Momentum in the 2024 US presidential campaign has fundamentally shifted in recent weeks, and music has played its part in this remarkable transformation. The Harris-Walz campaign is using particular kinds of music to help communicate its optimistic message of hope, inclusion and a brighter future for America. For well over two centuries, music has featured in US presidential elections. In 2024, both main parties recognise the positive power of music. While campaign songs and rally playlists encourage a sense of unity, they also send important messages to the wider electorate, reinforcing and differentiating the identity of the party and leader. This is particularly true in 2024 where campaign songs reflect divergent visions of the country’s future and express competing concepts of freedom, community, patriotism, masculinity, feminism and leadership.