PLAYLIST: Songs for International Labor Day

Happy Friday and happy May Day, aka International Workers' Day!

To celebrate, this week's Subscribers Only playlist is free to all. Songs spanning genres and generations that both celebrate labor victories and remind us there's still work to be done.

While the 1st of May is a national holiday in many countries, its origin actually lies in the United States. On May 1st, 1886, roughly half a million workers went on a general strike for the eight-hour day, the first major organized labor stoppage in the country's history.

While this original May Day action was supposed to be a one off, it quickly grew into something much more: a global celebration of workers and the labor movement. In 1904, the International Socialist Congress called on "all Social Democratic Party organizations and trade unions of all countries to demonstrate energetically on the First of May for the legal establishment of the eight-hour day, for the class demands of the proletariat, and for universal peace."

In 2026, there's clearly still quite a lot for labor to fight for, especially in the United States. While things like AI may present new challenges, these battles are not new, and we do not fight them alone.

So this May Day, take heart, and celebrate the victories of the past. But also remember you stand with workers the world over, fighting for equity and for peace. Solidarity forever indeed.

Enjoy, and see you next week for the New Music Monthly!

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