Why Is Donald Trump So Weirdly Obsessed With Creedence and the Village People?

With the Trump era about to come to a messy but definitive end, the latest episode of our Rolling Stone Music Now podcast looks back at four years of bizarre and fraught battles over music. Why does Donald Trump think it’s smart to play Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son” at his rallies? What does he think the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” is about? Why were there so few great anti-Trump songs (besides YG and Nipsey Hussle’s “FDT.)”?

Brittany Spanos and Rob Sheffield (who recently wrote a great essay about “Y.M.C.A.” as a new cultural flashpoint) join host Brian Hiatt for the discussion. They also venture some guesses about the possible state of music in the coming Biden/Harris years (including Spanos’ well-argued theory that EDM will make a comeback post-pandemic.)

To hear the entire episode, press play below, or download and subscribe on iTunes or Spotify.

Download and subscribe to our weekly podcast, Rolling Stone Music Now, hosted by Brian Hiatt, on iTunes or Spotify (or wherever you get your podcasts), and check out three years’ worth of episodes in the archive, including in-depth, career-spanning interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Halsey, Neil Young, Phoebe Bridgers, the National, Dua Lipa, Questlove, Julian Casablancas, Sheryl Crow, Johnny Marr, Scott Weiland, Liam Gallagher, Alice Cooper, Fleetwood Mac, Elvis Costello, Donald Fagen, Phil Collins, Justin Townes Earle, Alicia Keys, Stephen Malkmus, Sebastian Bach, Tom Petty, Eddie Van Halen, Kelly Clarkson, Pete Townshend, Bob Seger, the Zombies, Gary Clark Jr., and many more — plus dozens of episodes featuring genre-spanning discussions, debates, and explainers with Rolling Stone’s critics and reporters. Tune in every Friday at 1 p.m. ET to hear Rolling Stone Music Now broadcast on SiriusXM’s Volume, channel 106.