Please Don’t Stop the Music
Folks,
Music is more than a soundtrack. It’s emotional, complements a message, and creates energy. Campaigns use music to help create connections with voters, and who can blame them? It’s one thing that stood out to me at the DNC in Chicago last week: music was being used as more than a playlist.
Music in campaigns is far from a modern invention. FDR is famous for using “Happy Days Are Here Again” which became the unofficial anthem of the Democratic Party during the FDR era. John F. Kennedy was boosted by Frank Sinatra before they had a falling out. The film “Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President” chronicles Carter’s outreach and friendship with musicians such as Willie Nelson and the Allman Brothers Band in the context of his Presidential campaign.
More recently, Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign adopted Fleetwood Mac’s “Don’t Stop” and Barack Obama teamed up with The Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am to produce “Yes We Can.”
In campaigns, music can help (or hinder) a good TV ad and pump up the crowd at events. Although politicians have always used tunes to campaign, the DNC was special because it wove live performances into the program, making it viewable, and most importantly, fun.
The last time the DNC was in Chicago, the Macarena was having a moment. The dance remix of the Los Del Rio song, a smorgasbord of hand and hip motions, was a delegate favorite in 1996. You’ve likely seen videos, or were there (The DNC or 1996). Both were embarrassing.
Music had another moment at the Chicago convention this year, but this time it spanned four nights, helping bring in viewership numbers that eclipsed the RNC. It wasn’t treated as an afterthought; rather it tied everything together. In addition to helping set the tone of each night, the performances kept us entertained and engaged, creating a joyful energy felt through the TV.
The Harris Campaign and Convention organizers knew what they were doing. (Even if the Beyoncé rumors on Friday were not started by them.) In fact, they made a Roll Call vote something people wanted to see, and created a debate the next day on which artists state delegations should have chosen.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has a stack of cease and desists, all while artists are throwing songs at Kamala Harris. An embarrassment of riches that will no doubt be showcased throughout the sprint to November.
Last week while I was in Chicago for the DNC, Molly Morrow from the Chicago Tribune was nice enough to chat with me about music, the convention playlist, and what it all meant. You can read Molly’s piece here.
Want to talk about music, or how we can help incorporate fun political media into your campaign? Reach out at Michael@CN4partners.com!