Video: Chris Rock slams Bill Clinton over tepid Obama support

He has defeated Hillary Clinton, made history by becoming the first black man with a serious shot at the American presidency, and now Barack Obama could be set to top the music charts.

After a raft of heavyweight musicians, from crooner John Mayer to rapper Kayne West, spontaneously pledged their support for him through songs, the Democratic presidential nominee has released an official campaign album.

Soul label Hidden Beach Recordings, which counts Grammy winner Jill Scott among its signings, has unveiled Yes We Can: Voices of a Grassroots Movement and will donate the profits to Obama’s campaign. The label’s generosity, however, will expire following the November 4 election, when it will reap the profits.

The 18-track CD, on sale at www.BarackObama.com for $24.99 (£13.40) in digital form and $30 (£16) for a physical copy, features the crème of America’s music industry, with some agreeing to release new tracks for the first time on the compilation.

The former Commodores singer Lionel Richie unveils a song called Eternity, ex-Eurythmics star Dave Stewart has contributed the politically-monikered American Prayer while John Legend offers an emotive cover of U2’s Pride In The Name Of Love.

Old favourites to be served up include John Mayer’s Waiting on the World to Change, Jackson Browne’s Looking East and Stevie Wonder’s seminal hit Sign, Sealed, Delivered.

Hidden Beach Recordings said that although it will retain any profits generated post-election, the album has been released because musicians felt the need to make a difference: "Yes We Can came about as a result of a broad-based and increasingly urgent desire by artists and other conscious individuals to join in the grassroots efforts to bring about positive change."

The John McCain campaign, which has failed to inspire musicians in quite the same way, scoffed at the album release. A spokesperson commented: "It's ironic that on a day when the economy is in turmoil, Barack Obama fails to release an economic plan, but instead chooses a celebrity rock album."

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