DJ Cassidy built the music for the Democratic National Convention’s August 20, 2024, ceremonial roll call with input from state delegations, not just his own record collection. He spent more than a month on the project, matching songs to local identities and aiming for a soundtrack that felt celebratory, unified and hopeful.
What was the DNC roll-call playlist?
During the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, delegations announced their votes with music selected to represent their state or territory. The DNC described the event as involving all 57 delegations, each celebrating to a song chosen to reflect its character. It was part of the convention’s ceremonial roll call—not a separate concert. The convention’s account of the roll call provides that 57-delegation framing.
How did Cassidy choose the songs?
In an interview published by The Washington Post on August 21, 2024, Cassidy said the project took more than a month. He had not initially realized he was being asked to serve as the first musical host of a convention roll call. His goal was to work with the delegations so the soundtrack represented them rather than simply reflecting his personal taste.
“It was very important to me to not curate the soundtrack in a vacuum. It wasn’t just about my taste.”
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Cassidy said a song could fit because its artist came from a state, because the lyrics named it, or through a less literal connection. In his words: “And that could be in simple ways, like the artists are from that state. It could be the songs mention that state, or it could be something more abstract.” Above all, he wanted each choice to feel authentic to the people in the delegation.
A shared mood, not one rigid formula
The geographic links varied, but Cassidy also had an overall emotional aim: “And it was also extremely important to me that, as a whole, the soundtrack exuded the feeling of celebration, of unity and of hope.” That aim made the playlist more than a set of state-themed references; it gave the sequence a shared tone while leaving room for each delegation’s identity.
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Examples of the playlist’s different approaches
The choices ranged from recognizable hometown connections to live performance and broader associations. These examples illustrate Cassidy’s approach; they do not mean every selection had an equally direct geographic explanation.
| Delegation | Selection | Connection reported |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | “Edge of Seventeen,” Stevie Nicks | Nicks’s home state. |
| Georgia | “Turn Down for What,” Lil Jon | Lil Jon joined the delegation to perform the song live. Cassidy said he had planned the moment with him for several weeks. |
| Illinois | “Sirius,” the Alan Parsons Project | Known as the Chicago Bulls’ entrance theme and suited to the event’s venue. |
| California | “The Next Episode,” “California Love,” “Alright” and “Not Like Us” | Cassidy highlighted the four-song sequence as California’s selection. |
| Pennsylvania | “Motownphilly” and “Black and Yellow” | Cassidy described the pairing as representing the state’s two major cities. |
WTTW’s complete contemporary song list is the reference for checking individual selections. Cassidy also connected the Georgia performance to his Pass the Mic series, which brought hip-hop and R&B artists together during the pandemic.
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Why are some song-to-state links hard to explain?
Not every choice had an obvious literal link. TIME noted that “Private Idaho” is not really about Idaho and that the connection between Guam and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” was unclear. Cassidy’s explanation allows for abstract associations, but that does not establish a specific rationale for every individual song. The available reporting is clearest about the overall collaborative process and the examples Cassidy discussed directly.
For further context on particular selections, see TIME’s guide to the songs and artists featured in the roll call and Jada Yuan’s Washington Post interview with Cassidy.
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