Which modern artists would be considered voices of their generation?

By Evan Dawson,

Megan Mack, Julie Williams

Published January 8, 2025 at 3:30 PM EST

A blonde woman wearing a blue sweater smiles as she looks into the distance. A stage and a video screen are behind her.

1 of 3 — Suzanne Hunt.jpg

Suzanne Hunt

Provided

Two smiling men wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: the man back left has short brown hair and a brown mustache and beard and is wearing a grey shirt; the man front right has short dark hair and is wearing a navy blue hoodie with "WXXI" in white text.

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Scott Pukos on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Wednesday, January 8, 2025

George Yeadon / WXXI News

A woman and a man smiling with their arms around each other's shoulders. The woman has short curly red hair and is wearing glasses and a grey hoodie. The man has short dark hair and is wearing a navy blue hoodie with "WXXI" in white text.

3 of 3 — Zahyia Rolle on "Connections"

Zahyia Rolle on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Thursday, November 30, 2023

Megan Mack / WXXI News

A smiling man with short dark hair wearing a blue button-down shirt and a grey blazer. He is holding a pair of eyeglasses. The word "Connections" appears on the left side of the photo in vertical letters.

The new film, "A Complete Unknown," takes viewers inside the early years of Bob Dylan's musical career. Dylan became known as one of the voices of his generation.

Who, today, would earn that recognition? Has the fragmentation of media and the highly produced styles of modern music made it impossible for protest songs to break through?

Our guests discuss it:

Suzanne Hunt, friend of the late Peter Yarrow and co-owner of Hunt Country Vineyards
Scott Pukos, communications director for The Little Theatre
Zahiya Rolle, Rochester-based singer/songwriter

*Note: To listen to the full clip from "A Complete Unknown" referenced in the podcast, click here.