What Songs Are Playing at the Democratic National Convention?

The Washington Post / Emma Grazado, Amy Nakamura, Maddie Driggers

15:55 JST, August 22, 2024

CHICAGO – When you think about the sights and sounds of a political convention, you might picture roaring crowds, fiery speakers and clamoring reporters. While all those elements are certainly present at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, music has also been shaping the tone.

Our journalists at the convention have been keeping track of the songs they’ve heard in and around the United Center.

DJ Cassidy, a Californian who performed at the Democratic National Convention in 2012, led the party through its delegate roll call vote on Tuesday night. Democrats overwhelmingly approved Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to lead the party’s national ticket.

During the roll call, states had the chance to showcase their identities via song. Alabama and West Virginia chose expected classics such as “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd and “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver, respectively. The New York delegation, joined by director and Brooklyn resident Spike Lee, played “Empire State of Mind” by Alicia Keys and Jay-Z ahead of their vote.

Meanwhile, other delegations used their walk-up songs to highlight artists from their states. Nevada used “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers because lead singer Brandon Flowers and guitarist Dave Keuning formed the indie-rock band in Las Vegas in 2001.

Minnesota played “1999” by Prince, who was born in Minneapolis, as the state’s delegates cast their votes for their governor. Ohio’s delegates cast their votes to the tune of “Green Light (feat. André 3000)” by John Legend, who was born and raised in Springfield, Ohio.

Lil Jon made a surprise appearance during Georgia’s section of the roll call, performing his song “Turn Down For What” as delegates cast their votes for Harris.

Speakers throughout the convention have taken to the stage with walkout songs as well. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton walked out to “Brave” by Sara Bareilles and left the stage to “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten, catapulting audiences back to her campaign in 2016 that heavily used these songs.

Before her speech endorsing Harris, former first lady Michelle Obama walked out to “Sir Duke” by Stevie Wonder. Former president Barack Obama went with “City of Blinding Lights” by U2, a song he walked out to at both of his own conventions in 2008 and 2012.

Throughout the convention, in the ads and around the speeches, Beyoncé’s “Freedom” is everywhere, including being used to launch Harris’s campaign with her first advertisement. The Grammy-winning artist has given permission to the Harris-Walz campaign to use her music in its promotional videos, according to the Associated Press.

The Texas delegation’s introductory song during the roll call also featured Beyoncé, with “Texas Hold ’Em” off her album “Cowboy Carter.”

The Harris-Walz campaign has been leaning heavily into lime-green imagery related to Charli XCX’s latest album, “Brat,” but The Post has yet to hear a song from the British artist played in any official capacity.

Last month’s Republican National Convention saw performances from Kid Rock, Lee Greenwood and Chris Janson, but it relied more heavily on a smaller set of songs throughout the week. “YMCA” played every single night, with a montage of former president Donald Trump dancing on screens in Fiserv Forum.

Both conventions played “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang, “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty, and “Sweet Home Alabama,” but otherwise there has been little overlap in their soundtracks so far.