War.

It is a word that can automatically trigger feelings ranging from intense pride and patriotism to disbelief, sadness and anger.

War - and politics in general - also can inspire artists to create brash, unapologetic and emotional pop music.

And in the shadow of Iraq and in the aftermath of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, it's nearly impossible to avoid either.

"The important thing is that in any given era, there is not just one kind of music that reflects one domineering notion of politics. The whole political spectrum gets reflected in the music," says Donald Jackson, history professor at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa.

But straddling the line between music and politics isn't always easy.

"It's a fine line," says Scott Merring of Dave Phillips Music and Sound in Phillipsburg, N.J. "Basically, bands don't want to pigeon-hole themselves. It's only relative for a certain amount of time. Once the issues they're singing about are resolved, then a whole new set of issues come along and they have to change focus."

Listening to a band wax politically on stage or on a record can send the wrong signal to fans and come off as more of a rant than calling attention to a specific cause or issue.

Besides, experts say, the message can go both ways.

"The music is used to reinforce both sides (of the issue)," Jackson says. "There's no question in the '60s a lot of young bands really tapped into this huge baby boom generation that sort of responded to that message (of peace).

"There is this legend that gets brought up about that music - this idea of liberal rebellion. I want my students to really listen, because there is a tremendous amount of music that was reactionary."

In the 1960s the escalating Civil Rights movement and the possibility of being drafted loomed over the country. But it also provided material for artists like Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Buffalo Springfield and others who were already speaking out against the Vietnam conflict and championing for peace, love and equality.

"Music is going to reflect a lot of what's going on in society," says Ted Morgan, political science professor at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. "And as it does that it influences and draws people into some awareness of things."

"Because of the fact that there is no draft, most people in the United States don't really have to think about having to go and fight in Iraq. It's totally different than it was in the '60s. And that's what fueled the anti-war movement, especially on the college campuses - this idea that you might be forced into it," Jackson says.

Through televised sit-ins with wife Yoko Ono and numerous talk show appearances, John Lennon used his celebrity status to bring attention to his plea for peace.

"The difference, if there is one, is that the media and marketplace generally started to zero in on the idea of young people and rebellion in the '60s. It kind of legitimized that kind of music and helped popularize it," Morgan says.

But rock isn't the only genre to have heavily addressed war and politics.

"You'll see (Pearl Jam front man) Eddie Vedder go on some campaign or he'll go out on stage and sing 'Masters of War' or a Dylan song, a classic protest song. But I don't know if (those songs) have resonated with as broad an audience as country music," Jackson says.

"There is an enormous amount of music on country stations that is very supportive of the war and the troops."

In 2005, pop punks Green Day released the concept album, "American Idiot." The album took aim at corporate America and the Bush administration but was met with mixed reaction from fans.

Longtime followers who had grown up with front-man Billie Joe Armstrong's quirky lyrics about relationships and romance in the time of punk weren't sure what to make of the album's political slant.

"That album was produced meticulously," Merring says. "You could hear every nuance. The songs were very catchy, but it was very experimental for them. Two of the songs were 10 minutes long, which for a punk band, is almost unheard of."

Other bands aren't afraid of letting their feelings be known.

Rage Against the Machine's 1992 self-titled debut lashed out against racism, government corruption and other hot topics through a blitzkrieg attack of heavy-hitting rap-metal and songs like "Killing in the Name Of," "Wake Up" and "Know Your Enemy."

Fellow metal-heads System of a Down have also spoken out against war, corruption and the music industry through a string of socially and politically relevant anthems - including the songs "Toxicity," "Kill Rock 'n' Roll" and "B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bombs)."

But that doesn't mean everyone is listening, Morgan says.

"There is still music that is political and yes, it connects with what's going on and yes, it makes a difference. But there is a contrast in the zeitgeist between the two eras. There is an awful lot of activism today, people of all ages struggling with local issues all over the world. But a lot of that is flying underneath the radar."