The Pop Corporation

When you love a popstar, a rockstar, whoever, you hope that they feel the same way you feel about things. When you hear of a popstar you like, saying things contrary to your beliefs, it can tarnish the music. There’s separating the art from the artist, then there’s wanting to stop giving someone money because they are rooting for someone who is stripping away your rights.

Donald Trump is the 47th President of the United States of America, and what have we learned? Well, for starters, we’ve had it confirmed that the US is riddled with a seismic fault line that runs through the whole of it, culturally. While we may not have learned of its existence, we’ve learned that it runs deeper than perhaps we thought. America will continue about its daily life, as we all will – but as the commiserations and celebrations subside, we get to cautiously look at what this means for everyone.

Is it the end of the American Empire? Probably not. Are things going to change? Almost certainly.

So what of those who rallied around Kamala Harris? What of those who support Trump? What of those who sat on the fence? We’ve heard a lot of conjecture and you wonder how fans of various artists and groups will respond to any perceived inaction or complicity in these political movements.

Julian Casablancas of The Strokes shared an image of a badge that says “I protested” and explained he wouldn’t be voting for either party. He shared a conversation he had with his mother, and said: “I am thinking of my children. The 2 parties are a joke… a horrible lie. The military and oil companies and banks are who we are voting for – and the media is their propaganda/entertainment wing. & with the way they cheated Bernie I see little point in choosing between these puppets… They want you to think it matters. That way nothing will change but it has to change.”

If you think he has a point, there’s no hiding from the fact that these protests have helped in a new President who has promised mass deportations, who will dismantle the Affordable Care Act, appointing vax-conspiracist Robert F Kennedy Jr in a hugely influential health role, introducing a nationwide abortion ban, cuts to Medicare and social security, the persecution of the media and political enemies, and whatever else they hatch up in the next four years.

Will fans of The Strokes think “he’s an idiot – I like his songs – go figure?” or will they look at his immense privilege as the son of the man who founded Elite Model Management and grew up wealthy in Manhattan, after attending a private boarding school in Switzerland? These are pertinent questions, as young music fans who are about to become marginalised, being preached to from someone who had almost certainly never faced any kind of hardship in their life. Given that the Casablancas family fled Franco’s Spain, it’s interesting to see someone who has absolutely been politically active in the past, seemingly turn away from a moment in US history that is of huge significance.

Riverdale actor star Lili Reinhart said: “I cannot fathom the feeling of the women who came forward about their sexual assault at the hands of Trump. Seeing millions of people vote for their abuser. My heart absolutely breaks for these women. I believe you, and I am so sorry.” Will Casablancas read these words and sympathise? Almost certainly. Will he accept any culpability? And should he?

Fact is, The Democratic Party surrounded themselves with entertainment’s great and good – Beyonce and Bruce Springsteen came out in explicit support of the Harris/Walz ticket, but to what avail? While fans of both will breathe a little easier knowing that their idols didn’t sign-up to what’s about to unfurl, what difference did it make in the end? If the GOP have managed to convince millions of American citizens that this is a nailed-on example of ‘elites’ supporting a party that doesn’t act in their interests, then that’s something that needs looking at.

Should the Dems politely say ‘thank you’ to such endorsements, but distance themselves from having them perform at their gatherings? It is clear that they can’t connect with huge swathes of working class America, but how do they do it without stooping to popularist rhetoric that the Republican Party have monetised?

The next four years, we’ll see how pop culture responds and how the world – who is always looking at America’s every move – reacts with its own music, literature and film. Does North America need to learn a lesson the hard way, or is this a sorry statement on the way the rest of the planet is going to start conducting its business?

History is filled with such events, and the West is now reckoning with its own. And to the people who protested by not voting – they’re going to get a whole lot more to protest against.