Singing the dissent in the Soviet Union (1950-1991)

Since the end of the 1950s, the circulation of unauthorised sound material in the Soviet Union, a phenomenon which is called ‘magnitizdat’, has been increasing rapidly. The article investigates a number of issues related to this parallel dimension of official culture, such as the differences and similarities with the better known ‘samizdat’, from which the name originates; the role of the song as a form of dissent; the importance of the means of dissemination and the role of collectors; the relationship of the new song with official music and mass culture. The aim is to offer a precise definition of such “synthetic creation”, bringing its meaning to the forefront of Soviet society in the second half of the 20th century.