Two Playlists for Arizona's Governor Candidates Kari Lake and Katie Hobbs

It's said that every election matters. And that's felt doubly true in recent years, as the U.S. elected a reality show host/failing real estate maven to basically resuscitate fascism.

In our neck of the woods, that means we've got an important race pitting Katie Hobbs, a bastion for decency and politics as usual (for better and worse), and Kari Lake, a local news anchor turned alt-right politician/troll. And the winner of this could have a massive effect on Arizona's very soul.

So, who's going to win, and how should you cast your vote? For just such guidance, you need only turn to these playlists we've assembled for each candidate. Both are packed with songs that define and encapsulate their respective campaigns and the kind of governor they just may prove to be.

No matter what, it's just more proof of the one thing that never changes about elections: They're important and bloody, but we can get through 'em with a little satirical horseplay.


Katie Hobbs: 'Old-School Fighting Spirit'

Queen, 'Princes of the Universe'

There are few more glorious and triumphant songs than this Queen single originally written for the Highlander soundtrack. It's got all the pomp and regalia of the band's legendary catalog — albeit with a dash more cheesiness thanks to those '80s action movie vibes. Plus, it's got some of the best Freddie Mercury harmonies this side of "Bohemian Rhapsody." All told, it's the nearly perfect soundtrack to psyching yourself out for a battle with a thick-headed barbarian better left in the mostly distant past. Hmmm, does that somehow make it a little too on the nose?

The Fray, 'How to Save a Life'

There wasn't a sitcom in the mid-2000s that, at some point or another, didn’t feature this extra-saccharine pop song. Is it overwhelmingly twee and hackneyed to the point of being almost physically painful? You got it. But does that make it a poor choice for a hype-centric playlist? Not at all, especially when you factor in the idea of how desperate and maddening things feel nowadays — like we're in our very own bad soap opera. It's only at this moment in time, then, that this song becomes an anthem for saving the world — or at the very least, the future of our fair and lovely fair state. Embrace the cheese.

Authority Zero, 'Mesa Town'

Sure, there are heaps of songs about Arizona in general. (We even included an Eagles song here that isn't "Take It Easy," no matter how much of a crime that is.) But "Mesa Town" by local boys Authority Zero doesn't get nearly enough credit. Admittedly, it's just some wholly undescriptive lines about Mesa proper, and then plenty of chanting "whoa whoa yeah yeah." As such, this one's almost entirely about the energy, and if you're going to lead this state, you've got to know how to tap into the mix of machismo and community. That, and where to buy the best breakfast tacos, of course.

Juice WRLD, 'Already Dead'

Maybe this isn't the best song title for a so-called celebratory playlist. (Especially when Juice WRLD himself died at just 21 years old in late 2019.) But the Chicago rapper was a genius at exploring his own personal and mental struggles across his catalog, and this song especially, from the great Fighting Demons record, does a stellar job of balancing both the light and the dark, the gritty and the optimistic. It's ultimately a song about fighting through the pain of it all for the sake of others, and that's the kind of life lesson and deep insight any great leader should have.

Joe Esposito, 'You're The Best Around'

Those readers born before, say, 1992 may recognize this song from the Karate Kid soundtrack. And while a lot of people pass it off as just another hokey relic from a very cheesy part of an extra-cheesy decade, the song itself is so much more. It's not just about winning and overcoming the odds; it's just as much about recognizing and accepting that getting beaten down has its own lessons, and the real winners aren't afraid to scrap. Maybe the governor's race hasn't been as much of a street fight as we'd hoped, but there's no reason that we can't have the right music for the occasion.

Eagles, 'Take It to the Limit'

Oh, hey, it's that aforementioned Eagles song — and still not the one about our own fair Winslow, Arizona. And, sure, that standout anthem would be a great fit and a powerful reminder of what makes our state unique and all its corresponding charm and glories. But this 1975 jam is about always pushing yourself and continually finding new limits on that next grand horizon. That feels like the kind of anthem the Hobbs administration should celebrate: This state is wonderful because it tries to get continually better, and regardless of the actual outcome, that's a spirit worth commemorating.

DJ Khaled, 'All I Do Is Win'

Of all the songs on this specific playlist, this one's clearly the biggest "duh" inclusion. Since its release in February 2010, it's been a simple but effective anthem for celebrating one's own profound accomplishments and general sense of awesomeness. So, to that end, its inclusion is an obvious way to play into the sense of populism — something that feels essential to the Hobbs campaign. However, there's a surprising amount of nuance and context to be found, and in that way, the song feels more varied than just another jock jam (or campaign?) For that alone, it's a true standout — and that's not even mentioning all that bass.

Stan Bush, 'The Touch'

For some as-yet-unknown reason, here's another extra, extra-cheesy song from the 1980s. This one, though, was featured prominently in the 1986 animated Transformers film, which makes it a true relic. If an association with giant transforming robots isn't enough to include it on every playlist ever, the actual song is the peak of '80s songwriting majesty, equal parts sugary power ballad and uplifting anthem about the power of self-belief. What is it about the Hobbs campaign that just feels perfect for these very specific kinds of rock songs? Who knows, but they're equally perfect for also practicing your air guitar.

Cyndi Lauper, 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun

'Is Katie Hobbs a principled candidate? Mostly yes, and that's why people have gravitated toward her. (And also, her opponent is eight kinds of bonkers.) Does she always need to be so poised? No way. Lake is such a unique (again, totally bonkers) opponent that you can let loose a little and maybe sling a little mud — without getting dirty yourself, of course. To that extent, this is a truly universal pop-rock jam for having a little fun with yourself and the world, and let's hope its overtly catchy vibes can be a reminder that making things a little more light and breezy never hurt anyone (aside from your silly political candidate, of course).

Rachel Platten, 'Fight Song'

If there's been a consistent theme of this specific playlist, it's been that embracing the cheesiness of life can be a good thing. It just feels like the right kind of overarching vibe or aesthetic for the more straitlaced campaign run by Hobbs. And this song clearly brings the cheese and then some, as it's another sitcom-friendly ditty about believing in yourself and fighting for your dreams. But all of that doesn't make it any less effective, and the song itself does actually bring those goosebumps thanks to some solid lyricism. Politics are a fight, after all, and you can still keep your poise and get a little bloodthirsty to boot.


Kari Lake: 'Songs for Extreme Positions'

Napoleon XIV, 'They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!'

There are few songs that are as surprisingly creepy as this one. Even without any snarling guitar or lyrics referencing bloody and/or dismemberment, it strikes at a fear some folks harbor: not only are they being watched, but they're powerless to do anything when those "others" finally decide to do something about it. Not that the Lake campaign is self-aware enough to really know that — and this song instead stands as a commentary for their own acceptance of the most ludicrous conspiracy theories in the name of perceived victory. If we're all truly lucky, someone just might send them to a padded room after all.

Joe Cocker, 'Have a Little Faith in Me'

The English singer is perhaps best known for his cover of The Beatles' "With a Little Help From My Friends." But this unsung 1994 track is another A-list performance from Crocker, as he's basically pleading for the listener (and its intended subject) to simply believe in him in the name of love, friendship, camaraderie, etc. And in turn, that sense of faith will be rewarded in kind. That sort of feels like the whole gimmick behind Lake's run: You just have to have faith she'll finish the wall/fix the stolen election/etc. But sort of like this song, it all just feels like a lot of half-true crooning.

Charlie Louvin, 'Must You Throw Dirt in My Face'

The Louvin Brothers all but invented the notion of the lovable loser in a lot of their songs from the '50s. Charlie Louvin, later in his life, revisited some of these songs, and his age and corresponding sense of wisdom turns tunes like this one into an utterly devastating ballad. So, then, what does Lake and company know about or have to do with such profound heartache? Nothing, really — it feels more like the public speaking to her campaign about the continually upsetting and confounding ways they've lied and manipulated to get this far. It's an anthem for people who've been spit on, and who somehow still hope that goodness and decency can win out in the end.

Twisted Sister, 'We’re Not Gonna Take It'

This is an interesting addition to the Lake playlist. Earlier this year, Lake's campaign started featuring the '80s rock classic — to which point frontman Dee Snider responded in the same way he has to almost every silly Republican candidate who co-opted it: "Knock it off." Eventually, he relented, and seemed to be just fine with the song's continued use amid Lake's specific rallies and/or other events. And to that we say, good. Everyone knows that candidates like Lake don't think too deeply about even their song choices, and so this one should be a constant reminder of the kind of tone-deaf campaign she's run this whole time.

Heart, 'Barracuda'

Reportedly, this song was released to bash Mushroom Records after they designed a disgusting promo campaign involving an incestuous relationship between Heart's two powerhouses, sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. That story adds heaps to the song's core motif of, "You're a nasty fiend and you should gallop quickly off a very high cliff." That, and the whole overt sensuality and power of this pure jam makes it something like the aforementioned Twister Sister entry — which is to say, another song where all the depth and meaning has gone over the candidate's head. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

Johnny Cash, 'Dirty Old Egg Sucking Dog'

Here's a song that works on so many amazing levels. Is it a little funny? Sure, it's a powerful example of a great '60s novelty song, and that energy means it could make a proper playlist and never raise the alarm. Which is great, since it would only take one half-hearted listen before someone realized its double-sided purpose: 1. it's a diss track for any slow-witted pain in the ass and 2. the mere act of playing it in public automatically makes anyone look even a little silly and/or asinine. A song like that is rare, and this one deserves to be associated with Lake and other misshapen political fiends.

Van Halen, 'Runnin’ With the Devil'

I get because of the song's name, most GOP-ers wouldn't pick this rock anthem in a million years. But I'd make an argument that, like the aforementioned Twister Sister and Heart songs, this one is an '80s classic dying to be blared at one of those giant stupid rallies. It's got the sweet hooks and the sleek, sexy energy that make said crowds go wild. But, of course, there's also some great subtext to the song, and it's either about freedom and/or living exclusively in the present. That's the perfect song for Lake's campaign: no depth, no larger context, and perhaps no true or discernible future.

Paul Simon, '50 Ways to Leave Your Lover'

Okay, hear us out on this undeniable classic from America’s favorite impish singer-songwriter. Yes, it's 100 percent about his divorce from Peggy Harper in the mid-'70s. (And if that were it alone, we could easily recommend this song for that extra deep bit of subtext.) However, it's also worth noting that the attitude of the song's "protagonist" is what stands out — he's very clearly done with the situation and remarks, continuously and callously, how easy it is to get out of the marriage. Let's hope that if Lake loses, she'll have the same kind of energy and find a shard of solace in her potentially lifelong exit from public life.

Aerosmith, 'Dream On'

This underrated Aerosmith song actually has a bit of history that's perfect for Lake. Her political hero/idol, Donald Trump, actually used the song during several election-centric events — until the band demanded he promptly knock off said unauthorized use. So, Lake utilizing the song at her own events as well as various promotional campaigns seems like a perfect way to both pay tribute to her orange-colored BFF while showing her own rebel status. The fact that the song's refrain of "dream on" ad infinitum would also make for the perfect moment upon her possible defeat is just a nice little bonus for the rest of us.

Charles Bradley, 'Changes'

If you haven't heard or seen Charles Bradley (before his untimely death in 2017), "Changes" may very well be his signature song. Either live or on LP, his performance drives home the song's core themes of grappling with life's endless ups and downs and trying to come out the other side a better person. Is Lake capable of either such deep introspection or self-awareness? No. So then let this song stand as a reminder of her own changes, from mostly accepted local anchor to another alt-right politician playing to everyone's baser instincts in order to win. The fact that the song might lend any depth is purely coincidental.