Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris shows how big a role music is playing in the 2024 election

Attendees dance as a band plays during the last day of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images by Mark Clague, University of Michigan Music generates passion and emotion, so it’s little surprise that popular tunes have been featured in presidential contests since the days of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. But as a scholar of music’s role in American politics and patriotism, I’ve never seen music assume as much electoral importance as it has in recent months. Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris is headline news, as were the mere rumors that Beyoncé might perform at the Democratic National Convention. Donald Trump, too, has his pop culture supporters, including Kid Rock and Lee Greenwood. In a tight race, music has the potential to make a big difference. Most voters today have already made up their minds, and the presidential race remains a statistical dead heat, according to polls. In this situation, I think music offers a deceptively simple, emotional hook that can inspire the party base without alienating those few undecideds in the middle. When crowd size matters, getting your supporters to sing, scream and dance can cultivate an aura of electoral triumph. Fired...