Momentum within the 2024 US presidential marketing campaign has basically shifted in latest weeks, and music has performed its half on this outstanding transformation. The Harris-Walz marketing campaign is utilizing explicit sorts of music to assist talk its optimistic message of hope, inclusion and a brighter future for America.
At The Democratic Nationwide Conference (DNC), Kamala Harris stepped onto the rostrum to ship her nomination acceptance speech accompanied by her marketing campaign soundtrack, the Beyoncé anthem “Freedom”. Tim Walz walked on stage to the sound of John Mellencamp’s “Small City” (he grew up in a Nebraska city of 400 folks). He walked off to Neil Younger’s “Carry on Rockin’ in The Free World”.
Along with performances from stars like Stevie Surprise, John Legend and Pink, the DNC turned the delegate roll name right into a dance social gathering with DJ Cassidy blasting out state-themed songs and rapper Lil Jon singing reside on the conference. Usually a reasonably staid course of, this roll-call managed to grow to be one of the crucial thrilling moments of the conference.
For properly over two centuries, music has featured in US presidential elections. In 2024, each principal events recognise the optimistic energy of music. Whereas marketing campaign songs and rally playlists encourage a way of unity, additionally they ship necessary messages to the broader voters, reinforcing and differentiating the identification of the social gathering and chief.
That is notably true in 2024 the place marketing campaign songs mirror divergent visions of the nation’s future and categorical competing ideas of freedom, neighborhood, patriotism, masculinity, feminism and management.
Music and masculinity
Earlier than President Biden ended his re-election bid, music within the 2024 election was most evident within the Republican marketing campaign. Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” is a centrepiece in any respect Trump rallies. The music’s patriotic refrain emphasises “being proud to be an American” and finishes with “‘Trigger there ain’t little doubt I really like this land, God Bless the USA”.
This conservative nation music appeals to an idealised model of America’s previous, emphasising private freedom, conventional masculinity, household values and patriotism. Trump rally playlists consist primarily of traditional rock anthems from the Nineteen Sixties, Nineteen Seventies and Eighties performed by white male musicians or all-white male teams.
Exhausting rock music usually focuses on white heterosexual males and notions of a dominating masculinity. This gendered imagery is strengthened by different incessantly performed pop songs at Trump rallies together with James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s World” and The Village Individuals’s “Macho Man”.
Music within the Trump-Vance marketing campaign emphasises patriotism and a nostalgic return to the conservative Christian values of earlier eras. It additionally privileges white, heterosexual masculinity, reflecting Trump’s self-definition as a so-called “strongman chief”.
Supporters have strengthened this picture by writing quasi-religious songs referring to Trump as “the chosen one” with allusions to Jesus. Though this romanticised view of particular person leaders as omnipotent male superheroes has been completely debunked, it stays central to Trump’s strategy to management and governance.
Inclusive management
From the outset of her marketing campaign, Harris made Beyoncé’s “Freedom” her official soundtrack and walk-on music. The music – which unites themes of feminism, black womanhood and black identification – featured in Harris’ first marketing campaign advert and a brand new advert features a contemporary a cappella model.
Beyoncé’s music reinforces the marketing campaign’s emphasis on a extra inclusive conception of freedom, and on the worth of empowerment and variety. Highlighting Harris’ identification as a black and south Asian lady, the music speaks to disaffected sections of the US voters: girls, black voters and younger folks.
In Harris’ playlists black girls resembling Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston and Rihanna are outstanding. An August rally in Wisconsin performed 32 songs, 13 of which have been by solo feminine artists, 9 by solo male artists.
Seventeen have been by black musicians or all-black teams, 10 by white artists or all-white teams, 4 by mixed-race artists or teams and one by Latina artist Jennifer Lopez. Whereas pop songs have been probably the most performed, this rally additionally featured funk/soul, R&B and hip-hop – music genres usually related to black singers and songwriters.
Harris has been endorsed by many artists together with Ariana Grande, Carole King, Demi Lovato, Katy Perry and Megan Thee Stallion. British singer Charli XCX introduced “Kamala IS brat”, a reference to the title of her newest album that kicks in opposition to the gendered expectations positioned on girls and ladies.
Against this, Trump has repeatedly performed songs in opposition to artists’ needs. In August 2024 alone, the previous president acquired “stop and desist” requests from Celine Dion, the household of Isaac Hayes and the Foo Fighters. A Wikipedia web page now lists the numerous singers and bands who’ve protested in opposition to Trump’s use of their music.
Walz has talked about his love of Bruce Springsteen’s songs – music typically thought to be that of the working man. On the DNC, he was seen dancing to “Born within the USA”. The Democrats have been eager to focus on Walz’s management expertise within the army and as state governor, trainer and soccer coach.
His well-documented dedication to neighborhood and help for LGBTQ+ college students, nonetheless, illustrates a really totally different conception of masculinity to the strongman picture of the Trump marketing campaign. Starting his DNC speech with an enchantment to patriotism, Walz acknowledged: “We’re all right here tonight for one lovely, easy cause: we love this nation.”
By reclaiming and re-interpreting concepts typically related to Republican values resembling freedom, patriotism, neighborhood, masculinity and management, the Harris-Walz marketing campaign is projecting a optimistic, multicultural picture that has galvanised the Democratic social gathering and is proving enticing to many citizens.
Music helps the Democrats to redefine their social gathering’s picture and identification, and to distinguish their candidate not solely from Trump, but additionally from her earlier function as vice chairman. And it simply would possibly assist Kamala Harris to grow to be the primary lady president of the US.
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