If you’re anything like me, this election is your Super Bowl. We’ve all been patiently awaiting this night for years, and finally, the moment has arrived. While the ultimate outcome will obviously affect your mood and your night, it will likely take hours for the votes to be counted, and in that time, we might as well have a little fun! With that being said, here’s my ultimate election night playlist with feel-good songs: some political, some empowering, and some just for fun, to help pass the time as you eagerly await final results.
- “Where Is The Love?” – Black Eyed Peas.
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The lyrics of this song are so spot-on for 2020, it’s hard to believe the Black Eyed Peas released this track back in 2003. Touching on themes of police violence, terrorism, the suffering of children, the legacy of hatred, disillusionment with the political process, greed, and selfishness, Where Is the Love? captures the ills of our times while reminding us that love is the cure.
- “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” – Stevie Wonder.
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With so many voting by mail this year, this is the perfect song to celebrate getting your ballot out the door. The song was also a staple on the Obama campaign trail, bringing back the chiller vibes of the 2008 election.
- “Shake It Out” – Florence and The Machine.
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While this song is not political in nature, it’s the perfect power anthem for releasing your election anxiety once your vote is cast. As Florence sings, “it’s always darkest before the dawn.”
- “Gimme Shelter” – The Rolling Stones.
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This tense Stones classic perfectly captures the bottle rocket mood of America’s current political landscape. Jagger repeats over and over that “war, children, is just a shot away,” only at the end offering the hope that “love, sister, is just a kiss away.”
- “Respect” – Aretha Franklin.
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No matter who you are, your vote is your moment to raise your voice and exercise your power as a citizen, and every vote counts the same. This is the moment that we, as constituents, command the respect of those in power.
- “Just A Girl” – No Doubt.
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Gwen Stefani’s lyrics present a laundry list of the limitations women face in this world, but the song is a woman’s cry of liberation. On the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in America, this one takes stock of our power while reminding us of the work that still needs to be done.
- “Waiting On The World To Change” – John Mayer.
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Settle in, it’s probably gonna be a long night. While we eagerly await returns from Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, let’s let Mayer croon and strum his guitar to soothe our frayed nerves.
- “Alright” – Kendrick Lamar.
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Alright’s searing lyrics and driving beat capture the frustrations over racial injustice that ignited America’s streets this summer and spilled over into the Presidential campaign in both good and ugly ways. Lamar reminds us that no matter the outcome on election night, the fight for Black lives continues, while assuring us that even in our darkest hours there is the promise of a better day.
- “Kill Em With Kindness” – Selena Gomez.
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We’ve all had our fill of Make America Great Again, and at this point what we want and need more than anything is to Make America Kind Again. Here’s hoping the 2020 election ushers in a new era of kindness. We sure could use it.
- “Freedom” – Pharrell Williams.
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Pharrell serves up an ecstatic spell of release, crying “Freedom!” over and over as if to manifest it into reality. Freedom from the current administration, from airwaves dominated by a reality TV star, from hateful tweets, from an onslaught of negative campaign ads, from frustrating political arguments with your family – whatever freedom this election is giving you, embrace it in this moment.
- “Forget You” – CeeLo Green.
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A bonus track that is arguably a bit off-theme, but be honest, won’t it feel f*cking fantastic to scream “FORGET YOU!!” at the top of our lungs to a certain someone at the end of what is bound to be a very long night? Yeah, thought so.
Hopefully, this list can serve as a jumping-off point for your personal election night playlist. It is going to be a night to remember no matter what, and it deserves a good soundtrack.