Day two of the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago featured some impassioned speeches, notably from former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama, but it was the roll call of states that set the tone of the night, featuring a fiery playlist now available on Spotify.
Roll calls are a staple of the convention, with representatives from each state, as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, overseas Democrats, and Washington, D.C., giving speeches that usually promote their state and their candidates. During Tuesday night’s roll call, DJ Cassidy performed songs to accompany the state introductions, and some of the tunes were absolutely amazing.
Each song has a connection to a state, such as the B-52s’ “Private Idaho” which symbolizes the jewel state of Idaho, and John Denver’s “Country Roads” which symbolizes West Virginia. Most of the songs are by artists from each state, such as The Killers’ “Mister Brightside” which symbolizes their hometown of Nevada, Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough” which symbolizes his native Indiana, and Houston-born Beyonce’s “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Atlanta-born Lil Jon also attended and performed a live performance of “Turn Down for What” which symbolizes Georgia.
Here’s a rundown of the songs for each state:
Alabama: “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Alaska: “Feel It Still” by Portugal. The Man
American Samoa: Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory”
Arizona: “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks
Arkansas: “Don’t Stop” by Fleetwood Mac
California: 2Pac’s “California Love” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”
Colorado: “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire
Connecticut: Stevie Wonder’s “Signed Sealed, Delivered”
Delaware: Whitney Houston and Kygo’s “Higher Love”
Democrats Abroad: “Love Train” by the O’Jays
District of Columbia: “Let Me Clear My Throat” by DJ Cool
Florida: Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down”
Georgia: “Turn Down for What” by Lil Jon
Guam: “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter
Hawaii: “24K Magic” by Bruno Mars
Idaho: “Private Idaho” by The B-52s
Illinois: Sirius by the Alan Parsons Project
Indiana: “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” by Michael Jackson
Iowa: “Celebrate” by Kool & the Gang
Kansas: “Carry on Wayward Son” by Kansas
Kentucky: First Class by Jack Harlow
Louisiana: “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled
Maine: “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon
Maryland: Aretha Franklin’s “Respect”
Massachusetts: “Shipping to Boston” by Dropkick Murphys
Michigan: “Lose Yourself” by Eminem
Minnesota: Prince’s “Kiss” and “1999”
Mississippi: Sam Cooke’s “Twisting the Night Away”
Missouri: “Good Luck, Babe” by Chapel Roan
Montana: Lenny Kravitz’s “American Woman”
Nebraska: “Firework” by Katy Perry
Nevada: “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers
New Hampshire: Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'”
New Jersey: Bruce Springsteen’s “Born in the USA”
New Mexico: “Confident” by Demi Lovato
New York: Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, “Empire State of Mind”
North Carolina: “Raise Up” by Petey Pablo
North Dakota: “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys
Ohio: “Green Light” by John Legend
Oklahoma: “Ain’t Goin’ Down” by Garth Brooks
Oregon: “Float On” by Modest Mouse
Pennsylvania: “Black and Yellow” by Wiz Khalifa and “Motown Philly” by Boyz II Men
Puerto Rico: Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee “Despacito”
Rhode Island: “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift
South Carolina: James Brown’s “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine”
South Dakota: “What I Like About You” by The Romantics
Tennessee: Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5”
Texas: “Texas Hold’em” by Beyoncé
Utah: “Animal” by Neon Trees
Vermont: Stick Season by Noah Kahan
Virginia: “The Way I Are” by Timbaland
Washington: Macklemore’s “Can’t Hold Us”
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
Virgin Islands: Mike Love’s “VI to the Bone”
The tracklists for last month’s Democratic and Republican National Conventions were quite different, and it certainly helps that musical artists appear more sympathetic to the Democratic Party than the opposition, Donald Trump has been sued multiple times for using artists’ songs without permission during his election campaign.
Wednesday night marks the third day of the Democratic National Convention, and there will be more music, with Pink and John Legend taking the stage alongside more than a dozen speakers, and the event will close with Minnesota Governor and vice presidential candidate Tim Walz.
RNC vs. DNC pic.twitter.com/ChRxsLEtwL
— New Liberal 🌐🇺🇦 (@CNLiberalism) August 21, 2024
