List of dystopian music
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Albums
The following lists albums that prominently feature dystopian themes.
- 2112, an album by the Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1976. The title track is about a man living in a dystopian society.[1]
- The ArchAndroid by Janelle Monáe.[1]
- Diamond Dogs an album by David Bowie is loosely based on George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four especially the songs "Future Legend", "We Are The Dead", "1984" and "Big Brother".[1]
- Deltron 3030 by Deltron 3030 (Del the Funky Homosapien, Dan the Automator, and Kid Koala), is a hip hop album about a future world of battle raps with aliens, government oppression, and space travel.[1]
- Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome by Parliament.[2]
- In the Court of the Crimson King by King Crimson.[2]
- Joe's Garage, a dystopian concept album by Frank Zappa, set in a world where music is illegal and crimes are punished preemptively.[1]
- Kid A by Radiohead.[1]
- The Protomen, its prequel Act II: The Father of Death, and sequel Act III: This City Made Us by the Protomen.[3]
- Replicas by Gary Numan.[2]
- Year Zero (2007) by Nine Inch Nails is a concept album with a strong dystopian theme and an accompanying alternate reality game.[1]
- The Body, The Blood, The Machine, an album by The Thermals.[1]
Songs
- "1999" by Prince.[4]
- "Idioteque" by Radiohead.[4]
- "In the year 2525" by Zager and Evans.
- "Karn Evil 9" by Emerson, Lake & Palmer.[5]
- "The Apocalypse Song" by St. Vincent.[4]
- "Talkin' World War III Blues" by Bob Dylan.[4]
- "Testify" by Rage Against the Machine.[4]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "10 Essential Dystopian Albums". Treble. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- 1 2 3 Denney, Alex (18 April 2014). "Disco dystopia: what are the best apocalyptic albums?". the Guardian. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ↑ "SFE: Protomen, The". SFE. 27 January 2025. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Barker, Emily (22 April 2015). "40 Bone-Chilling Tracks That Predict A Dark Dystopian Future". NME. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
- ↑ "Emerson, Lake & Palmer's 'Karn Evil 9' is being turned into sci-fi movie". planetradio.co.uk. 11 March 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2023.