The Proclaimers want more “political” songs on the charts.
The Scottish rock duo – made up of 60-year-old twin brothers Charlie and Craig Reid – had their heyday in the 1980s with other bands such as Communards and The Housemartins, with Charlie saying times are “equally turbulent ” these days. as they were then.
He said: “Newspapers are dying on their feet, but they’re online and people are still reading, so the press has a lot of power. I don’t know if it’s worse in Britain than in other countries, but i think they shaped the political agenda here and continue to do so frankly i am amazed because the turmoil of the time is at least as great today as it was at the end of the years 60s, 70s or early 80s In fact, I would probably say The shortage of good political writing, for lack of a better word, there seems to be a lot of anger There is a lot of personal anger, but but in terms more thoughtful policies.
songs, they are conspicuous by their absence.”
Charlie’s fellow ‘Sunshine on Leith’ hitmaker echoed his twin brother’s thoughts, adding he was ‘mystified’ by the lack of political pop songs on the charts.
In the joint interview, he told Classic Pop Magazine, “It mystifies me, why there are no more political songs on the charts. I think with what’s happened over the last 15 years , you don’t need to be massively engaged in politics. You just need to have a passing interest. I think there’s so much you can write about what’s going on right now. I think that will happen in the next few years as well. I find it strange that there aren’t more people making political songs.”
Charlie concluded by saying someone like pop megastar Harry Styles, 28, would still top the charts, but explained it would be ‘good’ for other stars to take up songwriting in a “different direction” regardless of what commercial radio might think.
He said: “Harry Styles will be No. 1 no matter what, but it would be nice if people could steer the songwriting in a different direction. Not for fun, just because they feel it and want it. ‘they allow themselves to express that, without editing themselves or worrying about what the radio will think.
