The Democratic National Convention’s ceremonial roll call on Tuesday night took a unique turn as each state was introduced to songs, creating a lively and celebratory atmosphere.
Georgia kicked off the festivities with Lil Jon rapping to “Turn Down for What,” setting the tone for the evening. The rapper then cleverly modified the lyrics of “Get Low” to pay tribute to VP Harris and Governor Walz.
Several states had songs chosen by musicians closely associated with their respective regions. Michigan was represented by Eminem, Minnesota by Prince, New Jersey by Bruce Springsteen, New York by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, and North Carolina by Petey Pablo.
The music selections resonated so strongly with viewers that many have turned to streaming services to listen to the full playlists from the event. One Spotify playlist alone has garnered over 17,000 saves.
This isn’t the first time music has played a memorable role at the Democratic convention. In 1996, delegates made headlines for dancing to “Macarena” by Los del Río.
On the other hand, the Republican Party, led by former President Donald Trump, has faced challenges with music licensing for their events. Celine Dion recently criticized Trump’s campaign for the unauthorized use of her music at a rally. Other artists, including Rihanna, the Rolling Stones, Ozzy Osbourne, Queen, and the estate of George Harrison, have also objected to the Trump campaign using their music, dating back to his original run in 2016.
