[2026] Anti-war songs in Western music. Songs that wish for peace.
As of 2026, there is still no sign of a resolution to the situation in Ukraine, and since October 2023, armed clashes between Israel and Gaza have broken out, plunging the world into continued turmoil.
More recently, new fighting engulfing the entire Middle East has intensified, with the United States and Israel carrying out large-scale airstrikes on military and political targets inside Iran.
In this article, we’ve compiled a selection of overseas anti-war songs that will move listeners emotionally—precisely the kind of music we want you to hear in times like these—spanning different eras and genres.
Please listen while checking the parallel translations and such—the messages each artist has imbued in their work, from heartfelt wishes for peace to, at times, stern denunciations of those in power.
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[2026] Anti-war songs in Western music. Songs wishing for peace (21–30)
We Want PeaceEmmanuel Jal
Emmanuel Jal, a multi-artist from South Sudan, has endured harrowing experiences since childhood, including a period when he was a child soldier in the Sudan People’s Liberation Army.
That’s why his anti-war songs are on a different level from the usual.
His track “We Want Peace” is one of his signature works.
The powerful message—something only someone who has lived in a world where friends die one after another could convey—reminds us how precious our everyday peace truly is.
What If There Were No Sides At AllBryan Adams
Rock singer Bryan Adams, who enjoys enduring popularity in Japan.
Released in May 2023, this work is an anti-war song imbued with a universal message against conflicts around the world.
It’s a ballad marked by an acoustic sound, carrying a heartfelt plea for peace.
Intended to encourage dialogue from governments, the piece is a socially conscious song characteristic of Adams, a native of Canada.
Although Adams shot to global stardom with his 1984 album Reckless, nearly 40 years later his commitment to advocating for world peace remains unchanged.
ZombieThe Cranberries
Released in 1994, this song has continued to be beloved worldwide as one of The Cranberries’ signature works.
Featuring Dolores O’Riordan’s powerful vocals and a heavy guitar sound, it is known as an anti-war song themed around the Northern Ireland conflict.
Deeply pained by the tragedy of innocent children becoming victims, O’Riordan wrote lyrics imbued with a fervent plea for peace that continue to resonate with many people today.
Its acclaim is considerable, including winning Best Song at the 1995 MTV Europe Music Awards.
This is a track to listen to when you want to reflect on the horrors of war and violence, and to reaffirm the preciousness of peace.
What’s Going OnMarvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye’s classic “What’s Going On.” It’s a historic track that dramatically reshaped the course of later R&B, while also embodying Black music with an anti-war theme.
It’s said he was inspired to write the song after hearing stories from his brother, who had returned from the Vietnam War.
At the time, racism against Black people was more intense than it is today.
It was an era shortly after the recognition of civil rights, when various social issues were in the spotlight, and many Americans likely found support and solace in this song.
Hammer To FallQueen
This is a song released in 1984 by Queen, one of the greatest rock bands to come out of the UK.
It was written and composed by guitarist Brian May, and when it was released as a single, it became a smash hit.
It’s a catchy track featuring a characteristically Queen-like dynamic guitar riff and tight rhythm, with Freddie Mercury’s soaring vocals and gorgeous choral work standing out.
Yet the lyrics actually take nuclear war as their theme.
The word “mushroom cloud” even appears outright, and since the song was released in the middle of the Cold War, its lyrics—full of the kind of irony and political satire so typical of the British—prompt all sorts of reflection precisely because of the era.
May’s message is likely not a simple one, but given that today’s world can feel as if we’ve slipped back into Cold War times, I encourage you to listen to this song while thinking about how we ought to live now.
