Renewable Energy Rocks: Musicians and the Green Transition

Published in

Sustainability Directory

7 min readMay 25, 2024

Music’s a universal language that can both inspire and motivate people to take action on the most pressing issues of our time. For a lot of music listeners, the most pressing issue today is climate change. Some of the world’s musicians are not only using their songs and platforms to raise awareness and advocate for a greener future, but also taking concrete steps to reduce their own environmental impact and support renewable energy projects.

One of the earliest ‘green’ bands is Australian group Midnight Oil who, together with other Aussie bands Vance Joy, Regurgitator and Cloud Control, have launched a platform called Future Energy Artists, which allows them to invest in solar farms and other renewable energy initiatives in their country.

British musicians, such as Coldplay, Massive Attack, Radiohead and The 1975, have pledged to reduce their carbon emissions from touring and live events, and to support research and innovation on low-carbon solutions for the music industry.

In the US, bands such as Jack Johnson, Justin Timberlake, Dave Matthews Band and Willie Nelson, have partnered with environmental organizations, such as Reverb and Green Music Group, to green their tours and concerts, by using renewable energy sources, offsetting their emissions, and engaging their fans and communities in environmental actions.

Let’s turn it up to 11 and see what the fuss is about renewable energy!

A close-up view of a flute covered in green moss and small plants, symbolizing musicians’ commitment to environmental sustainability. The metallic keys of the flute shine amidst the greenery, untouched by the natural growth. Water droplets on the moss and keys add a fresh appearance to the scene, set against a contrasting dark background. — Flute Adorned with Moss — Depicting Musicians’ Dedication to Environmental Sustainability

A silver flute lies horizontally on a grey rock surrounded by lush green plants, visually representing the harmony between music and nature, echoing the theme of musicians contributing to the green transition. — Flute Resting on a Rock Amidst Greenery — Musicians’ Harmonious Embrace of Nature in the Green Transition

What is Renewable Energy and Why Does It Matter?

Renewable energy is energy that comes from sources that are naturally replenished, such as sunlight, wind, water, geothermal heat, and biomass. Unlike fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas, renewable energy doesn’t directly emit GHGs that contribute to global warming and climate change. Renewable energy use reduces air pollution, enhances energy security, creates jobs, and supports economic development.[1]

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), renewable energy accounted for 29% of global electricity generation in 2020 and is expected to grow by 8% in 2021. The IEA also projects that renewable energy will provide almost 50% of global electricity by 2025.[2] However, renewable energy still faces many barriers, such as excessive costs, intermittency, grid integration, policy uncertainty, and public acceptance. To overcome these challenges, renewable energy businesses are innovating faster than every, investing huge sums of money, collaborating and undertaking serious advocacy work.[3]

This is where music plays a vital role. Music is helping spread the message of renewable energy to a wide and diverse audience, especially young people who are more likely to be concerned about climate change and eager to take action. Because music stimulates emotions, creates connections, and generates engagement, it’s a huge driver for both behavioral change and social mobilization.[4]

A close-up view of a golden flute with turquoise-colored pads, set against a backdrop of green moss and leaves, symbolizing the harmonious connection between music and nature in the context of renewable energy. — Golden Flute Detail with Turquoise-Colored Pads — A Symbol of Musicians’ Embrace of Nature and Renewable Energy

A guitar partially covered in vibrant green moss and plants, representing the harmonious relationship between music and sustainability in the context of musicians supporting the green transition. The dark body of the guitar contrasts with the lush greenery, with a plant with broader leaves adding diversity to the vegetation. The fretboard extends outwards, untouched by the greenery, against a solid dark teal background. — Green Guitar Embracing Nature — Symbolizing Musicians’ Support for Renewable Energy Transition

How Musicians Are Supporting the Green Transition

Musicians are supporting the green transition in various ways, such as writing songs about climate change, participating in campaigns and events that promote green causes, donating money and resources to environmental organizations, and adopting sustainable practices in their own lives and careers. Here are some examples of how musicians are making an impact:

In 2019, rapper Lil Dicky released a song called “Earth”, featuring over 30 celebrities who voiced different animals and plants. The song aimed to raise awareness and funds for environmental issues, such as deforestation, ocean pollution, and wildlife conservation. The song’s video has been viewed over 340 million times on YouTube, and the proceeds have been donated to various environmental charities.[5]
In 2020, singer Billie Eilish launched a campaign called “Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry”, which encouraged her fans to take action on climate change by signing petitions, contacting their representatives, and joining online events. The campaign was part of a partnership with Global Citizen, a movement that seeks to end extreme poverty and fight climate change.[6]
In 2021, rock band Coldplay announced that they would not tour until they could find a way to make their concerts carbon neutral. The band said that they wanted to reduce the environmental impact of their shows by using renewable energy sources, minimizing waste, and offsetting emissions. They’ve been vocal also about involving their fans and local communities in their efforts.[7]

These are just some of the examples of how musicians are using their music and their influence to support the green transition. They’re raising awareness and funds for renewable energy and climate change solutions, but also inspiring others to follow their example and join the movement.

Australian Musicians Go Solar

The ‘Solar Music Project’ in Australia was launched in 2018 by Green Music Australia, a non-profit organization that aims to reduce the environmental impact of the music industry. The project provides grants to musicians who want to install solar panels on their homes or studios.[8]

The project’s goal is to help musicians reduce their carbon footprint, save money on electricity bills, and become role models for their fans and peers. The project is to create a network of solar-powered musicians who can share their stories and experiences with others. So far, the project has supported over 20 musicians, including singer-songwriter Missy Higgins, rapper L-Fresh the Lion, and indie rock band The Jezabels.[9]

The Solar Music Project is an example of how musicians can support the green transition by adopting renewable energy in their own lives and careers. Musicians, down under at least, are demonstrating their commitment to environmental sustainability, and showing that renewable energy is good for their creativity and productivity.

The Rise of Eco-Musicology

A current trend that is linked to the topic of renewable energy and music is the rise of eco-musicology, a field of study that explores the relationship between music, culture, and nature. Eco-musicology examines how music reflects, influences, and responds to environmental issues, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion.[10]

Eco-musicology has implications for the world, as it can help us understand how music can shape our perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors towards the environment. It can also help us discover how music can inspire environmental awareness, education, and action. For example, eco-musicology can analyze how music can communicate scientific information, express emotional responses, create social bonds, and mobilize collective action on environmental issues.[11]

It’s a relatively new and interdisciplinary field that draws from various disciplines, such as musicology, ecology, anthropology, sociology, and psychology. As such, it’ll need to balance its critical and constructive approaches, as it seeks to both critique and support the role of music in the environmental crisis.[12]

Eco-musicology is an example of how music can support the green transition by providing a framework and a perspective for understanding and evaluating the impact of music on the environment.

A dark green guitar partially covered in lush greenery, including mosses and flowers, symbolizing the harmony between music and nature in the context of renewable energy and environmental consciousness. — Green Guitar Harmony — A Fusion of Music and Nature in the Spirit of Sustainability for Musicians’ Green Transition

Music for a Greener Future

Gone are the days of biting bat heads in concerts (still love ya, Ozzie) and no longer do musicians throw live chickens into audiences only to see them torn to pieces (chickens don’t fly, Mr. Cooper).

Today, music is playing a vital role in supporting the green transition by raising awareness and sparking action on climate change. And that action, in no small part, is coming from the adoption of renewable energy. Music stimulates emotions, creates connections, and generates engagement that can lead to behavioral change and social mobilization.

Music is a powerful force that is inspiring, motivating, and uniting people around the need to power down on fossil fuels and crank up the volume on renewables. Musicians around the world are demonstrating that with their own performances at least, they can show the way and help envision and create a greener future for us and the planet.

Let there be rock!

A close-up of a blue electric guitar partially covered with vibrant green moss and small plants, symbolizing the fusion of music and nature, in line with the theme of musicians supporting renewable energy. — Nature’s Melody — Green Moss and Plants Adorning a Blue Electric Guitar in the Context of Musicians and Renewable Energy

Close-up view of a shiny silver flute with its detailed keys, surrounded by green leaves, symbolizing the blend of music and nature in the context of sustainability. The blue geometric shapes and green spherical object in the background add depth and color to the composition. — Intricate Detail of a Silver Flute Amidst Green Leaves — A Melodious Instrument in the Symphony of Sustainability

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