Disturbed frontman David Draiman is often vocal about his stance on politics in music. As well as politics in general. His April 2026 appearance on Billy Corgan’s podcast The Magnificent Others was no different. In the episode, Corgan posed the question of artists publicly sharing their politics.
“I think musicians should speak to their heart no matter what it may be,” said Draiman. He and Corgan discussed the history of protest music, specifically how political protest was built into the foundation of rock, metal, punk, and everything in between. Really, it can be traced back to blues, outlaw country, and the origins of rock and roll.
“The tradition of protest music has been a long one,” Draiman said. “There’s no reason why art can’t be fused, or shouldn’t be fused … in fact, it absolutely, positively should be fused with intensely powerful messages.”
David Draiman Calls Out ‘Cowardice’ of Modern Artists Who Care More About Retaining Fans
In response, Billy Corgan brought up the protest music of the 1960s. At that time, he said, it seemed so much easier for musicians to be open about their political views. Today, while there seems to be an increase in political and social unrest—to put it lightly—there’s almost no protest music in the mainstream.
Bruce Springsteen probably has one of the most vocal platforms at the moment. But generally, there’s hesitation from a lot of artists who find themselves with a similar platform. They remain silent on important issues in favor of not alienating fans, and David Draiman said he wasn’t having it.
“It’s not courage, it’s cowardice,” he said. “You’re just talking into an echo chamber … What purpose does it serve other than everybody patting themselves on the back?”
Whether or not you agree with all of his political views, there’s no denying that Draiman may have a point about this one
Later, he commented specifically on the political climate in the U.S., sharing his thoughts on calming the divisive landscape.
“I wish that people were thinking more of that than trying to take every single issue that they can find and use it as some sort of partisan political tool to attack the other side, and that’s what I see happening on a regular basis,” he said.
“I think people sow division because they can profit from it, and they continue to do so,” Draiman concluded. “They continue to empower themselves and enrich themselves.”
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