The music trade’s silence over October 7 wasn’t simply deafening.
It curdled the soul.
Bono and Madonna spoke out instantly after Hamas’ savage assaults, together with a music pageant assault that killed a whole bunch of revelers.
U2’s frontman shared his harm with the band’s followers a day after the atrocities.
“Within the mild of what’s occurred in Israel and Gaza, a music about non-violence appears considerably ridiculous, even laughable, however our prayers have at all times been for peace and for non-violence …However our hearts and our anger, you recognize the place that’s pointed. So sing with us… and people lovely children at that music pageant.”
The trade principally took a knee after that. The Grammy Awards got here and went with out a point out of the remaining hostages. Musicians who historically spoke out in opposition to injustice couldn’t discover their voice to demand their secure return.
As an alternative, they turned their ire in opposition to Israel and demanded a ceasefire.
John Ondrasik stands as a jarring exception.
The singer recognized to thousands and thousands as 5 for Combating (“Superman”) by no means stopped talking out for the hostages. He wasn’t happy to see incendiary photographs from the latest Coachella Music and Artist Pageant, described by Selection because the largest music occasion of its type.
The Irish rap trio Kneecap shared a message studying, ““F*** Israel / Free Palestine” on a display screen throughout its time on stage.
To not be outdone, far-Left Inexperienced Day took a break from attacking President Donald Trump to help Palestinians within the present melee. The band modified a line from “Jesus of Suburbia” to, “Working away from ache like the youngsters from Palestine.”
Ondrasik shared an interview snippet on X through which he known as out his trade and, extra particularly, Inexperienced Day.
“The music trade has been a shame,” he stated of its response to Hamas’ barbarism. “It’s not simply the silence. It’s the truth that they spout the Hamas propaganda.”
Ondrasik praised Inexperienced Day’s music however posed a brutal query for the band.
A easy query for @GreenDay, @macklemore, and my buddies within the music biz. 🇺🇸🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/FVHciSIArA
— John Ondrasik (@johnondrasik) April 19, 2025
“Should you actually cared about innocents in Gaza … wouldn’t the very first thing you’d demand be the releasing of the Israeli hostages, as a result of that’s what ends the battle. However they by no means say that. Why is that? Do they actually care in regards to the innocents they declare to?”
Disturbed’s David Draiman has Ondrasik’s again. Draiman has been simply as vocal in regards to the hostage disaster and the waves of antisemitism flooding Western tradition.
The rocker reached out to Inexperienced Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong on social media. He wished the prospect to respectfully share his viewpoint.
We’ll have to attend and see if that occurs.