Introduction

Abstract

During the US presidential campaign in 2000, the Washington Post revealed that George W. Bush, then challenging for the Republican nomination, liked to listen to Van Morrison, while his rival John McCain preferred Frank Sinatra’s Songs for Swingin’ Lovers. Their Democratic opponent, Al Gore, chose to play ‘Rock this Country’ by Shania Twain at his rallies. Why were valuable column inches in major newspapers being filled with these revelations? Why did politicians think it necessary to discuss their musical tastes (and can we be sure that they thought carefully about their selection)? These men were competing for the most powerful political office in the Western world, and we were being encouraged to judge them, not by their record, but by their record collection.