Eric T. Kasper and Benjamin S. Schoening, authors of Don’t Stop Thinking About the Music: The Politics of Songs and Musicians in Presidential Campaigns, bring you a lesson plan that will guide students through the history of campaign music.
Monthly Archives: December 2019
Trax on the Trail and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame join forces to bring you Rock & Roll to the White House
Kassie Kelly (Trax Education and Outreach Coordinator) and Dana Gorzelany-Mostak (Trax Creator and Co-editor) join forces with Leah Branstetter (Rock Hall Digital Education Coordinator), Mandy Smith (Rock Hall Education Programs Manager), Kathryn Metz (Rock Hall Manager of Education Outreach) and Deanna Nebel (Rock Hall Education Instructor) to bring you an exciting and timely lesson unitContinue reading “Trax on the Trail and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame join forces to bring you Rock & Roll to the White House”
Pins on the Trail
The research assistants at Trax on the Trail have curated a collection of Pinterest Boards with links to campaign music videos, articles, and resources. You can access these boards here.
Songs in the Key of President C
A Short History of Music on the Campaign Trail (Digital Lecture) From the 1840 bid of William Henry Harrison, who was “sung into office,” to Donald Trump, who entered the 2016 Republican National Convention to Queen’s “We Are the Champions,” music has played a significant role in presidential campaign pageantry. This lecture traces the historyContinue reading “Songs in the Key of President C”
Sounding Out the Presidency
Dana Gorzelany-Mostak presented this workshop at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum in Little Rock, Arkansas on May 1, 2018. The attached document offers a list of resources for teachers and lesson plan outlines that address campaign playlists and parodies.
Pop Songs on Political Platforms
November 2, 2017 Our project on pop songs and political campaigning began in the fall of 2015, when we decided to work on a campaign music article that we could present at the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association (MEIEA) Conference in April 2016. We thought that it was especially appropriate, since the conference thatContinue reading “Pop Songs on Political Platforms”
Campaign Music 101 in the Music History Classroom
Teaching Music History Conference, Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA, June 11, 2017 Presenters Dana Gorzelany-Mostak (Georgia College), Naomi Graber (University of Georgia), Hanna Lisa Stefansson (University of Georgia), Cameron Steuart (University of Georgia), Mary Helen Hoque (University of Georgia), Sarah Kitts (Georgia College), and Kassie Kelly (Trinity University) gave a workshop on how toContinue reading “Campaign Music 101 in the Music History Classroom”
Popular Music in U.S. Presidential Commercials
Candidates typically enter the rally stage to a pop song, but what happens when they use these tunes in their commercials? In this lesson plan, Joanna Love (University of Richmond) offers discussion points and activities for teachers of non-majors who wish to explore the role pop music plays in branding the candidate.