Tracks on the Trail: Popular Music, Race, and the US Presidency

Politicians have used music to construct their personal presidential identities and create the broader identity of the American presidency. Music can appear relatable, show cultural competency, communicate values and ideas, or connect with a specific constituency. This book explores the factors that motivate candidates and constituents to articulate race through music on the campaign trail and how the racialization of sound intersects with other markers of difference and shapes the public discourse surrounding candidates, popular music, and the meanings attached to race in the 21st century.

Format: Unspecified
Length: 226 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2023
Publisher: The University of Michigan Press

Politicians have harnessed the power of music to shape their personal presidential identities and create a broader image of the American presidency. From Bill Clinton's saxophone performance on The Arsenio Hall Show to Barack Obama's reference to Jay Z's song "Dirt off Your Shoulder," music has been used to convey relatable messages, showcase cultural competency, communicate values and ideas, and connect with specific constituencies.

On a subtler level, episodes such as Clinton's saxophone-playing and Obama's shoulder brush serve as aural and visual articulations of race and racial identity. However, why do candidates choose to engage with race in this manner? And why do supporters and detractors on YouTube and Twitter similarly engage with race when creating music videos or remixes in homage to their favorite candidates?

Tracks on the Trail: Popular Music, Race, and the US Presidency, a comprehensive book by Jennifer Gorzelany-Mostak, delves into these questions by examining the role of music in the US presidential campaign. Through a case study approach, the book explores how candidates and constituents articulate race through music, shedding light on the factors that motivate them to do so. It also examines how the racialization of sound intersects with other markers of difference and shapes the public discourse surrounding candidates, popular music, and the meanings attached to race in the 21st century.

The book explores musical engagement broadly, encompassing official music such as candidate playlists and launch event setlists, as well as unofficial music in the form of newly composed campaign songs, mashups, parodies, and remixes. By analyzing these musical expressions, the book provides a deeper understanding of how music shapes political discourse and influences public perception.

In conclusion, politicians have used music to construct their personal presidential identities and create a broader image of the American presidency. Through music, candidates can appear relatable, showcase cultural competency, communicate values and ideas, and connect with specific constituencies. The racialization of sound in music videos and remixes on YouTube and Twitter further highlights the importance of understanding the role of music in shaping political discourse and public perception. Tracks on the Trail: Popular Music, Race, and the US Presidency offers valuable insights into this dynamic and sheds light on the factors that motivate candidates and constituents alike to articulate race through music on the campaign trail.

Weight: 340g
Dimension: 151 x 228 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780472056163