{"id":37348,"date":"2024-09-12T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-12T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=37348"},"modified":"2024-09-28T12:06:46","modified_gmt":"2024-09-28T12:06:46","slug":"taylor-swifts-endorsement-of-kamala-harris-shows-how-big-a-role-music-is-playing-in-the-2024-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/taylor-swifts-endorsement-of-kamala-harris-shows-how-big-a-role-music-is-playing-in-the-2024-election\/","title":{"rendered":"Taylor Swift\u2019s endorsement of Kamala Harris shows how big a role music is playing in the 2024 election"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Mark Clague<\/a>, University of Michigan<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music generates passion and emotion, so it\u2019s little surprise that popular tunes have been featured in presidential contests since the days of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But as a scholar of music\u2019s role in American politics and patriotism<\/a>, I\u2019ve never seen music assume as much electoral importance as it has in recent months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taylor Swift\u2019s endorsement of Kamala Harris is headline news<\/a>, as were the mere rumors that Beyonc\u00e9 might perform at the Democratic National Convention<\/a>. Donald Trump, too, has his pop culture supporters, including Kid Rock and Lee Greenwood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a tight race, music has the potential to make a big difference. Most voters today have already made up their minds<\/a>, and the presidential race remains a statistical dead heat<\/a>, according to polls. In this situation, I think music offers a deceptively simple, emotional hook that can inspire the party base without alienating those few undecideds in the middle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When crowd size matters<\/a>, getting your supporters to sing, scream and dance can cultivate an aura of electoral triumph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fired up, ready to go<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Music had a starring role in this year\u2019s dueling nominating conventions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the expected fare of the national anthem and the background music that filled the voids between speakers, pop hits were used to transform each party\u2019s typically tedious state-by-state roll call. When Florida\u2019s 125 votes took Trump over the top, confirming that he would be the official Republican nominee, organizers played Kool & The Gang\u2019s 1980 No. 1 hit<\/a>, \u201cCelebration.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over at the Democratic convention, celebrity emcee DJ Cassidy turned the relatively banal proceedings of the roll call into a dance party. As each state and territory was called to vote, a signature song burst forth to introduce, welcome and energize the crowd. Alabama\u2019s call-out was Lynyrd Skynyrd\u2019s \u201cSweet Home Alabama,\u201d Eminem\u2019s \u201cLose Yourself\u201d announced Michigan<\/a>, while California featured the music of native emcees<\/a> Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And in a moment designed to go viral<\/a>, Atlanta native and crunk rapper Lil\u2019 Jon answered the call for Georgia with the guttural shout \u201cHeyaaah \u2026 \u201d followed by the opening lyrics of his party anthem \u201cTurn Down for What?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soon afterward, Axios posted a full Democratic convention roll call playlist<\/a> on Spotify, and its 61 songs showcase a tactical musical advantage held by Democrats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

None of the artists featured at that convention have publicly objected to their songs being used. In contrast, dozens of musical artists<\/a> have disavowed Trump\u2019s use of their music at rallies. In 2024 alone, they include ABBA, Adele, Celine Dion, Foo Fighters, Jack White and the heirs of Isaac Hayes<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than fulminate against these slights, Trumpworld seems to embrace the headlines they generate<\/a>. The objections of these artists reinforce the candidate\u2019s trademark outsider status, and are yet another sign that he and his supporters are scorned by the nation\u2019s political and<\/a> cultural elites<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both candidates\u2019 soundtracks claim very different ideological territory. Harris favors youth-oriented hits with a high proportion by artists of color and women. Her selections send a message. Playing Chappel Roan\u2019s \u201cFemininomenon<\/a>,\u201d for example, signals both an inclusive, affirming message about gender fluidity while also suggesting to fans who know the song that it\u2019s about time for a woman to be in charge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump often features classic hits, including James Brown\u2019s 1966 single \u201cIt\u2019s a Man\u2019s Man\u2019s Man\u2019s World<\/a>,\u201d which emphasize traditional masculinity. Rock anthems and patriotic hymns dominate the Make America Great Again playlist, such as Kid Rock\u2019s \u201cAmerican Bad Ass\u201d and Queen\u2019s \u201cWe are the Champions<\/a>,\u201d though the British band has protested its use. Greenwood\u2019s \u201cGod Bless the USA\u201d has become an unofficial Republican hymn<\/a>, and rally attendees routinely sing along. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/44yXtVbQ1fA?wmode=transparent&start=0 President Donald Trump enters to Lee Greenwood\u2019s \u2018God Bless the USA\u2019 at a 2017 rally in Phoenix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonic stars and stripes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Simply put, I see the musical contest between Trump and Harris as a battle for vibes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each party\u2019s base wants to hear an affirming, confidence-building musical message loud and clear. Whether it\u2019s a current hit or a classic one, chart-toppers convey familiarity and popularity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fundamental question, however, is whether this soundscape of enthusiasm can fuel a victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harris\u2019 campaign notched a win after receiving Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s permission to use \u201cFreedom\u201d as the candidate\u2019s theme song<\/a>. In contrast, the Trump staffer who used the same song in a video triggered a cease-and-desist letter. Trump\u2019s team pulled the video and stopped using the contested track<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harris\u2019 embrace of Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s political anthem connects the vice president to the pop star\u2019s own biography as a tough, independent and successful woman of color. The song\u2019s propulsive drumbeat tells a story of determination, using \u201cfreedom\u201d to \u201cbreak chains all by myself\u201d and \u201ckeep running \u2019cause a winner don\u2019t quit on themselves.\u201d Harris would probably love voters to see her in this same light. https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sHky_Xopyrw?wmode=transparent&start=0 Kamala Harris used Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s \u2018Freedom\u2019 in the video celebrating the launch of her presidential campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet Harris\u2019 song choice is also surprising, in that it appeals to the raw patriotism of one of the nation\u2019s defining values. American flags have long served as the obligatory backdrop of both national parties. But Republicans, particularly in recent decades, have gone into overdrive<\/a> to claim patriotic symbols<\/a> as their own, perhaps so voters see them as the nation\u2019s true patriots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I see Harris\u2019 overt use of patriotic songs, whether it\u2019s \u201cFreedom\u201d or the Civil War-era \u201cBattle Cry of Freedom<\/a>,\u201d as a strategic reclamation of patriotism for the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Political fandom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These playlists, pop star endorsements and battles over usage rights may show how presidential politics has become less a contest of ideas and more a form of passionate fandom<\/a> that\u2019s rooted in notions of celebrity, popularity and tribe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young voters, however, do seem to be discovering their political voice through music and social media. British singer Charli XCX\u2019s \u201cKamala IS brat<\/a>\u201d endorsement may have given an early boost to Harris\u2019 campaign, but some influencers declared its politicization as proof of brat summer\u2019s early death<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nonetheless, music has quickly become a weapon in the campaigns\u2019 battle to win younger voters, with the demographic more tightly contested<\/a> than it\u2019s been in previous cycles<\/a>. In this regard, Swift\u2019s post-debate endorsement of Harris<\/a> to her 283 million followers takes on more significance. The megastar could bring more young people into Harris\u2019 camp, especially since her country music roots mean that Swifties span the ideological spectrum<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The strength of a democracy ultimately depends on the people exercising their power through the ballot box. If music gets more Americans to the polls, regardless of whom they vote for, Americans are more likely to have a result that they can trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For that reason alone, I\u2019m happy to keep singing along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mark Clague<\/a>, Professor of Musicology, Arts Leadership & Entrepreneurship, University of Michigan<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article is republished from The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mark Clague, University of Michigan Music generates passion and emotion, so it\u2019s little surprise that popular tunes have been featured in presidential contests since the days of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. But as a scholar of music\u2019s role in American politics and patriotism, I\u2019ve never seen music assume as much electoral importance as it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":37349,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[293,279,46,40,36,4],"tags":[473,7319,885,891,886,860,12946,14129,475],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37348"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=37348"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37348\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37350,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37348\/revisions\/37350"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37349"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=37348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=37348"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=37348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}