Did Mike Pence help Hamilton soundtrack sales?
Last month, future Vice President Mike Pence visited a showing of Hamilton: An American Musical in New York. After the show, a cast member thanked Pence for showing up. As tensions rose, he told the crowd to record and share the open letter. As Pence walked out, the oratory began:
“We, sir, we are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us or uphold our inalienable rights, sir. But we truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us.”
Tonight, VP-Elect Mike Pence attended #HamiltonBway. After the show, @BrandonVDixon delivered the following statement on behalf of the show. pic.twitter.com/Jsg9Q1pMZs
— Hamilton (@HamiltonMusical) 19 de noviembre de 2016
As expected, the crowd booed Pence and cheered the Hamilton cast members. Donald Trump criticized the Hamilton cast, demanding an apology. Pro-Trump supporters went on the attack. Playwright and actress Danai Gurira defended the video, stating that the moment was a “war cry.”
“We must make use of every platform we possess to truly become the change we still believe in. The theater is a living, breathing exchange between artist and audience. It is a sacred space — when you walk in, you are in the hands of those who have labored to craft the performance.”
However, the Mike Pence controversy may have boosted musical soundtrack sales. Last week, Billboard reported that the musical’s spin-off set, The Hamilton Mixtape, is set to debut at number one. The mixtape will sell between 175,000 to 200,000 album units.
In addition, Spotify reports that users will stream the original Hamilton soundtrack at least half a billion times. The most popular track, Alexander Hamilton, currently boasts over 23 million tracks. My Shot is right behind with over 19 million streams.
The cast hasn’t apologized for their political “moment.” The LGBT community sharply criticized Mike Pence after signing a bill allowing businesses to refuse service over religious beliefs. He went on to amend the bill.
Inappropriate presumptuous loudmouth self-absorbed left-wing leaning actor cornering someone to subject them to their paranoiac babyish egocentric rant.
Ladies and gentlemen the beast which is Cultural Marxism is inside of your borders.
The irony is the historical Hamilton would have more in common with Trump than they would feel comfortable with. Nationalist, very strict on immigration… Federalist Papers…
Their talk of diversity? Did you hear about that one? Actors equity, state and federal law?
It should also be noted that it was Hamilton who invented the Electoral College. The Liberals–and these actors who don’t know what they are talking about–really don’t want to hear that. They are blaming it for their loss among other things they are blaming.
The bigger issue isn’t who invented the Electoral College, it’s whether it makes any sense today. Consider that a voter in North Dakota has about three times the voting influence as someone in New Jersey. And in a state like California, where Clinton’s margin of victory was more than 2-to-1, the voting influence is handicapped by a similar margin. So states that contribute more far more economically — by a major factor — are massively discounted in their voting influence. That disparity could become a more important issue in the future.
Take some time away from spouting off and ranting to realize that it was Trump who derided the Electoral College…before he got elected because of it. The concept does not represent “the people” but the states, which minimizes the people.
As for the cast of Hamilton, it’s called free speech. Take a look at The Constitution some time.