What Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s Music Choices Reveal About Each Campaign

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As a music enthusiast and someone who has spent years immersed in diverse musical landscapes, I find the contrast between the two campaigns’ playlists fascinating. The Harris campaign’s selection reflects the vibrant, inclusive, and forward-thinking spirit of our modern world, mirroring the multicultural, youthful energy that her supporters embody. On the other hand, Trump’s playlist seems to be a nostalgic journey through time, with a focus on the past, perhaps appealing to those who long for simpler times or yearn for a return to an idealized version of America.

Two days following Kamala Harris‘ presidential campaign launch, before the dust settled on the incumbent U.S. president’s reelection bid and Democrats across the nation had fully grasped our new direction, the news about our budding candidate was more about Beyoncé than policy. You see, the music icon loosened her stringent clearance rules and allowed us to use her powerful song, “Freedom,” for my groundbreaking presidential journey.

Beyoncé swiftly approved Harris’ visit, allowing her to enter the Wilmington, Delaware campaign office for the first time, accompanied by the powerful song “Freedom” from the latter half of Beyoncé’s 2016 Lemonade visual album. This track gained renewed significance in 2020 when it was used in protests across the nation following the police killing of George Floyd. Now, this song serves as a powerful anthem for Harris’ campaign as she challenges Republican nominee Donald Trump in November, aiming to appeal to a younger voting demographic with her fresh approach.

In a new Harris-Walz advertisement that initiated the 2024 Democratic National Convention’s main event on Monday night, Jeffrey Wright narrated a two and a half minute spot. As Beyoncé’s empowering melody plays in the background, Wright poses the question, “What kind of America do we aspire for? One filled with division, anger, despair? Come on! We are Americans! Fascism? We have overcome it. The Moon? We walked on it. The future? We’re constructing it. Freedom? No one cherishes it more. And we defend it.” The campaign subsequently posted the ad on its official social media platforms, where it has amassed millions of views.

DNC airs new “Freedom” ad to kick off the Democratic Convention

— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) August 20, 2024

At Harris and Trump rallies, you can observe a stark difference when comparing the campaign soundtracks. On one hand, listeners are treated to timeless American tunes from past decades, which have proven effective at stirring deep emotions and invoking nostalgia for a bygone era, where audiences felt younger and more carefree. Conversely, attendees hear a diverse blend of contemporary artists whose music occasionally delves into explicit themes and lyrics that could have raised eyebrows back in the days of Tipper Gore, but represents the multicultural America we see today in 2024.

Following Beyoncé’s approval (without her formal support yet), Team Harris’s campaign has found a strong connection with contemporary pop music. Just a few days after the campaign started, Charli XCX’s tweet, saying “Kamala IS Brat,” which linked the candidate to her popular album Brat, attracted around 9 million views in just 4 hours. Wisely, the campaign capitalized on this pop culture reference by modifying their logos to match the lime green background of the Brat cover album.

Instead of defining Harris conventionally, let’s energize his character by appealing to key demographics such as youth voters, those opposed to him, and the disenchanted due to the mature ages and outdated perspectives of the previous two leading party candidates. A great way to do this is by incorporating hip-hop and R&B music into his campaign strategy.

“During our chat, I shared with Tim Walz that when it comes to music, I’m more into hip-hop, just like a modern-day princess. On the other hand, my husband leans towards Depeche Mode. But when you draw the circle of our musical tastes, Prince fits right in the middle because, let me tell you, he was a genius with that guitar! I could practically recite every one of his songs by heart.”

Kamala Harris, a phenomenally talented artist hailing from the Midwest, overcame seemingly insurmountable challenges to achieve greatness, making her an ideal choice for someone asked about their favorite musician. Born to a mother of Indian descent and a father from Jamaica, Harris has faced long odds, much like an underdog in a race. At her rallies, both during her bid for the Democratic nomination in 2020 and now, you can find Harris expressing her inner hip-hop spirit by grooving or crooning to the eclectic mix of music blasting from the speakers. Tracks like Migos, Rihanna’s “We Found Love,” Nicki Minaj and Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing),” along with funk, classic soul, and modern gospel-pop tunes, fill the air, striking a balance between the music Harris recalls growing up to (her mom always received Aretha Franklin’s latest album for Christmas) and appealing to younger voters.

Walz seems to favor music by Steely Dan and Bruce Springsteen, which aligns with the artists confirmed for the inaugural night of the DNC. On Monday afternoon, it was disclosed that singer-songwriter James Taylor, country artist Mickey Guyton, and folk/Americana musician Jason Isbell would be performing on the first night of the convention. (However, Taylor’s performance has been canceled due to scheduling issues that also moved President Biden’s speech outside primetime; The Hollywood Reporter is contacting the campaign to determine if he will be rescheduled, as the performers for the rest of the week have not yet been announced.)

1. The performances on the first night of the DNC don’t match up with Harris’ usual music choices, but they might be a better representation of the party as a whole rather than Harris herself. Or perhaps it’s significant that they were placed on the day when both Joe and Jill Biden were set to speak.

As a music lover who grew up listening to a diverse range of genres, I found the recent analysis by the Minneapolis Star Tribune quite insightful. Having attended political rallies in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, I have noticed a clear distinction in the choice of music between the Harris and Trump campaigns.

At the Harris campaign’s rally in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, local sensation Bon Iver graced the stage. Among the 32 songs played, 13 were by solo female artists, and nine were by male solo artists. The playlist featured 17 tracks by Black musicians or all-Black groups, 10 by white artists or all-white groups, and four by mixed-race musicians or groups. Additionally, Jennifer Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud” was played, making her the only Latin artist whose music was performed at the event.

In summary, the Star-Tribune reports that out of 35 songs played at a Trump rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, 27 were by white musicians or groups, and 25 were by male musicians or groups. Trump’s campaign has faced numerous cease and desist orders from artists whose music has been played at MAGA events, due to political differences. For instance, a former member of R.E.M. has threatened legal action over the use of their hit “Losing My Religion” at a Trump rally. Moreover, Isaac Hayes III has directly threatened legal action after Trump used his father’s hit “Hold On, I’m Comin’” in over 135 rallies. There is even a Wikipedia page dedicated to artists who object to their work being used by Trump’s campaign or administration.

Apart from the iconic tune “The Entertainer” by Sam & Dave, Trump has often embraced the comfort of nostalgia and national pride by playing “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood, a song that resonates with its repeated refrain, “I’m proud to be an American.” Prior to Trump using it in his campaign speeches, this 1984 hit was already a common choice during presidential campaigns. For instance, Ronald Reagan played it during the 1980s, and George H.W. Bush used it while campaigning in 1988. Moreover, the song climbed the charts during the Gulf War and after the 9/11 attacks.

The past, and all of its glory, is germane to MAGA land, where the economy once provided both meaning and health care and a culture where a woman of mixed race becoming vice president didn’t seem fathomable. Playing to this sentiment worked out for Trump in 2016. But a study released in October by the Center for Information and Information on Civic Learning at Tufts University indicated 8 million American youths are aging into the electorate in 2024. “This is a politically active generation that can have a major impact on elections,” read a release about the study, which also shows that “about 45 percent of the Gen Z electorate in 2024, including 47 percent of newly eligible voters who have aged in are youth of color.”

It’s possible that the tunes playing during the election rallies might be conveying more about who each candidate thinks their supporters will be, rather than portraying their self-image.

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2024-08-20 22:56