The Democratic National Convention turned a routine roll call into a dance party Tuesday night as Democrats celebrated Vice President Kamala Harris as the partyâs nominee for the 2024 presidential race.
The ceremonial roll call became a star-studded fest that included a live performance from Lil Jon and a medley of songs from Dolly Parton, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and others that corresponded to each state and U.S. territory.
The roll call concluded with Harrisâ home state of California, which was intentionally left until the end, and featured four songs, including two from Kendrick Lamar. Harris later appeared on video from Milwaukee, where she was holding a rally, and thanked supporters for nominating her. The playlist was put together by celebrity DJ Cassidy, who posted his setlist on his Spotify.
Following the event, DJ Cassidy told Rolling Stone that he got a call a month ago from a producer of the convention, who told him they wanted him to become the conventionâs âfirst musical maestroâ for the DNCâs roll call. He told the outlet that there were many hours of âmeticulous curationâ involved in the choosing of songs, saying, âNone of them were freestyle.â
DJ Cassidy said it was a âsurreal feeling to see the âPass the Micâ experience connected to the roll call.â
âIt hit me differently than I thought it would,â he said. âIt felt like it brought a new life to the process that people take for granted. And the process is giving people a voice.â
Full list of songs played during DNCâs roll call
- Delaware: âHigher Loveâ â Kygo, Whitney Houston
- Alabama: âSweet Home Alabamaâ â Lynyrd Skynyrd
- Alaska: âFeel It Stillâ â Portugal. The Man
- American Samoa: âThe Edge of Gloryâ â Lady Gaga
- Arizona: âEdge of Seventeenâ â Stevie Nicks
- Arkansas: âDonât Stopâ â Fleetwood Mac
- Colorado: âSeptemberâ â Earth, Wind & Fire
- Connecticut: âSigned Sealed, Deliveredâ â Stevie Wonder
- Democrats abroad: âLove Trainâ â The OâJays
- Washington, D.C.: âLet Me Clear My Throatâ â DJ Kool
- Florida: âWonât Back Downâ â Tom Petty
- Georgia: âTurn Down for Whatâ â Lil Jon
- Georgia: âGet Lowâ â Lil John & the East Side Boyz
- Guam: âEspressoâ â Sabrina Carpenter
- Hawaii: â24K Magicâ â Bruno Mars
- Idaho: âPrivate Idahoâ â The B-52s
- Illinois: âSiriusâ â The Alan Parsons Project
- Indiana: âDonât Stop Til You Get Enoughâ â Michael Jackson
- Iowa: âCelebrateâ â Kool & the Gang
- Kansas: âCarry on Wayward Sonâ â Kansas
- Kentucky: âFirst Classâ â Jack Harlow
- Louisiana: âAll I Do Is Winâ â DJ Khaled
- Maine: âShut Up and Danceâ â Walk the Moon
- Maryland: âRespectâ â Aretha Franklin
- Massachusetts: âIâm Shipping up to Bostonâ â Dropkick Murphys
- Michigan: âLose Yourselfâ â Eminem
- Minnesota: âKissâ â Prince
- Minnesota: â1999â â Prince
- Mississippi: âTwisting the Night Awayâ â Sam Cooke
- Missouri: âGood Luck, Babeâ â Chappell Roan
- Montana: âAmerican Womanâ â Lenny Kravitz
- Nebraska: âFireworkâ â Katy Perry
- Nevada: âMr. Brightsideâ â The Killers
- New Hampshire: âDonât Stop Believin'â â Journey
- New Jersey: âBorn in the U.S.A.â â Bruce Springsteen
- New Mexico: âConfidentâ â Demi Lovato
- New York: âEmpire State of Mindâ â Jay Z and Alicia Keys
- North Carolina: âRaise Upâ â Petey Pablo
- North Dakota: âGirl On Fireâ â Alicia Keys
- Ohio: âGreen Lightâ â John Legend, Andre 3000
- Oklahoma: âAinât Going Down (Till the Sun Comes Up)â â Garth Brooks
- Oregon: âFloat Onâ â Modest Mouse
- Pennsylvania: âBlack and Yellowâ â Wiz Khalifa
- Pennsylvania: âMotownphillyâ â Boyz II Men
- Puerto Rico: âDespacitoâ â Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee
- Rhode Island: âShake it Offâ â Taylor Swift
- South Carolina: âGet Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machineâ â James Brown
- South Dakota: âWhat I Like About Youâ â The Romantics
- Tennessee: â9 To 5â â Dolly Parton
- Texas: âTexas Hold âEmâ â BeyoncĂ©
- Utah: âAnimalâ â Neon Trees
- Vermont: âStick Seasonâ â Noah Kahan
- Virginia: âThe Way I Areâ â Timbaland
- Washington: âCanât Hold Usâ â Macklemore
- West Virginia: âTake Me Home, Country Roadsâ â John Denver
- Wisconsin: âJump Aroundâ â House of Pain
- Wyoming: âI Gotta Feelingâ â Black Eyed Peas
- Virgin Islands: âVI to the Boneâ â Mic Love
- California: âThe Next Episodeâ â Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Dogg
- California: âAlrightâ â Kendrick Lamar
- California: They Not Like Usâ â Kendrick Lamar
- California: âCalifornia Loveâ â Tupac
The third night of the DNC kicks off Wednesday, with a focus on how the partyâs new ticket plans to fight for Americaâs freedoms. Harrisâ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, is expected to officially accept the vice presidential nomination and will be among the list of speakers.