This is a very interesting thread .. I'm just completing a 30 minute radio programme on the history of the protest song .. with much plagiarisation of Chuwumba Wumba "English Rebel Songs" and the like :)

The points about Rap .. of course it dominates mainstream music culture .. but you can't sing it!

A quick spin through some research I did came up with
Sting .. John Tams .. Coope, Boyes and Simpson, Tom Robinson, (Steve Knightley) Show of Hands, Martyn Joseph, Rikki Lee Jones "Ugly Man"
Chuwumbawumba of course .. although what is a protest song? An anthem for marching? (then none of those mentioned would fit .. poss some of Tams?)

I believe many people are writing protesting lyrics but these aren't the same as the songs one would hear chanted, sung on a protest.

And certainly, I believe young people are becoming more politicised - "what Tony Blair has succeeded in doing is politicising an entire generation of young people", one local 14 year old anti-war protester outside school - just before the Police came and arrested the students with the school's collusion.

What they are not interested in (I think) is mainstream politics (aside from major issues like the Iraqi war) .. they are fighting globalisation, multi-corporations, environmental, fair trade issues -

Certainly, within 2 years in our town there has been an unprecedented explosion of protest groups: activist environmental protests/ anti-road campaigners/ anti-racism/ anti-war/ anti-vivesection/ rock against racism / rock against the war .. of young people .. what they are doing is writing their own protest agenda. Perhaps, we just don't recognise it yet?