Mainstream Press Articles/Blogs (2024)
Boisvert, Lauren. “Green Day Talks Donald Trump, Finding the Truth in Political-Fueled Music and Conspiracy Theories. American Songwriter, December 2023. https://americansongwriter.com/green-day-talks-donald-trump-finding-the-truth-in-political-fueled-music-and-conspiracy-theories/.
Cantor, Matthew. “‘Please Let Me Get What I Want’: Can Artists Stop Politicians from Using Their Songs?” The Guardian, January 30, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/jan/30/trump-the-smiths-musicians-politicians-campaign-events.
Colletto, Anna. “‘Freedom’ vs. ‘God Bless the U.S.A’: What’s Behind the Music at Trump and Harris Rallies? Star Tribune, August 10, 2024.
Creamer, Ella. “How to Not Screw Up Your 2024 Campaign Song: A Primer.” Politico, June 2, 2023. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/06/02/the-art-of-picking-good-campaign-music-00097278.
Cunningham, Kendall. “What Beyoncé’s “Freedom” Can Tell You about Kamala Harris.” Vox, August 20, 2024. https://www.vox.com/culture/367709/beyonce-freedom-kamala-harris-campaign-songs.
Deaville, James. “From Beyoncé to a Jubilant Musical Roll Call, Music Ignites the Democratic National Convention.” The Conversation, August 21, 2024. https://theconversation.com/from-beyonce-to-a-jubilant-musical-roll-call-music-ignites-the-democratic-national-convention-237128
Denis, Kyle. “What Can Kamala Harris’ Presidential Campaign Tell Us About the Current State of Pop Fandom?” Billboard, August 14, 2024. https://www.billboard.com/music/features/kamala-harris-presidential-campaign-pop-music-fandom-chappell-roan-charli-xcx-1235752842/
Dolak, Kevin. “What Kamala Harris and Donald Trump’s Music Choices Reveal About Each Campaign.” The Hollywood Reporter, August 20, 2024.
Grady, Constance. “Will Taylor Swift’s Kamala Harris Endorsement Actually Matter?” Vox, September 12, 2024. https://www.vox.com/culture/371396/taylor-swift-kamala-harris-endorsement-democrats-elon-musk
Harvey, Mark. “Trump’s Music Break May Turn More Voters Than You Think.” The Hill, October 17. 2024. https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/4936509-trump-campaign-music-impact/
Herndon, Astead W. “Lee Greenwood and the Soundtrack of Donald Trump.” New York Times, July 18, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/18/podcasts/the-soundtrack-of-donald-trump.html.
Hill, Jonquilyn. “What Kamala Harris and Beyoncé Have in Common.” Vox, August 16, 2024. https://www.vox.com/politics/367288/kamala-harris-beyonce-press-silence-campaign.
Iasimone, Ashley. “Former President Trump Survives Apparent Assassination Attempt: Musicians React.” Billboard, July 13, 2024. https://www.billboard.com/culture/politics/trump-rally-shooting-reactions-1235730584/.
Irwin, Lauren. “DNC Releases Song Panning RNC to Counter Lara Trump’s Single” The Hill, March 29, 2024. https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4564492-dnc-releases-song-panning-rnc-counter-lara-trump/ .
Kaufman, Gil. “Kamala Harris Is Brat & 9 More of Her Best Musical Moments.” Billboard, July 23, 2024. https://www.billboard.com/lists/kamala-harris-10-iconic-music-moments/tapping-beyonces-freedom-for-campaign-anthem/.
Lehrer, Adam. “The Meaning of Trump’s Rally Music,’ Compact, December 20, 2023. https://www.compactmag.com/article/the-meaning-of-trump-s-rally-music/
Levine, Robert. “How Much Could the Presidential Election Rock the Music Industry?” Billboard, August 1, 2024. https://www.billboard.com/pro/could-presidential-election-rock-music-industry/.
Li, Shirley. “The Brat-ification of Kamala Harris.” The Atlantic, July 23, 2024. https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2024/07/kamala-harris-brat-memes/679205/.
Mandler, C. “The DNC Roll Call Featured a Musical Salute to Each State. Here’s What Your State Chose.” NPR, August 21, 2024. https://www.npr.org/2024/08/21/g-s1-18188/democratic-national-convention-roll-call-music-state.
Marcotte, Amanda. “Taylor Swift’s “Childless Cat Lady” Endorsement of Kamala Harris Exposes What MAGA Men Fear Most.” Salon, September 12, 2024. https://www.salon.com/2024/09/12/taylor-swifts-childless-cat-lady-endorsement-of-kamala-harris-exposes-what-maga-men-fear-most/.
Marcus, Josh. “JD Vance Has a Walk-on Song. It’s About ‘Liberating’ America.” Independent, July 23, 2024. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/jd-vance-song-merle-haggard-b2584688.html.
McIntyre, Hugh. “Donald Trump’s Brand Helped Make a Little-Known Song A Billboard Hit.” Forbes, March 27, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2024/03/27/donald-trumps-brand-helped-make-a-little-known-song-a-billboard-hit/?sh=32b23bb32660
Mello Klein, Cody. “Can Donald Trump or Joe Biden Play Whatever Music They Want at a Rally or Convention? Northeastern Global News, July 17, 2024. https://news.northeastern.edu/2024/07/17/music-at-political-rallies-trump/.
Miller, Katherine. “‘Macho Man’ and…’Cats’? What Are Trump’s Rally Playlists Telling Us? New York Times, September 9, 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/09/opinion/donald-trump-rally-music.html?unlocked_article_code=1.JU4.eRJd.u1EfPuIsJlcV&smid=em-share
Murphy, James S. “Why Is Donald Trump Playing the Smiths at His Rallies? Vanity Fair, January 25, 2024. https://www.vanityfair.com/style/trump-smiths-song-incels.
Nehamas, Nicholas, Theodore Schleifer, and Nick Corasaniti. “Taylor Swift Endorses Kamala Harris.” New York Times, September 10 2024. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/10/us/taylor-swift-endorses-kamala-harris.html.
New York Times Podcast. “Lee Greenwood on ‘God Bless the U.S.A.’ and Trump.” July 18, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTYuR2w9K_w.
Rapp, Allison. “Rock the Vote: presidential Campaign Songs Across 50 Years. VCR, August 4, 2024. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/presidential-campaign-songs/.
Rutherford, Kevin. “Here’s How Streams of Beyonce’s ‘Freedom’ Have Risen Since Becoming Harris Campaign’s Official Song.” Billboard, August 29, 2024. https://www.billboard.com/pro/beyonce-freedom-streams-kamala-harris-campaign-song/.
Sheffield, Rob. “Worst DJ Ever: How Donald Trump Threw the Most Disastrous Dance Party in American Political History.” Rolling Stone, October 19, 2024. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/trump-pennsylvania-dj-set-disaster-1235138028/.
Sommerlad, Joe. “Trump’s Spotify Playlist Revealed – And What His Favorite Songs Say About Him.” The Independent, April 5, 2024. https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-spotify-playlist-favourite-songs-b2523868.html.
Stenzel, Wesley. “RNC Rapper Removes Queen Sample from ‘Trump Trump Baby’ after Song Pulled from Streamers.” Entertainment Weekly, July 19, 2024.
Tan, Shelly. “Hype Music: Candidate Picks for their DNC and RNC Entrances.” Washington Post, August 20, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/interactive/2024/dnc-rnc-candidate-walkout-songs/
Tillet, Salamishah. “The Meaning Behind Beyoncé’s ‘Freedom,’ the Harris Campaign Anthem.” New York Times, August 22, 2024.
VandeHei, Jim, and Mike Allen. “Behind the Curtain: How Trump’s Mind Works.” Axios, April 4, 2024. https://www.axios.com/2024/04/04/donald-trump-news-mar-a-lago.
Walrath-Holdrige, Mary. “What is the ‘God Bless the USA Bible’? The $60 Bible Trump and Lee Greenwood are Selling.” USA Today, March 27, 2024. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/03/27/god-bless-the-usa-bible-trump-lee-greenwood/73118175007/
Mainstream Press Articles/Blogs (2016)
Blim, Dan, James Deaville, Dana Gorzelany-Mostak, Naomi Graber, Katherine Lynn Meizel, and Eric Smialek. “Live Blog Event: Music and the Inauguration of Donald Trump.” Musicology Now (blog), January 20, 2017. https://musicologynow.org/live-blog-event-music-and-the-inauguration-of-donald-trump/.
Blistein, Jon. “Trump Campaign Enlists Children to Sweeten Jingoist, Racist Message.” Rolling Stone, January 14, 2016. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-campaign-enlists-children-to-sweeten-jingoist-racist-message-2-223823/.
Bloomberg. “What the Voters are Streaming.” Bloomberg Politics, February 19, 2016.
https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/graphics/2016-voter-spotify-listens/.
Bodenner, Chris. “Hamilton’s Message to Pence: Was It Harassment?” The Atlantic, November, 19, 2016. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/11/hamiltons-message-to-mike-pence/622720/.
Brooks, David. “Five Ways the Trump Candidacy will Impact the Music Industry.” Amplify, May 9, 2016.
Browne, David. “Complete Guide to the 2016 Candidates’ Favorite Music.” Rolling Stone, February 1, 2016. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/complete-guide-to-the-2016-candidates-favorite-music-20160201.
Bump, Philip. “Talib Kweli Has Some Thoughts on Ben Carson’s New ‘Urban’ Ad: He Thinks Jeb Bush Might Have Done Better.” Washington Post, November 5, 2015. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/11/05/talib-kweli-has-some-thoughts-on-ben-carsons-new-urban-ad/.
Camp, Zoe. “How Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders Tap into the Power of the Playlist.” Pitchfork, June 7, 2016. https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/1178-how-hillary-clinton-and-bernie-sanders-tap-into-the-power-of-the-playlist/?mbid=social_twitter.
Clinton, Hillary. “Exclusive: Hillary Clinton Pens Billboard Essay for Women in Music Issue, Pays Tribute to Lady Gaga and Honorees.” Billboard, December 3, 2015. https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/hillary-clinton-women-in-music-essay-lady-gaga-loretta-lynn-exclusive-6784929/.
Chan, Melissa. “This Guy Wrote Donald Trump’s ‘USA Freedom Kids’ Song.” Time, January 14, 2016. http://time.com/4181383/donald-trump-usa-freedom-kids/.
Craft, Elizabeth T. “Politics Invades the Theater? It’s Always Been There.” Salt Lake Tribune, December 3, 2016. https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=4653350&itype=CMSID.
Darville, Jordan. “Eminem Expresses Regret for Anti-Trump Freestyle, Claims He Was Questioned by Secret Service.” Fader, August 31, 2018. https://www.thefader.com/2018/08/31/eminem-regret-anti-trump-freestyle-secret-service-interview.
Davies, Madeleine. “The Dad/Manager Behind Trump’s Creepy Girl Group Just Really Loves Freedom.” Jezebel, January 15, 2016. https://jezebel.com/the-dad-manager-behind-trumps-creepy-girl-group-just-re-1753265199.
Deaville, James. “Sound at the Inauguration: A Listener’s Guide.” Musicology Now (blog), January 18, 2017. https://musicologynow.org/sound-at-the-inauguration-a-listeners-guide/.
Dobrin, Peter. “Presidential Candidates Use the Emotional Power of Music to Woo Voters.” Philly.com, February 9, 2016. http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20160209_Presidential_candidates_use_the_emotional_power_of_music_to_woo_voters.html.
Epstein, Louis. “Music History Pedagogy and the Political Present – Teaching Under Trump Series.” Musicology Now (blog), February 20, 2017. https://musicologynow.org/music-history-pedagogy-and-the-political-present-teaching-under-trump-series/.
Eror, Aleks. “Sorry Obama but Donald Trump is America’s First Hip-Hop President.” Highsnobiety, n.d. https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/donald-trump-hip-hop-president/.
Frizell, Sam. “Ben Carson ‘Horrified’ By His Own Campaign Ad.” Time, January 22, 2016. https://time.com/4191428/ben-carson-rap-advertisement-radio/.
Gordon, Bonnie. “What Don Giovanni, an Opera about a Charismatic Rapist, Can Teach Us About Trump.” Slate, August 21, 2016. https://slate.com/culture/2016/10/what-don-giovanni-an-opera-about-a-charismatic-rapist-can-teach-us-about-don-trump.html.
Gorzelany-Mostak, Dana. “Donald Trump, Jackie Evancho, and the Performance of Embattled Whiteness.” Musicology Now (blog), January 18, 2017. https://musicologynow.org/donald-trump-jackie-evancho-and-the-performance-of-embattled-whiteness/.
Graber, Naomi, Mary Helen Hoque, Hanna Lisa Stefansson, and Cameron Steuart. “Teaching Citizenship: The 2016 Election in the Classroom – Teaching Under Trump Series.” Musicology Now (blog), February 27, 2017.
https://musicologynow.org/teaching-citizenship-the-2016-election-in-the-classroom-teaching-under-trump-series/.
Guan, Frank. “Donald Trump and Rap Came Up Together, and Now They’re Coming Apart.” Vulture, August 8, 2016. https://www.vulture.com/2016/08/how-donald-trump-and-hip-hop-parted-ways.html.
Hickey, Walt. “The Long History of Musicians Telling Republicans To Stop Playing Their Music.” FiveThirtyEightPolitics, June 17, 2015. https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-long-history-of-musicians-telling-republicans-to-stop-playing-their-music/.
Hirsch, Lily. “Why Opera is the Perfect Soundtrack for Donald Trump’s Campaign.” Washington Post, September 21, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/09/21/why-opera-is-the-perfect-soundtrack-for-donald-trumps-campaign/?utm_term=.0a88fba2c106.
Horowitz, Jason. “The House D.J. of the Bernie Sanders Campaign.” New York Times, February 13, 2016. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/14/fashion/the-house-dj-of-the-bernie-sanders-campaign.html.
Hu, Cherie. “If We Voted with Our Music Tastes, Hillary Clinton Would Have Won the Election.” Forbes, November 12, 2016. https://www.forbes.com/sites/cheriehu/2016/11/12/music-tastes-hillary-clinton-election-presidency/#3774efbc2335.
Issenberg, Sasha. “GOP and Democrats’ Dueling Vegas Theme Music: Britney Spears vs. Garth Brooks.” BloombergPolitics, February 22, 2016. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-22/gop-and-dems-dueling-vegas-theme-music-britney-spears-versus-garth-brooks.
Issenberg, Sasha. “How Pop Music Explains the Difference Between New Hampshire and Iowa.” BloombergPolitics, February 9, 2016. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-09/how-pop-music-explains-the-difference-between-new-hampshire-and-iowa.
Jorden, James. “For Many, Opera and Puccini Are One (Trump’s Campaign Knows the Appeal).” New York Times, August 9, 2016. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/10/arts/music/for-many-opera-and-puccini-are-one-trumps-campaign-knows-the-appeal-puccini-and-his-world-bard-music-festival.html?_r=0.
Kaufman, Gil. “From Bernie Sanders to Richard Nixon: When Politicians Try to Rock.” Billboard, June 2, 2016. https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/politicians-try-rock-music-bernie-sanders-7393340/.
Kaufman, Will. “Woody Guthrie, ‘Old Man Trump’ and a Real Estate Empire’s Racist Foundations.” The Guardian, January 22, 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jan/22/woody-guthrie-donald-trump-real-estate-empire-racist-foundations.
Kaufman, Will. “Woody Guthrie Whacks ‘Old Man Trump’ Again in Another Recently Discovered Song.” Raw Story, September 6, 2016. https://www.rawstory.com/2016/09/woody-guthrie-whacks-old-man-trump-again-in-another-recently-discovered-song/.
Kilkenny, Katie. “People Really, Really Hate ‘Fight Song.’ Could That Actually Hurt Clinton?” Pacific Standard, August 24, 2016. https://psmag.com/people-really-really-hate-fight-song-could-that-actually-hurt-clinton-cd5b8072cb33#.tuv32apo0.
Klotz, Kelsey. “Campaign That Tune: How Campaign Theme Songs Speak to Opposing Camps.” The Common Reader, October 6, 2016. https://commonreader.wustl.edu/c/campaign-that-tune/.
Lapowsky, Issie. “Twitter Reacts to the Ben Carson Rap That Shouldn’t Exist.” Wired, November 5, 2015. https://www.wired.com/2015/11/twitter-reacts-to-the-ben-carson-rap-that-shouldnt-exist/.
Lester, Paul. “Woody Guthrie: Fighting Donald Trump from Beyond the Grave.” The Guardian, February 2, 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/feb/02/woody-guthrie-songs-fighting-donald-trump-from-beyond-the-grave.
Lind, Dara. “Why Donald Trump Plays Phantom of the Opera at His Rallies.” Vox, January 23, 2016. https://www.vox.com/2016/1/23/10816588/donald-trump-phantom-opera.
Loss, Robert. “Tomorrow Belongs to Me: ‘Freedoms’ Call’, Donald Trump and Propaganda.” PopMatters, March 7, 2016. https://www.popmatters.com/tomorrow-belongs-to-me-freedoms-call-donald-trump-and-propaganda-2495445974.html/tomorrow-belongs-to-me-freedoms-call-donald-trump-and-propaganda.
Marshall, Alex. “Donald Trump’s Unexpected Thoughts on Music – Revealed.” BBC, November 2, 2016. https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/e5e4572a-0676-4120-9eb3-d34bbea34836.
McCann, Allison . “Hip-Hop Is Turning on Donald Trump.” FiveThirtyEight, July 14, 2016. https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/clinton-trump-hip-hop-lyrics/.
Millard, Drew. “Ben Carson’s Rap Radio Ad Is an Embarrassment for Everyone.” Vice, November 5, 2015. https://www.vice.com/en/article/8gkkdg/ben-carsons-rap-ad-republicans-dont-understand-hip-hop-115.
Morrison, Simon. “What the Candidates’ Rally Music Says About Them.” Time, March 25, 2016. https://time.com/4346962/trump-hillary-bernie-playlists/?xid=fbshare.
Moyer, Justin. “Trump-Loving USA Freedom Kid’s Dad: To Me, Freedom Is Everything.” Washington Post, January 15, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/01/15/manager-of-trump-loving-usa-freedom-kids-to-me-freedom-is-everything/.
Murtha, Jack. “Why the Rock Star vs. Candidate Narrative Is Overblown.” Columbia Journalism Review, February 3, 2016. https://www.cjr.org/analysis/campaign_trail_music.php.
Nemo, Aaron. “Listen to the Spoof of Ben Carson’s Hip-Hop Radio Ad.” HuffPost, November 9, 2015. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/spoof-ben-carson-rap_n_563e8d78e4b0307f2cadbdf5?ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000067.
Oh, Inae. “Watch a Group of ‘Freedom Kids’ Perform a Horrifying Song at a Donald Trump Rally.” Mother Jones, January 14, 2016.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/01/freedom-girls-donald-trump-rally/.
Pace, Ian. “How to Negotiate the Tricky Territory of ‘Fascist Music.’” The Conversation UK, August 9, 2016. https://theconversation.com/how-to-negotiate-the-tricky-territory-of-fascist-music-63547.
Patch, Justin. The Power of Sound: The 2016 Presidential Campaign. The Avid Listener (blog), March 14, 2016. https://wordpress.com/typo/?subdomain=theavidlistener.
Potash, Jacob. “Lady and the Trump.” Yale Daily News, November 11, 2016.
https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2016/11/11/potash-lady-and-the-trump/.
Richards, Chris. “Authoritarian Hold Music: How Donald Trump’s Banal Playlist Cultivates Danger at His Rallies.” Washington Post, March 16, 2016.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/authoritarian-hold-music-how-donald-trumps-banal-playlist-cultivates-danger-at-his-rallies/2016/03/16/723159ac-eab1-11e5-bc08-3e03a5b41910_story.html.
Richards, Chris. “The Incoherent Music of Trumpism.” Washington Post, January 23, 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-incoherent-music-of-trumpism/2017/01/23/131fa5f0-e177-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html?utm_term=.8b29bf0f415e.
Sinderbrand, Rebecca. “Donald Trump’s Campaign Soundtrack: A Grammy Day Playlist.” Washington Post, February 15, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/02/15/donald-trumps-campaign-soundtrack-a-grammy-day-playlist/.
Sparrow, Jeff. “From Conservative Hip-Hop to White Power Rock, Rightwing Politics Inspires Woeful Music.” The Guardian, December 16, 2015.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/17/from-conservative-hip-hop-to-white-power-rock-rightwing-politics-inspires-woeful-music.
St. Felix, Doreen. “The Uses of the Classical: On Jackie Evancho’s Inauguration Performance and the Subtle Theater of Pop Authoritarianism.” MTV, January 4, 2017. https://www.mtv.com/news/orp62k/donald-trump-classical-music.
Street, John. “Long Before Trump Rolled in the Deep, Music and Politics Were Entwined.” The Conversation, August 24, 2016. https://theconversation.com/long-before-trump-rolled-in-the-deep-music-and-politics-were-entwined-64108.
Stuart, Tessa. “Listen to Ben Carson’s Rap Campaign Ad.” Rolling Stone, November 5, 2015. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/listen-to-ben-carsons-rap-campaign-ad-40435/.
Tolentino, Jia. “Jackie Evancho, Trump’s Inauguration, and the Politics of Childhood.” The New Yorker, January 19, 2017. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/jia-tolentino/jackie-evancho-and-the-politics-of-childhood.
Troy, Tevi. “How Donald Trump Broke the GOP’s Music Curse.” Politco, February 7, 2016. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/02/donald-trump-2016-music-gop-213603/.
VanDerWerff, Todd. “This Failed Punk Rock Musical Perfectly Explains the Rise of Donald Trump.” Vox, March 25, 2016. https://www.vox.com/2016/3/25/11303488/donald-trump-bloody-andrew-jackson.
Vernallis, Carol. “Audiovisuality and the Media Swirl: Campaign 2016.” Flow Journal, October 25, 2016. https://www.flowjournal.org/2016/10/audiovisuality-and-the-media-swirl/.
Weber, Peter. “Stephen Colbert Showcases New Song to Mock Donald Trump for Stiffing Trio of Young Girls.” The Week, August 5, 2016. https://theweek.com/speedreads/641149/stephen-colbert-showcases-new-song-mock-donald-trump-stiffing-trio-young-girls.
Wise, Brian. “I Will Win! Trump Loves Puccini—and New Research Is Showing How Fascism Infused the Composer’s Work.” Slate, August 1, 2016.
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2016/08/donald_trump_s_favorite_aria_by_puccini_nessun_dorma_is_sort_of_fascist.html.
Zaleski, Annie. “Bernie Bros, Stop This Meme: Your Dumb Joke About Hillary’s Music Taste Isn’t Funny – It’s Predictably Sexist.” Salon, February 2, 2016.
https://www.salon.com/2016/02/02/bernie_bros_stop_this_meme_your_dumb_joke_about_hillarys_music_taste_isnt_funny_its_predictably_sexist/.
Mainstream Press Articles/Blogs (2020)
Barnett, Marva. “‘Deplorables’ Meme Gets It Wrong (from The HuffPost).” Marva Barnett (blog), n.d., accessed September 6, 2021. https://www.marvabarnett.com/news-event/deplorables-meme-gets-it-wrong-from-the-huffpost/.
Cadelago, Christopher. “A Rap Legend Ripped Kamala’s Marriage to a White Man. Then She Won Him Over.” Politico, September 3, 2019. https://www.politico.com/story/2019/09/03/kamala-harris-luther-campbell-2020-1479890.
Campbell, Luther. “Kamala Harris Can’t Count on the Black Vote in 2020.” Miami New Times, February 5, 2019. https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/kamala-harris-cant-count-on-the-black-vote-to-win-in-2020-11068985.
Dolan, Jon. “If Playlists Won Elections, Kamala Harris Would Be an Easy Frontrunner.” Rolling Stone, June 25, 2019. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/kamala-harris-playlist-851861/.
Folley, Aris. “Dem Senators Debate Whether to Retweet Cardi B Video Criticizing Trump over Shutdown.” The Hill, January 17, 2019. https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/425904-dem-senators-publicly-debate-whether-to-retweet-cardi-b-ripping.
Gstalter, Morgan. “Harris Dances with Drum Line, Leads Chant at SC Convention.” The Hill, June 22, 2019. https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/449842-harris-dances-with-drum-line-leads-chant-at-sc-convention/.
Harvilla, Rob. “Is America Ready for a Fugazi President?” The Ringer, March 19, 2019. https://www.theringer.com/2019/3/19/18271608/beto-orourke-musician-fugazi-minor-threat-ian-mackaye-bands-punk.
Herndon, Astead W. “Kamala Harris Is Accused of Lying About Listening to Tupac. Here’s What Actually Happened.” New York Times, February 13, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/13/us/politics/kamala-harris-snoop-tupac.html#commentsContainer.
Herndon, Astead, Jon Caramanica, and Jon Pareles. “What Does Campaign Rally Music Say About a Candidate?” New York Times, August 19, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/19/us/politics/presidential-campaign-songs-playlists.html.
Herrera, Isabelia. “AOC Defends Cardi B Against Critics: Don’t Mess with Bronx Women or You’ll Get Roasted.” Remezcla, January 21, 2019. https://remezcla.com/music/cardi-b-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-government-shutdown/.
Kaur, Harmeet. “Cardi B and Tomi Lahren Are Feuding Over the Government Shutdown.” CNN, January 21, 2019. https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/20/entertainment/cardi-b-tomi-lahren-twitter-feud.
Kurtz, Judy. “Trump Campaign Sets Aside Debate Ticket for Tupac after Harris Calls Him Her Favorite Living Rapper.” The Hill, October 7, 2020. https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/520057-trump-campaign-sets-aside-debate-ticket-for-tupac-after-harris/.
Morgan, Chris R. “Beto Wants to Be Our First Punk President.” American Conservative, March 25, 2019. https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/beto-wants-to-be-our-first-punk-president-orourke/.
Peterson Beatrice. “Why Trump Loves ‘Evita,’ and What It Says about His Presidency.” ABC News, December 1, 2018. https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-loves-evita-presidency/story?id=59350378.
Scholarly Sources on Campaign Music
Alim, H. Samy, and Geneva Smitherman. “‘My President’s Black, My Lambo’s Blue’: Hip Hop, Race, and the Culture Wars.” In Articulate While Black: Barack Obama, Language, and Race in the U.S., 130–66. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012.
Blankenship, Courtney, and Stan Renard. “Pop Songs on Political Platforms.” Journal of Popular Music Studies 29, no. 3 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1111/jpms.12222.
Brøvig-Hanssena, Ragnhild, and Aram Sinnreich. “Do You Wanna Build a Wall? Remix Tactics in the Age of Trump.” Popular Music and Society 43, no. 5 (2020): 535–49. https://doi.org/10.1080/03007766.2019.1650990.
Cannen, Emma. “Avant-Garde Militarism and a Post-Hip-Hop President.” International Feminist Journal of Politics 16, no. 2 (2014): 255–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616742.2013.780375.
Christiansen, Paul. Orchestrating Public Opinion: How Music Persuades in Television Political Ads for US Presidential Campaigns, 1952-2016. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2018.
Coleman, Billy. Harnessing Harmony: Music, Power, and Politics in the United States, 1788–1865. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2020.
Coleman, William. “Music in the American Democratic Process: The 1840 and 2008 Presidential Elections.” Australasian Journal of American Studies 29, no. 2 (December 2010): 1–23.
Crew, Danny O. American Political Music: A State-by-State Catalog of Printed and Recorded Music Related to Local, State and National Politics, 1756–2004. 2 vols. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2006.
Crew, Danny O. Presidential Sheet Music: An Illustrated Catalogue of Published Music Associated with the American Presidency and Those Who Sought the Office. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2001.
Cursio, Matthew J. “Born to Be Used in the USA: An Alternative Avenue for Evaluating Politicians’ Unauthorized Use of Original Musical Performances on the Campaign Trail.” Villanova Sports & Entertainment Law Journal 18, no. 1 (2011): 1–58.
Deaville, James. “The Sound of Media Spectacle: Music at the Party Conventions.” Music & Politics 9, no. 2 (2015). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3998/mp.9460447.0009.205.
Dewberry, David R., and Jonathan H. Millen. “Music as Rhetoric: Music in the 2012 Presidential Campaign.” In Studies of Communication in the 2012 Presidential Campaign, edited by Robert E. Denton, Jr., 175–94. Lanham, MD: Lexington, 2014.
Dewberry, David R., and Jonathan H. Millen. “Music as Rhetoric: Popular Music in Presidential Campaigns.” Atlantic Journal of Communication 22, no. 2 (2014): 81–92.
Epstein, Louis. “Music History Pedagogy and the Political Present – Teaching Under Trump Series.” AMS Musicology Now, February 20. 2017.
Forman, Murray. “Conscious Hip-Hop, Change, and the Obama Era.” American Studies Journal 54, no. 3 (2010). http://www.asjournal.org/54-2010/conscious-hip-hop/#.
Forman, Murray. “Obama/Time: The President in the Hip Hop Nation.” In The Hip Hop & Obama Reader, edited by Travis L. Gosa and Erik Nielson, 155–75. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.
Gorzelany-Mostak, Dana. “Hearing Girls, Girls, Girls on the 2016 Campaign Trail.” Journal of Popular Music Studies 29, no. 3 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1111/jpms.12235.
Gorzelany-Mostak, Dana. “Hearing Jackie Evancho in the Age of Donald Trump.” In “Music and the 2016 U.S. Presidential Campaign,” edited by Sally Bick and Dana Gorzelany-Mostak. Special issue, American Music 35, no. 4 (Winter 2018): 478–89.
Gorzelany-Mostak, Dana. “‘I’ve Got a Little List’: Spotifying Mitt Romney and Barack Obama in the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election.” Music & Politics 9, no. 2 (2015). https://doi.org/10.3998/mp.9460447.0009.202.
Gorzelany-Mostak, Dana. “Keepin’ it Real (Respectable) in 2008: Barack Obama’s Pre-existing Music Strategy and the Formation of Presidential Identity.” Journal of the Society for American Music 10, no. 2 (May 2016): 113–48. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1752196316000043.
Gorzelany-Mostak, Dana. Tracks on the Trail: Popular Music, Race, and the US Presidency. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2023.
Gorzelany-Mostak, Dana, and Sally Bick, eds. “Music and the 2016 U.S. Presidential Campaign.” Special issue, American Music 35, no. 4 (Winter 2018).
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Gosa, Travis. “‘The Audacity of Dope’: Rap Music, Race, and the Obama Presidency.” In The Iconic Obama, 2007–2009: Essays on Media Representations of the Candidate and New President, edited by Nicholas A. Yanes and Derrais Carter, 85–96. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2012.
Gosa, Travis L. “Not Another Remix: How Obama Became the First Hip-Hop President.” Journal of Popular Music Studies 22, no. 4 (2010): 389–415. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1533-1598.2010.01252.
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Graber, Naomi. “Do You Hear the People Sing? Theater and Theatricality in the Trump Campaign.” In “Music and the 2016 U.S. Presidential Campaign,” edited by Sally Bick and Dana Gorzelany-Mostak. Special issue, American Music 35, no. 4 (2017): 435–45.
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Jeffries, Michael P. “The King’s English: Obama, Jay Z, and the Science of Code Switching.” In The Hip Hop and Obama Reader, edited by Travis L. Gosa and Erik Nielson, 243–61. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.
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Jeffries, Michael P. “‘Where Ya At?’ Hip-Hop’s Political Locations in the Obama Era.” In The Cambridge Companion to Hip-Hop, edited by Justin A. Williams, 314–26. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015.
Jones, Jeffrey P. “Pop Goes the Campaign: The Repopularization of Politics in Election 2008.” In The 2008 Presidential Campaign: A Communication Perspective, edited by Robert E. Denton Jr., 170–90. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield, 2009.
Jones, Jeffrey P. “The Shadow Campaign in Popular Culture.” In The 2004 Presidential Campaign: A Communication Perspective, edited by Robert E. Denton Jr., 195–216. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield, 2005.
Jordan, Matthew F. “Obama’s iPod: Popular Music and the Perils of Postpolitical Populism.” Popular Communication: The International Journal of Media and Culture 11, no. 2 (2013): 99–115.
Kasper, Eric T., and Benjamin S. Schoening. “‘I Won’t Back Down,’ or Will I?: The Law and Politics Surrounding Presidential Candidates’ Unauthorized Use of Copyrighted Songs.” PS: Political Science & Politics 49, no. 1 (2016): 53–58.
Kasper, Eric T., and Benjamin S. Schoening. You Shook Me All Campaign Long: Music in the 2016 Presidential Election and Beyond. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 2018.
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Lohman, Laura. Hail Columbia! American Music and Politics in the Early Nation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2020.
Love, Joanna. “Branding a Cool Celebrity President: Advertising with Popular Music in the 2012 Election.” Music & Politics 9, no. 2 (2015). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3998/mp.9460447.0009.203.
Marcus, Greil. Double Trouble: Bill Clinton and Elvis Presley in a Land of No Alternatives. New York: Picador, 2000.
Mack, Brianna N., and Teresa R. Martin. “Party Rocking: Exploring the Relationship between Music Preference, Partisanship, and Political Attitudes.” Poetics 102 (February 2024): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.poetic.2023.101861.
Miles, William. Songs, Odes, Glees and Ballads: A Bibliography of American Presidential Campaign Songsters. New York: Greenwood Press, 1990.
Nielson, Erik. “‘My President Is Black, My Lambo’s Blue’: The Obamafication of Rap?” Journal of Popular Music Studies 21, no. 4 (December 2009): 344–63.
Ogbar, Jeffrey O. G. “Message from the Grassroots: Hip Hop Activism, Millennials, and the Race for the White House.” In The Hip Hop & Obama Reader, edited by Travis L. Gosa and Erik Nielson, 31–53. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.
Ossei-Owusu, Shaun. “Barack Obama’s Anomalous Relationship with the Hip-Hop Community.” In The Obama Phenomenon: Toward a Multiracial Democracy, edited by Charles P. Henry, Robert L. Allen, and Robert Chrisman, 218–35. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2011.
Patch, Justin. The Art of Populism in US Politics: Pro-Trump DIY Popular Culture. London and New York: Routledge, 2025.
Patch, Justin. Discordant Democracy: Noise, Affect, Populism, and the Presidential Campaign. New York: Routledge, 2019.
Patch, Justin. “Feeling Change: The 2008 Obama Campaign and Experiencing the Emotion of Participatory Politics.” International Political Anthropology 4, no. 2 (2011): 113–33.
Patch, Justin. “Notes on Deconstructing Populism: Pop Music in the 2012 Campaign Trail.” American Music 34, no. 3 (Fall 2016).
Patch, Justin. “This Is What Democracy Sounds Like.” In You Shook Me All Campaign Long: Music in the 2016 Presidential Election and Beyond, edited by Eric T. Kasper and Benjamin S. Schoening, 19–50. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 2018.
Podlas, Kimberlianne. “Off the Campaign Trail and Into the Courthouse: Does a Political Candidate’s Use of a Song Infringe on the Performer’s Trademark?” Journal Of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 59, no. 1 (2015): 41–56.
Richmond, Sanford K. “Paint the White House Black!! A Critical Discourse Analysis Look at Hip Hop’s Social, Cultural, and Political Influence on the Presidency of Barack Obama.” Western Journal of Black Studies 37, no. 4 (Winter 2013): 249–57.
Rogness, Kate Zittlow. “This Is Our Fight Song.” In You Shook Me All Campaign Long: Music in the 2016 Presidential Election and Beyond,” edited by Eric T. Kasper and Benjamin S. Schoening, 215–38. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 2018.
Saffle, Michael. “User-Generated Campaign Music and the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election.” Music & Politics 9, no. 2 (2015). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3998/mp.9460447.0009.204.
Schoening, Benjamin S., and Eric T. Kasper. Don’t Stop Thinking About the Music: The Politics of Songs and Musicians in Presidential Campaigns. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2012.
Scott, Derek B. “The US Presidential Campaign Songster, 1840–1900.” In Cheap Print and Popular Song in the Nineteenth Century: A Cultural History of the Songster, edited by Paul Watt, Derek B. Scott, and Patrick Spedding, 73–90. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2017.
Silber, Irwin. Songs America Voted By: With the Words and Music That Won and Lost Elections and Influenced the Democratic Process. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 1971.
Spence, Lester K. “Obama and the Future of Hip-Hop Politics.” In Stare in the Darkness: The Limits of Hip-Hop and Black Politics, 157–76. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2011.
Stow, Simon. “Work That: Kamala Harris, Resistance, and the Black Dancing Body.” Journal of American Culture (June 2023): 153-160. https://doi.org/10.1111/jacc.13454.
Vernallis, Carol. “Audiovisual Change: Viral Web Media and the Obama Campaign.” Cinema Journal 50, no. 4 (Summer 2011): 73–97.
Vieregge, Quentin. “Ameritude.” In You Shook Me All Campaign Long: Music in the 2016 Presidential Election and Beyond,” edited by Eric T. Kasper and Benjamin S. Schoening, 185–214. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 2018.
Wilson, David. “‘Pub Fight’ Politics.” In You Shook Me All Campaign Long: Music in the 2016 Presidential Election and Beyond,” edited by Eric T. Kasper and Benjamin S. Schoening, 317–45. Denton: University of North Texas Press, 2018.