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The 2024 Democratic National Convention is pulling out all the stops during a celebratory four days which formally mark the end of the primary election period and the start of general election season.
During its second night (August 20) at Chicago’s United Center, the 5,000 delegates representing all 50 states and territories were called on to officially pledge their support to Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as the party’s nominees.
Hosted this year by DNC Secretary Jason Rae, the in-person roll call is primarily a spectacle in which each state and territory’s delegates are called on to verbally cast their votes for Harris and Walz. Rae was joined on stage by DJ Cassidy, who played a mix of various songs behind each speaker as they emphatically pledged their support.
“I had a personal goal here, which was to turn the entire convention into a party,” Cassidy told The New York Times.
It took about a month for Cassidy to work with each state’s delegation to compile the extensive playlist, according to the New York Times. Together, they decided on songs that were meaningful to the state and captured the spirit of “unity and celebration.”
Find every song that was paired with each state and territory below.
Alabama – “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Alaska – “Feel It Still” by Portugal The Man
Arizona – “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks
Arkansas – “Don’t Stop” by Fleetwood Mac
California – “Next Episode” by Dr Dre; “California Love” by Tupac; and Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” and “Not Like Us”
Colorado – “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire
Connecticut – “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” by Stevie Wonder
Democrats Abroad – “Love Train” by The O’Jays
District of Columbia – “Let Me Clear My Throat” by DJ Kool
Delaware – “Higher Love” by Kygo and Whitney Houston
Florida – “I Won’t Back Down” by Florida native Tom Petty
Georgia – “Welcome to Atlanta” by Jermaine Dupri; a surprise live performance from Atlanta rapper Lil Jon of his 2002 hit “Get Low” and his 2013 hit “Turn Down for What”
Guam – “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter
Hawaii – “24K Magic” by Hawaii native Bruno Mars
Idaho – “Private Idaho” by The B-52’s
Illinois – “Sirius” by The Alan Parsons Project
Indiana – “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough” by Indiana-born Michael Jackson
Iowa – “Celebration” by Kool & The Gang
Kansas – “Carry On Wayward Son” by the appropriately named rock group Kansas
Kentucky – “First Class” by Louisville-born music star Jack Harlow
Louisiana – “All I Do Is Win” by New Orleans’ own DJ Khaled
Maine – “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon
Maryland – “Respect” by Aretha Franklin
Massachusetts – “I’m Shipping up to Boston” by Dropkick Murphys
Michigan – “Lose Yourself” by Detroit-raised rapper Eminem
Minnesota – “1999” by Minnesota-born legend Prince
Mississippi – “Twistin’ the Night Away” by Sam Cooke
Missouri – “Good Luck, Babe” by Missouri pop star Chappell Roan
Montana – “American Woman” by Lenny Kravitz (originally by Canadian band Guess Who)
Nebraska – “Firework” by Katy Perry
Nevada – “Mr Brightside” by The Killers
New Hampshire – “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey
New Jersey – “Born in the USA” by New Jersey native Bruce Springsteen
New Mexico – “Confident” by Albuquerque’s Demi Lovato
New York – “Empire State of Mind” by native New Yorkers Alicia Keys and Jay-Z
North Carolina – “Raise Up” by Greenville-born hip-hop artist Petey Pablo
North Dakota – “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys
Northern Marina Islands – “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
Ohio – “Green Light” by Springfield’s own John Legend
Oklahoma – “Ain’t Goin’ Down (’til the Sun Comes Up)” by Oklahoma country icon Garth Brooks
Oregon – “Float On” by Portland-based band Modest Mouse
Pennsylvania – “Motownphilly” by Philadelphi’s Boyz II Men; “Black and Yellow” by Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa
Puerto Rico – “Despacito” by Puerto Rican artist Luis Fonsi
Rhode Island – “Shake It Off” by Rhode Island homeowner Taylor Swift
South Carolina – “Get Up” by born and raised South Carolina singer James Brown
South Dakota – “What I Like About You” by The Romantics
Tennessee – “9 to 5” by Tennessee legend Dolly Parton
Utah – “Animal” by Provo rock band Neon Trees
Vermont – “Stick Season” by Vermonter Noah Kahan
US Virgin Islands – “VI to the Bone” by Mic Love
Virginia – “The Way I Are” by Norfolk native Timbaland
Washington – “Can’t Hold Us” by Seattle-based duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
West Virginia – “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver
Wisconsin – “Jump Around” by House of Pain
Wyoming – “I Gotta Feeling” by The Black Eyed Peas
