Launched at Georgia College in 2015, Trax on the Trail is a website and research project devoted to the study of American presidential campaign music. Our interdisciplinary team includes students and scholars from across the US and Canada. Over the past nine years, Trax on the Trail has grown into a project of international significance, standing on the vanguard of research exploring the intersection of music and politics in American culture.
Our mission:
To promote a more critical evaluation of how music and sound shape the public’s perceptions of presidential candidates
See our review in the Summer 2025 issue of the Journal of the American Musicological Society!
Also check out our companion site: Songs of Political Persuasion
“By tracking and cataloging the soundscapes of US presidential campaigns, Trax occupies a unique space at the intersection of musicology, political science, media studies, and the digital humanities, offering a nuanced exploration of how sound and music affect political identities, influence public opinion, foster connections between candidates and voters, and provide the foundation for building coalitions.” -Erica Fedor, Review, Journal of the American Musicological Society
The latest from Trax on the Trail
- Trax on the Trail: Ready to Run in 2024Greetings fellow Trailheads! Midterm Election Day has finally arrived, and we are excited to roll out Trax on the Trail 2024! Trax on the Trail is a website and research project devoted to the study of American presidential campaign music. Our project launched on November 2015 with the goal of promoting a more critical evaluation of how musicContinue reading “Trax on the Trail: Ready to Run in 2024”
- Taylor Swift’s Alignment with the Democratic Party and its Effect on the 2020 Presidential ElectionThis lecture was created by Cameron Thiel, a student in Prof. Loren Kajikawa’s Music & Politics class at George Washington University. To download this lecture and accompanying slides, click here. Cameron Thiel is a senior at George Washington University studying History. Cameron is from Fort Lauderdale, Florida where she interned with the Vice Mayor’s office.Continue reading “Taylor Swift’s Alignment with the Democratic Party and its Effect on the 2020 Presidential Election”
- He’ll “Keep Yappin,’” but Don’t Call Him an Activist: An Interview with Composer Raphael FuscoOn October 1, a rare musical gem crossed the desk at Trax on the Trail. That gem was a canon à four, inspired by some of Joe Biden’s key phrases from the September 29, 2020 presidential debate. As luck would have it, the composer, Raphael Fusco, was more than happy to share with Trax on theContinue reading “He’ll “Keep Yappin,’” but Don’t Call Him an Activist: An Interview with Composer Raphael Fusco”
- Footloose: Political Transformations of a Song and Its MeaningOn September 5th in Portland, Oregon, videographers on the scene captured footage of a protester inadvertently lighting his feet on fire as he set off a Molotov cocktail. In a state of panic and distress, the man runs awkwardly towards the crowd of protesters with his feet blazing, caught between getting out of the way ofContinue reading “Footloose: Political Transformations of a Song and Its Meaning”
- Just say “Song long to Kell” and that “Vlad Guy”: An Interview with SongBirdIn early October, the brilliant parodies of a 17-year-old singer who goes by the pseudonym “SongBird” came to the attention of Trax on the Trail. Following in the footsteps of her idol, Randy Rainbow, SongBird’s music showcases her acerbic wit and pitch perfect comedic timing. Her DIY videos have received over 500K hits and countingContinue reading “Just say “Song long to Kell” and that “Vlad Guy”: An Interview with SongBird”