[Special Feature: America "After Trump"] Presidential Elections and Music

2021/02/05

When I contributed to the December 2017 special feature of this magazine titled "Divided American Society," I noted that there were no particularly reactionary conservative movements in the realm of American music culture. Instead, I stated that "media changes represented by streaming services and the visualization of minorities such as Hispanics and Asians in the music scene" were progressing. It can be said that this trend did not weaken until the very end of the Trump administration. It is no longer rare for songs by Latin American artists such as Bad Bunny (Puerto Rico) and J Balvin (Colombia) to rise to the top of the Billboard charts. Above all, the memory of the South Korean idol group BTS reaching number one on the general chart last September—the first such feat for an Asian act in 57 years since Kyu Sakamoto's "Sukiyaki (Ue o Muite Arukou)"—is still fresh. In fields other than music, with the massive success of the film "Crazy Rich Asians" (2018) and Director Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite" (2019) winning the Academy Award, Asian/Asian-American culture is creating a major tide in the American entertainment industry, and there is no doubt that mainstream culture is becoming increasingly diversified.

This is not unrelated to the fact that the modern American entertainment industry advocates for being liberal (even if only as a public stance). Of course, the annual lack of minority nominees at the Academy Awards and Grammy Awards remains an issue, but the very fact that such criticism arises is evidence that multiculturalism as an ideal is a prerequisite. Keeping these points in mind, this article aims to analyze how the "division" progressing in the United States is affecting the realm of music, focusing on last year's presidential election.

The table above lists the songs frequently played by both camps during the campaign. Ironically, artists and groups such as Queen, Village People, Elton John, R.E.M., and The Rolling Stones did not authorize the use of their music by the Trump campaign, and it was frequently reported that they were in legal disputes over the validity of such use. However, this unauthorized use did not necessarily give Trump a negative image; rather, it reinforced his image (for his supporters) as a warrior continuing to fight alone against the (corrupt) Hollywood establishment. The Trump campaign's song selection is characterized by a lot of "classic rock" from the 1960s to the 80s, which suggests that a portion of the counterculture generation has aged and become conservative.

On the other hand, the Biden campaign's selection could be described as moderate at best and uninteresting at worst. It does not exude the same sense of "elite taste" snobbery as Obama's choices, and the list shows consideration for the balance of minorities, including women and Black musicians.

Now, let's examine in detail how music was used at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions held last August. In fact, almost no musicians appeared at the Republican National Convention. Such an absence of music is rare, and as will be discussed later, it reflects the current relationship between the Republican Party and the cultural industry. On the final day, country singer Trace Adkins sang the national anthem, and opera singer Christopher Macchio performed a cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" (which drew fierce criticism from Cohen's fans), but the convention showed no will to effectively utilize music as a party strategy.

In contrast, the Democratic National Convention held from August 17 to 20 stood out for its glamorous lineup, to the point of being called "the best music festival of the year" at a time when all music events were being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, and Dominican singer Prince Royce (aiming for the Hispanic vote) performed one after another, it was Billie Eilish who garnered the most attention. The 18-year-old musician, who swept the five major categories at last year's Grammy Awards, stated, "Donald Trump is destroying our country and everything we care about," and urged people to vote for Joe Biden.

Particularly interesting were The Chicks, who performed the national anthem on the final day. The female trio, who play country music, had just changed their name from the Dixie Chicks to The Chicks a few months prior. It is unusual for a country music group, known for their compatibility with the Republican Party, to appear at a Democratic convention, but they were a selection that symbolized the Democratic Party's strategy this time.

The name of The Chicks first made national headlines in March 2003, just before the Iraq War, when they said on stage in London during their tour, "We're ashamed that the President of the United States (Bush) is from Texas." These words caused a major stir in the country music world and led to a large-scale boycott, primarily among conservative fans. The decision to change their group name was also largely influenced by the Black Lives Matter movement that resurged last May. In recent years, a debate has unfolded in America over whether Confederate flags and portraits of Civil War heroes should be removed as they celebrate slavery. As the word "Dixie" also implies the "American South" and "slavery," there has been a growing momentum to refrain from its use, and they changed their group name based on liberal ideology, similar to their comments during the Iraq War. Conversely, this is also evidence that the number of fans supporting The Chicks is increasing in the modern country music world, especially among the younger generation.

The performance of The Chicks, known for their liberal politics within country music, singing the national anthem at the Democratic National Convention represents the Democratic Party's strategy itself—a center-left path to win over moderate Republicans. Furthermore, while the national anthem at the Republican convention was a solo by a male singer, the fact that the Democrats chose a three-part female harmony aligns with the Democratic principle of diversity.

Finally, let's look at the actions and political consequences of two artists regarding this presidential election. The first is Bruce Springsteen. Raised in a typical blue-collar family in Freehold, New Jersey, he witnessed the town's gradual decline after the local carpet factory, which employed nearly 1,700 people at its peak, closed in 1961. As a "lifelong Democrat," a video using his song "The Rising," composed with the theme of 9/11, was played at this year's Democratic National Convention. Ironically, however, Trump won Bruce Springsteen's home county of Monmouth, New Jersey, this time as he did in the previous election.

The other is Taylor Swift. Originally debuting in the country music mecca of Nashville, she worked as a country-pop singer for a while, but in the 2010s, she gradually shed her country image and shifted toward mainstream pop. However, while artists like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry supported Democratic candidates in every presidential election, she never revealed her political affiliation. Considering the country music fans who had supported her since her debut, she could not disclose her preferred party. However, in the midterm elections two years ago, she suddenly declared her support for the Democrats, and in this presidential election, she officially supported the Biden-Harris ticket. From a cynical perspective, one could say that Trump becoming president made it easier for her to come out in support of the Democrats. Also, as is clear from the example of The Chicks, the number of young fans listening to country music is actually increasing, and as if to support this, Davidson County, Tennessee, which includes Nashville, has had many Democratic supporters for quite some time. Since Tennessee itself remains a solid "red state" (Republican-supporting state), Nashville has become a typical "blue town in a red state."

What becomes clear by following the trends of these two musicians is that the Democratic Party has changed from a blue-collar party protecting workers' rights to a party of identity politics that emphasizes the rights of minorities such as women and Black people. From the party of Bruce Springsteen to the party of Taylor Swift—as a result, the white workers who made up the former's fan base were left behind and came to support Trump.

The "division" in America has not been resolved. It is a conflict between a world colored by glamorous culture and a world that is no longer allowed to even have music, and the next president will be required to harmonize these two worlds.