The Story of Mass Incarceration, One Song at a Time

“Music is the most humanizing element this country has,” says BL Shirelle, who spent 10 years in prison and now co-runs Freer Records, a label that releases music by incarcerated people. Inspired by this work, I’ve built a list of songs recorded behind bars over the last century. In Redemption Songs, a newsletter from The Marshall Project running until September 2026, I explore how music has offered routes to rehabilitation, redemption and resistance. Sign up for and check out past issues as they’re added to this page.