Charli XCX, Olly Alexander, And More Cover The Stones

Everything is political now. You can't log on to Twitter or view an awards ceremony without being on the receiving end of a political message. This is a good thing because it calls on us to be vigilant citizens and to ultimately stand for something. Music is, perhaps, the most effective form of politicizing on account of it being the "universal language" and its ability to become personal fast. The Grammys dabbled in protest, and this week's NME Awards followed suit.

During this year's ceremony, Charli XCX, Years & Years' Olly Alexander, and more prominent British musicians came together. Jointly, they covered the Rolling Stones' 1969 song "Gimmie Shelter." Their performance was an effort to raise awareness for refugee support and encouraged their audience to donate to the British charity Help Refugees. Alexander and Charli were among the who's who of the indie British scene. Pixie Geldof, Peace's Harry Koisser, Slaves' Isaac Holman, Circa Waves' Joe Falconer, and more rounded out the supergroup. Together, they did the Stones' justice, and in doing so, brought the refugee issue to the forefront of their fan bases' minds. Music is inherently political, after all. It's encouraging to see so many of today's most exciting artists using their platform to inspire real, actionable change. The resistance movement wages on.