There’s an epic YouTube page I often have on in the background while doing mundane tasks. I usually end up stumbling across music genres I’ve never heard of, Aaaand sometimes, I find something that completely pulls me in.
One of the most powerful things I’ve come across is a live aid effort from that era: a music project called YU Rock Misija (which translates to YU Rock Mission), organized in response to the Ethiopian famine.
This one-time group brought together some of the most iconic Yugoslav rock artists in the 80s. They recorded a song called “Za Milion Godina” (For a Million Years), and I genuinely cannot get enough of it. The song is everything! Anthemic, moving, and full of energy.
Even better, there’s a documentary about how the song came together, and I highly recommend watching it. It’s such a joy to see long-form interviews with artists whose music has shaped a generation, all in one place.
What makes this story even more powerful is what happened recently. In early November 2024, protests broke out in Novi Sad, Serbia, after a tragic collapse at the city’s railway station led to multiple deaths. The event sparked a wave of demonstrations across the country, led largely by students demanding accountability and an end to institutional negligence. People from all walks of life—educators, farmers, war veterans all joined the protests, calling for justice, government transparency, and reform.
In the middle of this movement, “Za Milion Godina” re-emerged. Protesters began playing the song during public gatherings and marches, turning it into a kind of unofficial anthem. It was a remarkable moment: a song created to respond to global suffering in the 1980s found new life among a generation fighting for justice in their own communities today.
To me, this is beautiful. It shows how music can endure and remain relevant long after its original context has passed. “Za Milion Godina” was created as a humanitarian anthem, and decades later, it continues to offer hope, solidarity, and a sense of shared purpose. Its message has no borders.
Digital Dugme 