After two medical emergencies in the audience postponed former President Donald Trump’s town hall event in Oaks, Pennsylvania, he remarked, “Let’s skip the questions for now and just enjoy some music.”

Trump instructed his campaign team to play a nearly 40-minute playlist, including tracks like Rufus Wainwright’s rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” Luciano Pavarotti’s “Ave Maria,” and James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.”

The music played at campaign events often sheds light on a presidential candidate’s beliefs and political messages. It also highlights their aim to relate to different generations, sexual orientations, and music preferences, mirroring the diverse voting demographic.

Here’s an overview of some songs used in the current election cycle and the impact of music on presidential politics.

Songs Featured in Trump’s 2024 Campaign

• “The Winner Takes It All,” “Money, Money, Money,” and “Dancing Queen” | Abba
• “God Bless the U.S.A.” | Lee Greenwood
• “Sweet Home Alabama” | Lynyrd Skynyrd
• “Eye of the Tiger” | Survivor
• “YMCA” and “Macho Man” | The Village People
• “My Way” | Frank Sinatra
• “All Summer Long” | Kid Rock
• “We Will Rock You” | Queen
• “Tiny Dancer” | Elton John
• “Nothing Compares 2 U” | Sinéad O’Connor
• “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” | The Rolling Stones
• “Sweet Child O’ Mine” | Guns N’ Roses
• “Candle In The Wind” | Elton John

Trump’s Entrance to ‘God Bless The U.S.A.’

Just two days after surviving an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump appeared during the opening night of the Republican National Convention.

He received a warm welcome as Lee Greenwood performed “God Bless The U.S.A.,” Trump’s favorite rally anthem. As the lyrics “I’m proud to be an American” filled the venue, Trump waved to the cheering crowd.

Kid Rock Performs at the RNC

During the last night of the Republican National Convention, Kid Rock entertained the crowd in support of Trump, whom he often calls his “good friend.”

As he took the stage, he rallied the crowd with chants of “fight, fight,” reminiscent of Trump’s response after his first assassination attempt. His performance included a blend of his tracks “Cowboy” and “American Bad Ass.” The latter is often played when Trump enters UFC events.

‘My Heart Will Go On’ at a Trump Rally

Poor musical selections can adversely affect a campaign. Critics of Trump joked about his campaign when Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” played at one of his rallies in August.

Coming from the film “Titanic,” which deals with the tragic shipwreck of 1912, the choice of this song led Trump’s opponents to draw comedic links between his campaign and a sinking ship.

The use of this song backfired when Dion publicly stated her disapproval of Trump using it without permission, adding her name to the list of artists who have requested he cease using their music during his campaign.

Songs Featured in Harris’s 2024 Campaign

• • • “Freedom” | Beyoncé featuring Kendrick Lamar
    • “ABC” | The Jackson 5
    • “God is a Woman” | Ariana Grande
    • “Cruel Summer” | Taylor
    • “Anti-Hero” | Taylor Swift
    • “Mr. Brightside” | The Killers
    • “FREEDOM” | Jon Batiste
    • “So American” | Olivia Rodrigo
    • “I’m Coming Out” | Diana Ross
    • “Respect” | Aretha Franklin
    • “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” | The Temptations

‘kamala IS brat’

Shortly after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek reelection, Vice President Kamala Harris became the primary candidate for the Democratic Party. Shortly thereafter, pop artist Charli XCX tweeted a brief message, stating, “kamala IS brat.”

The Harris campaign interpreted this tweet as a positive sign and adapted the meme for their own use, even changing their social media branding to feature the distinctive font and bright green color associated with the phrase for a while.

Harris and Taylor Swift’s ‘Cruel Summer’

A significant endorsement occurred soon after the presidential debate between Harris and Trump on September 10.

Superstar Taylor Swift shared a picture of herself with one of her three cats along with a detailed four-paragraph message supporting Harris. She mentioned that AI-generated visuals depicting her backing Trump prompted her to clarify her stance for the upcoming election.

In her post, she described the vice president as a “steady-handed, gifted leader.”

Harris launches first ad with Beyoncé’s ‘Freedom’

When Kamala Harris rolled out her first campaign video, she chose Beyoncé’s “Freedom” to deliver a powerful message.

The song from 2016 plays throughout the ad, as Harris asks, “In this election, what type of nation do we want to create? Some people envision a country filled with chaos, fear, and hate. But we choose a different path. We choose freedom.”

CNN reported that Beyoncé’s team granted Harris permission to use the song just hours before it was featured on the campaign trail.

So far, no artists have publicly requested Harris to refrain from using their music, but YSL News could not verify if there were any private communications regarding this matter.