A SEASON FOR CYNICS Musicians Contemplate a Lesser-of-Two-Evils Election
On July 11, 2016, Democratic nominee for president Bernie Sanders officially endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, thereby ending one of the unlikeliest campaigns in American political history. It had been a remarkable run for the 74-year-old Vermont senator, going from barely registering in national polls to running neck and neck with Clinton throughout much of the primary. And, if public statements and Twitter endorsements are to be believed, the world of indie rock stood almost unanimously in their support for him. Vampire Weekend, TV on the Radio, Grizzly Bear—all performed for Sanders at his rallies. Killer Mike of Run the Jewels filmed interviews with Sanders to help spread his message. Sonic Youth legend Thurston Moore collaborated with Sanders on a recording, overlaying pieces of Sanders’ speeches with his acoustic 12-string guitar. In a year of insurgent, outsider politics, it turns out that insurgent, out-of-the-mainstream musicians clearly recognized someone who was speaking their language.
The extent to which that holds true is remarkable, and the disparity between Sanders and Clinton supporters was stark. In fact, one would need to know little more than a musician’s previous level of chart success to fairly accurately predict which candidate that artist would support. Katy Perry, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Stevie Nicks, Moby, Cyndi Lauper, Pharrell Williams, Courtney Love, and a whole raft of musicians who have sold millions of records were Clinton backers. There were indie supporters in Clinton’s camp (Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz, Foxygen) but they were clearly in the minority among the avalanche of Sanders’ fans that seemed to include just about everyone else who harbored an anti-establishment bent.
As for Republican nominee Donald Trump, don’t bother asking. His supporters—to the extent they exist in the non-country, non-Ted Nugent/Kid Rock portion of the music industry—are remaining silent. Only one—Eagles of Death Metal frontman Jesse Hughes—voiced anything resembling support for The Donald. A second, Azealia Banks, endorsed Trump but did so while calling him “evil,” which makes one suspect that her support was more in keeping with her history of making inflammatory statements as much as it represents any genuine agreement with his positions.
In the months since the Democratic and Republican primaries began, mass shootings and terror attacks have become a
