The Democratic National Convention is currently underway in Chicago, IL this week and presidential hopeful and current Vice President Kamala Harris, along with running mate Governor Tim Walz (Minnesota), set to take the nomination for the party.
As Stereogum points out, during the roll call last night (August 20), each U.S. state and territory was asked to choose a song to represent them, with DJ Cassidy assigned to help the delegates “pass the mic around the nation.”
Some states made obvious choices, like songs written about about them or a main city, such as New York going with Alicia Keys and Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind," Alabama picking Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama," and Texas opting for Beyoncé's more current hit, "Texas Hold 'Em."
Others chose artists from their states, like Nevada with The Killers ("Mr. Brightside"), Hawaii with Bruno Mars ("24K Magic"), Missouri with Chappell Roan ("Good Luck, Babe") and New Jersey picking its most famous son, Bruce Springsteen ("Born In The USA").
And then there was the territory of Guam, which with approximately 170,000 people, didn't exactly have a name artist or song to attach itself to. So what did Guam do? They chose the summer's biggest hit, "Espresso" by Sabrina Carpenter, to represent their proud tradition of producing coffee. Nice.
Of course, the biggest reaction came from Georgia's selection of Lil Jon's hype anthem "Turn Down For What," which the rapper performed live inside the United Center amongst thousands of giant cardboard cutouts of Harris and Walz's heads.
Watch a video of Lil Jon's performance below.
The full list of U.S. state and territory roll call songs:
Alabama: “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Alaska: “Feel It Still” by Portugal. The Man
American Samoa: “Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga
Arizona: “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks
Arkansas: “Don’t Stop” by Fleetwood Mac
California: “California Love” by Tupac and “They Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar
Colorado: “September” by Earth, Wind Fire
Connecticut: “Signed Sealed, Delivered” by Stevie Wonder
Delaware: “Higher Love” by Whitney Houston and Kygo
Democrats abroad: “Love Train” by The O’Jays
District of Columbia: “Let Me Clear My Throat” by DJ Kool
Florida: “Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty
Georgia: “Turn Down for What” by Lil’ John
Guam: “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter
Hawaii: “24K Magic” by Bruno Mars
Idaho: “Private Idaho” by The B-52s
Illinois: “Sirius” by The Alan Parsons Project
Indiana: “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” by Michael Jackson
Iowa: “Celebrate” by Kool & the Gang
Kansas: “Carry on Wayward Son” by Kansas
Kentucky: “First Class” by Jack Harlow
Louisiana: “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled
Maine: “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon
Maryland: “Respect” by Aretha Franklin
Massachusetts: “I’m Shipping up to Boston” by Dropkick Murphys
Michigan: “Lose Yourself” by Eminem
Minnesota: “Kiss” and “1999” by Prince
Mississippi: “Twisting the Night Away” by Sam Cooke
Missouri: “Good Luck, Babe” by Chappell Roan
Montana: “American Woman” by Lenny Kravitz
Nebraska: “Firework” by Katy Perry
Nevada: “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers
New Hampshire: “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey
New Jersey: “Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen
New Mexico: “Confident” by Demi Lovato
New York: “Empire State of Mind” by Jay Z and Alicia Keys
North Carolina: “Raise Up” by Petey Pablo
North Dakota: “Girl On Fire” by Alicia Keys
Ohio: “Green Light” by John Legend
Oklahoma: “Ain’t Goin Down” by Garth Brooks
Oregon: “Float On” by Modest Mouse
Pennsylvania: “Black and Yellow” by Wiz Khalifa and “Motownphilly” by Boyz II Men
Puerto Rico: “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee
Rhode Island: “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift
South Carolina: “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” by James Brown
South Dakota: “What I Like About You” by The Romantics
Tennessee: “9 To 5” by Dolly Parton
Texas: “Texas Hold ‘Em” by Beyonce
Utah: “Animal” by Neon Trees
Vermont: “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan
Virginia: “The Way I Are” by Timbaland
Washington: “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore
West Virginia: “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver
Wisconsin: “Jump Around” by House of Pain
Wyoming: “I Gotta Feeling” by Black Eyed Peas
Virgin Islands: “VI to the Bone” by Mic Love
