Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, a UCLA class is exploring how music artists are shaping civic engagement across the United States.

In “Music 19: Pro-Democracy Music: Patriotic or Protest?” students learn how artists such as Ludwig van Beethoven, Bob Dylan and Beyoncé have used music to express their patriotism and voice their opinions about the government. Through analyzing different musical genres and artists, students explore music as a way to promote or suppress democracy and influence political discourse.

David Lefkowitz, a professor of music composition, said he created the course before the 2024 U.S. presidential election to encourage students to think critically about the relationship between music, patriotism and protests.

“Activism and protest can lead towards revolution,” he said. “Nationalism can lead to jingoism and racism, and we see that at this very moment.”

The first song Lefkowitz introduces to the class is Whitney Houston’s performance of the “Star-Spangled Banner.”

In this rendition, the song feels regimented despite Houston’s loose and expressive delivery, Lefkowitz said. The change in the song’s rhythmic pattern occurs within a broader spectacle of military flybys, armed forces and a large American flag, which he interpreted as an added layer of patriotism.

Lefkowitz said he enjoys seeing how students grapple with controversial topics in the class. When discussing the World War 1 era song “We Are All Americans,” he asked students to consider whether it is the duty of Americans to support the country’s military ventures.

Lucia Flores-Rojas, a first-year world arts and culture student in the class, said her favorite album to analyze has been Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” because she believes it provides commentary on colonialism and racism in America. The album is unique because it empowers people of color in the genre of country music, she added.

“I decided that it would be a really cool opportunity to talk with some fellow music nerds about how music can be a form of activism and what it can do to a society post-war and in the middle of day-to-day life,” Flores-Rojas said.

She added that she enjoyed discussing “Ohio” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young because she grew up listening to the song but never questioned its meaning. The song was written in response to members of the Ohio National Guard shooting unarmed Kent State college students protesting the U.S.’s military campaign in Cambodia during the Vietnam war.

Flores-Rojas said she saw connections between the song and current protests over heightened immigration enforcement activity and was reminded of the importance of music in social justice movements.

Lefkowitz said he hopes students leave the class thinking more critically about the intentional choices in music production.

Ryan Waung, a first-year physics student in the class, said he was inspired to take the course to reconnect with his passion for music – an interest he has few opportunities to explore academically. He added that he played violin and piano growing up and was fascinated to learn more about how music can be used to unite people.

“We have our voices, and it’s important to use them – whether that be through music or literally going out and being an activist and standing up for what you believe is right,” Waung said. “It teaches us that it’s important to make our voices heard and to make the change that we want to see.”