Use of Music in Polititcs

NME has an article detailing some of the campaign song selections currently favored by Democratic front-runners Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. Campaign songs have been important political accessories since Bill Clinton famously used Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop" as the theme for his 1992 campaign.

Obama, like his fellow Dems, tends toward Boomer-friendly campaign themes, as opposed to his Republican counterparts, who are inclined to play country-western anthems. While the Obama campaign displays a more moderate music selection during high-profile events, his website caters to those with more liberal musical tastes, offering visitors a free ringtone by rapper and Obama supporter, Jin. CNN discusses how Obama has emerged as the favorite within the urban music community.

It is unclear as to what sort of monetary compensation might be in place for the use of such songs, or if publishers and artists offer them to candidates as "campaign contributions."