Photo : Michael Tullberg ( Getty Images )

One of the coolest things about supporting Bernie Sanders for president—aside, of course, from advocating for free healthcare and infuriating rich assholes—is that his rallies feature good bands instead of 3 Doors Down. But, unlike Ted Cruz and Hillary Clinton, who in trying to appear hip and relatable only further emphasized their disconnect from reality, Bernie never panders. He doesn’t pretend to know who these 22-year-olds with guitars are. He doesn’t “back that azz up” onstage with them. He knows only that the crowd likes them and they support him. He thanks them, courteously and professionally, which is, to be honest, all an opener really wants from a headliner.


And since so many of Bernie’s supporters know what it’s like to toil without acknowledgement, they’ve begun to take great joy in isolating clips of the presidential hopeful thanking these musical acts in his thick Brooklyn accent.. The emphasis, however, isn’t on the huge bands that have rallied for him—Vampire Weekend, The Strokes, Run The Jewels, Bon Iver—but rather the great lineup of burgeoning indie outfits with primarily youthful fanbases and the occasional ridiculous name.

This phenomenon began last month when Bernie thanked “the Ratboys”—their new album is excellent, by the way—and has continued with clips of Bernie offering his appreciation to acts like Soccer Mommy, Joyce Manor, Lucy Dacus, Pet Symmetry, and, perhaps most amusingly, the Kitty Kat Fan Club.




Bernie is so earnest and dutiful in his thank yous that we can forgive him for calling Sparta “Sparter.”


Yes, this presidential race is a nightmare and the stakes are absurdly high and Joe Biden is out there malfunctioning, but the tunes are still good . As such, we decided to throw together a playlist of songs we like by acts we like that have played 2020 Bernie rallies. This playlist is in no way comprehensive, of course, but we hope you like it anyway.


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