn't popular enough to get into the Top 40 these days. Mass media doesn't inspire would-be singers to go learn how to play guitar and sing a protest song. Rap IS hugely popular, and it's what a lot of people who are now at the same place in their lives we were in the 60s listen to. It's the style that inspires them.

It's a pop culture thing, and many of us prefer unpopular music. Small record labels, hole-in-the-wall venues and local performers mean it's pretty difficult to hear or just hear about protest singers of the day.