Given the current political scene and the rise of actual monster Donald Trump, I find myself more often than not listening to music that makes me want to dismantle the Establishment brick by oppressive brick. Strangely enough, it seems like the rage incited within me is therapeutic and (on the whole) calming, so I’m here to share this with the world. IF you like politically conscious songs OR songs that make you want to start anarchous riots, read on.

Are you a woman who feels violated by Congress’s recent vote to defund Planned Parenthood? Do you feel angry that the rights to your own body aren’t, apparently, your own?

Are you a person of color who now has to see the Confederate flag on every road leading to and from your campus because of people with a fundamental, willful ignorance of what constitutes hate?

Are you the child of immigrant parents whose struggle is belittled and openly mocked by a straw haired, duck-lipped, privileged white man who will never ever experience the things your family has?

Or maybe you’re filled with some other rage that sets your teeth on edge and threatens to engulf you at any given moment. Either way, instead of stoppering that rage and letting it fizz up until you’re as tight as a shaken champagne bottle, crank the volume up and listen to my top five politically nuanced songs.

5. "Flawless" - Beyoncé

It's Beyoncé. Need I say anything more? The combination quote from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Beyonce in plaid give me the strength to slog through patriarchal drudgery day in and day out. And the impulse to sling my hair while sliding down a moist concrete wall in a shady alleyway as strangers bump and grind nearby, but that's not so much "political" as "inappropriate and strange."

4. "Make it Stop (September's Children)" - Rise Against

Any self-respecting punk rocker knows Rise Against almost as well as they know MCR or Panic! At the Disco, but their music moves far beyond your typical angsty, feelings-screaming group. It's hard to pick just one song that the socially conscious group does particularly well, but "Make it Stop" hits so close to home that it's my natural choice. Frontman Tim McIlrath sings about the five teenagers who committed suicide in September of 2010 after having been bullied for their sexuality. He offers a message of hope, saying "It can get better, it does get better, give it a chance to get better, don't end your life prematurely," which is a hard thing to keep in mind when dealing with constant negation and invalidation. For any other folk 'shamed for those you choose to kiss,' give this a listen.

3. "Iron Sky" - Paulo Nutini

This is one of the most currently relevant songs I've heard. Originally a bit of a miss, this song exploded into the political scene shortly after the mass shooting of journalists at Charlie Hebdo in January of this year. The song warns against political apathy and sprinkles in a snippet of one of Charlie Chaplin's speeches from "The Great Dictator," telling us all that we are not machine men with metal hearts. When I feel insignificant and bogged down with all the happenings in the political sphere and how very little influence it seems I have, I plug into this song for a little courage.

2. "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" - John Lennon

It's a bit early, but I don't think it's possible to have an article talking about politics AND music without at least referencing Lennon. The song was initially written to protest the Vietnam War, but has become a staple song of anti-war feelings everywhere. The eery melody and intentionally jolting juxtaposition of Christmas and the horror of war make this song memorable even when Christmas bells are no longer ringing, particularly due to Lennon's murder in December of 1980.

1. "Strange Fruit" - Billie Holiday

The only way I can describe this song is "haunting," because once you listen to it, a piece of it remains within you, reminding you of the horrible things human beings are capable of doing to one another. Holiday's 'strange fruit' was inspired by a photograph of a black lynching victim hanging in a tree. The song was written by white Jewish English teacher Abel Meeropol whose parents were famously executed for espionage: Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. The song's history is remarkable, but Holiday's breathy rendition brings the tragedy back to life and sends chills down my spine every time I listen.

These songs are more than just songs to me, and I urge you to take a listen if you're in the "politically active" mood!