Obama Switches Songs, Gets Backed by Arcade Fire

For the next 39-ish weeks, we at Spinner will be following this year's presidential race with one question in mind: Who's manning up in music? They have the power to make thousands sport ridiculous haircuts and disconcertingly tight trousers, so who's going to use that power to influence the political landscape?

2004 saw increased involvement from the music community when Diddy (We're sorry. We mean, Sean John) and countless others implored America's youth to Vote or Die. And the indie rock contingent showed promise when Conor Oberst hit the road with Bruce Springsteen and R.E.M. as part of MoveOn.org's Vote for a Change initiative.

So, who's going to bat in '08? We'll answer this burning question each week with a quick roundup of rock politics in the Campaignwatch.

• After his loss in New Hampshire, Barack Obama changed his campaign song from Stevie Wonder's 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours' to Bill Withers' more modest, yet equally sunny, 'Lovely Day.'
• Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler called Barack Obama "the first candidate in my lifetime to strip some of [the] bulls--- away" on the band's Website.
• Pete Wentz, a self-professed "Obama supporter from day one," will hold a fundraiser for the presidential hopeful in Chicago, where he'll be serving "O-bomb(a)" shots.
• The Fiery Furnaces took inspiration from the logistics of campaigning. They are holding a caucus to name their next album.
• Shudder to Think, OK Go, Nina Persson and more will perform at NYC's Bowery Ballroom's 'Barack Rock' event put on by GetUpandVote.com.
• Rapper/radio personality Fat Man Scoop and his wife are motivating their listeners to register to vote with a sex contest. Yep, sex contest.

Stand by for more on who's taking a stand.