The musical nods spun by DJ Cassidy were mostly obvious. Massachusetts went with a punk song about Boston. Kansas picked a song from the band Kansas.

But there were curious picks — like American Samoa rolling out to Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory” — and some delegations said they simply didn’t have a say in the matter.

Here’s how each song (likely) fits each state or territory, in order of the roll call:

Alabama: “Sweet Home Alabama,” Lynyrd Skynyrd

Yes, the Southern state picked its most famous name-check, even if the band itself is originally from Florida.

Alaska: “Feel It Still,” Portugal. The Man

Despite the European nation in its name, the rock band is from Wasilla, Alaska, which also happens to be the hometown of former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

American Samoa: “Edge of Glory,” Lady Gaga

The territory’s Democratic Party didn’t respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday but NPR reports this is a “tongue-in-cheek nod to the territory’s position as the southernmost territory in the United States.” So we’ll go with that.

Arizona: “Edge of Seventeen,” Stevie Nicks

The former Fleetwood Mac singer is from Phoenix.

Arkansas: “Don’t Stop,” Fleetwood Mac

The Southern state also went with a Nicks’ hit when it picked this song, which was also famously the theme of then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton’s winning 1992 presidential campaign.

Colorado: “September,” Earth, Wind & Fire

One of the original lead singers of the band, Philip Bailey, was born in Denver, where he and other band members from the Mile High City are also in the Colorado Music Hall of Fame.

Connecticut: “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours),” Stevie Wonder

The New England state’s pick was one of former President Barack Obama’s go-to songs during his two successful presidential runs, but there’s no apparent connection to Connecticut. (Wonder is from Michigan.)

Delaware: “Higher Love,” Kygo and Whitney Houston

The home state of President Joe Biden went with a song that had been a mainstay of his 2020 campaign.

Democrats Abroad: “Love Train,” The O’Jays

The organization acknowledged Wednesday it didn’t have a say in the pick, but said the early disco hit was appropriate, given it has members in more than 190 countries.

Washington, D.C.: “Let Me Clear My Throat,” DJ Kool

The delegation from the nation’s capital went with the party anthem by a native son.

Florida: “I Won’t Back Down,” Tom Petty

The late rock star was born in — you guessed it — the Sunshine State.

Georgia: “Turn Down For What,” DJ Snake and Lil Jon

Atlanta’s own Lil Jon delivered a raucous version of his hit live and in person to the crowd at Chicago’s United Center.

Guam: “Espresso,” Sabrina Carpenter

The island territory went with one of the biggest hits of the summer, though Carpenter was born and raised in Pennsylvania, some 7,800 miles (12,500 kilometers) away.

Hawaii: “24K Magic,” Bruno Mars

If you haven’t already picked up on a theme here, the R&B star hails from Honolulu.

Idaho: “Private Idaho,” The B-52s

The song is by the Georgia band most famous for “Love Shack” and other hits, but singer Fred Schneider told the Idaho Statesman he chose this song title because the state is “pretty mysterious to, you know, all of us.”

Illinois: “Sirius,” The Alan Parsons Project

The British prog rock band’s song was the intro music for the Michael Jordan-era Chicago Bulls, who played in the very arena hosting the convention.

Indiana: “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough,” Michael Jackson

Jackson and his famous family were originally from the industrial city of Gary, Indiana.

Iowa: “Celebration,” Kool and The Gang

The band may have been from New Jersey but everyone likes to celebrate good times, c’mon.

Kansas: “Carry On Wayward Son,” Kansas

There was really only one way this pick was going to go — a song from the arena rock band from Topeka, Kansas.

Kentucky: “First Class,” Jack Harlow

The rapper was born and raised in the Bluegrass State.

Louisiana: “All I Do Is Win,” DJ Khaled feat. T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg and Rick Ross

New Orleans native? Check. Infectious party anthem? You bet.

Maine: “Shut Up and Dance,” Walk the Moon

Once again, a New England state ended up with a song everyone can sing along to, even if it didn’t have an obvious local connection. (Walk the Moon is from Ohio.) Maine Democrats say their pick of a song from local band The Ghost of Paul Revere was ultimately nixed.

Maryland: “Respect,” Aretha Franklin

The mid-Atlantic state also decided against a homegrown pick when it rolled with a hit from Detroit’s late “Queen of Soul.”

Massachusetts: “I’m Shipping Up to Boston,” The Dropkick Murphys

The de facto anthem of the Red Sox, by an Irish American punk band from the suburbs of the Massachusetts capital? No notes.

Michigan: “Lose Yourself,” Eminem

The hit comes from the Detroit native’s 2002 semi-autobiographical movie “8 Mile,” about a struggling rapper trying to make his name in the city’s hip-hop scene.

Mississippi: “Twistin’ the Night Away,” Sam Cooke

The late soul singer was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Missouri: “Good Luck, Babe!”, Chappell Roan

The Show-Me State went with an upbeat track by the rising pop star, who hails from Willard, Missouri.

Montana: “American Woman,” Lenny Kravitz

The song, originally by the Canadian band The Guess Who, has no obvious connection to the Big Sky State — but the title has everything to do with sending a woman to the White House.

Nebraska: “Firework,” Katy Perry

Perry has no apparent connection to the Cornhusker State, but she’s lent her starpower to the Democratic Party in recent years, performing at Biden’s inauguration. Her hit song “Roar” also featured prominently in Hillary Clinton’s failed 2016 presidential campaign.

Nevada: “Mr. Brightside,” The Killers

Brandon Flowers and Dave Keuning formed the rock band more than two decade ago, in Las Vegas.

New Hampshire: “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Journey

The rock band formed in San Francisco, but we’d be hard-pressed to find an event, rally or game that hasn’t used this song as its anthem.

New Jersey: “Born in the U.S.A.,” Bruce Springsteen

It couldn’t get more obvious than this. “The Boss” is from Long Branch, New Jersey, and politicians from both parties have played his song at rallies and events too many times to count — despite its more subversive lyrics.

New Mexico: “Confident,” Demi Lovato

Lovato was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

New York: “Empire State of Mind,” Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys

Both Jay-Z and Keys are from New York, the city for which this song is an anthem and ode.

North Carolina: “Raise Up,” Petey Pablo

Pablo, a rapper and record producer, is from the Tar Heel State.

North Dakota: “Girl on Fire,” Alicia Keys

As established above, Keys is from New York, but her song has often been used to celebrate and empower women (including at the Olympics ).

Northern Mariana Islands: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell

The U.S. commonwealth north of Guam has no apparent connection to Gaye or Terrell, but it is mountainous with several volcanos — and the song choice could be a nod to the journey Harris is on.

Ohio: “Green Light,” John Legend feat. André 3000

Legend was born in Springfield, Ohio. (André 3000 of Outkast is from Atlanta, however.)

Oklahoma: “Ain’t Goin’ Down (‘til the Sun Comes Up),” Garth Brooks

The country singer was born in Tulsa, the Sooner State’s second-largest city.

Oregon: “Float On,” Modest Mouse

The band was formed in Washington state, but is now based in Portland, Oregon.

Pennsylvania: “Motownphilly,” Boyz II Men; “Black and Yellow,” Wiz Khalifa

Boyz II Men is from Philadelphia, where the music video for “Motownphilly” was filmed. Meanwhile, Wiz Khalifa’s “Black and Yellow” is about growing up in Pittsburgh. The titular colors are a tribute to the city’s football team, the Steelers.

Puerto Rico: “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee

Both singers behind this 2017 song of the summer are from Puerto Rico.

Rhode Island: “Shake it Off,” Taylor Swift

Swift is from Pennsylvania, but in 2013 purchased what was then the most expensive private home in Rhode Island.

South Carolina: “Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine,” James Brown

The late “Godfather of Soul” was born in Barnwell, South Carolina.

South Dakota: “What I Like About You,” The Romantics

The rock band is from Detroit, not the Mount Rushmore State. Does it matter if there’s a lot to like?

Tennessee: “9 to 5,” Dolly Parton

The country music legend was born in Pittman Center, Tennessee, and currently lives outside of Nashville.

Texas: “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,” Beyoncé

In case it needs explaining, Beyoncé is from Houston.

Utah: “Animal,” Neon Trees

The rock band formed in Provo, Utah.

Vermont: “Stick Season,” Noah Kahan

Kahan was born in Strafford, Vermont, a picturesque New England town.

US Virgin Islands: “VI to the Bone,” Mic Love

As the song title indicates, the rapper is from the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Virginia: “The Way I Are,” Timbaland feat. Keri Hilson and D.O.E.

Timbaland was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia.

Washington: “Can’t Hold Us,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Both Macklemore and Lewis are from the Evergreen State.

West Virginia: “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” John Denver

Denver is from New Mexico, but the hit song he wrote with Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert has long been a symbol of the Mountain State.

Wisconsin: “Jump Around,” House of Pain

The hip-hop trio is from Los Angeles, but their 1992 hit song has been played at University of Wisconsin football games for years.

Wyoming: “I Gotta Feeling,” Black Eyed Peas

The song has no apparent connection to the state but sent a message that’s pretty self-explanatory.

Minnesota: “Kiss” and “1999,” Prince and The Revolution

The pop superstar was born in — and died in — his home state, which he shares with vice presidential nominee Gov. Tim Walz.

California: “The Next Episode,” Dr. Dre; “California Love,” Tupac Shakur; “Alright” and “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar

Harris’ home state picked a medley of West Coast hip-hop anthems — classic and more recent — to close out the roll call.

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Marcelo reported from New York and Naishadham from Washington.

During that time, between 2016 and 2024, the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem and one of the most biodiverse, suffered mass coral bleaching events. That’s when water temperatures get too hot and coral expel the algae that provide them with color and food, and sometimes die. Earlier this year, aerial surveys of over 300 reefs in the system off Australia’s northeast coast found bleaching in shallow water areas spanning two-thirds of the reef, according to Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.

Researchers from Melbourne University and other universities in Australia, in a paper published Wednesday in the journal Nature, were able to compare recent ocean temperatures to historical ones by using coral skeleton samples from the Coral Sea to reconstruct sea surface temperature data from 1618 to 1995. They coupled that with sea surface temperature data from 1900 to 2024.

They observed largely stable temperatures before 1900, and steady warming from January to March from 1960 to 2024. And during five years of coral bleaching in the past decade — during 2016, 2017, 2020, 2022 and 2024 — temperatures in January and March were significantly higher than anything dating back to 1618, researchers found. They used climate models to attribute the warming rate after 1900 to human-caused climate change. The only other year nearly as warm as the mass bleaching years of the past decade was 2004.

“The reef is in danger and if we don’t divert from our current course, our generation will likely witness the demise of one of those great natural wonders,” said Benjamin Henley, the study’s lead author and a lecturer of sustainable urban management at the University of Melbourne. “If you put all of the evidence together … heat extremes are occurring too often for those corals to effectively adapt and evolve.”

Across the world, reefs are key to seafood production and tourism. Scientists have long said additional loss of coral is likely to be a casualty of future warming as the world approaches the 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) threshold that countries agreed to try and keep warming under in the 2015 Paris climate agreement.

Even if global warming is kept under the Paris Agreement’s goal, which scientists say Earth is almost guaranteed to cross, 70% to 90% of corals across the globe could be threatened, the study’s authors said. As a result, future coral reefs would likely have less diversity in coral species — which has already been happening as the oceans have grown hotter.

Coral reefs have been evolving over the past quarter century in response to bleaching events like the ones the study’s authors highlighted, said Michael McPhaden, a senior climate scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who was not involved with the study. But even the most robust coral may soon not be able to withstand the elevated temperatures expected under a warming climate with “the relentless rise in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere,” he said.

The Great Barrier Reef serves as an economic resource for the region and protects against severe tropical storms.

As more heat-tolerant coral replaces the less heat-tolerant species in the colorful underwater rainbow jungle, McPhaden said there’s “real concern” about the expected extreme loss in the number of species and reduction in area that the world’s largest reef covers.

“It’s the canary in the coal mine in terms of climate change,” McPhaden said.

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This story has corrected attribution for the aerial surveys in the 2nd paragraph to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, rather than NASA.

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The declines were most notable in dry regions with extensive cropland, said researchers whose work was published Wednesday in the journal Nature. On the plus side: they found several examples of aquifers that were helped to recover by changes in policy or water management, they said.

“Our study is a tale of bad news and good news,” said Scott Jasechko, a professor of water resources at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the study’s lead author. “The novelty of the study lies in its global scope.”

Groundwater is one of the largest freshwater sources anywhere in the world, making the depletion of aquifers a significant concern. Overpumping aquifers can make land sink and wells run dry — and threatens water resources for residential development and farms that use it to irrigate fields.

Jasechko and his colleagues analyzed groundwater data from 170,000 wells and nearly 1,700 aquifers across more than 40 countries that cover 75% of all groundwater withdrawals. For about a third of the aquifers they mapped, they were able to analyze groundwater trends from this century and compare them to levels from the 1980s and 1990s.

That yielded a more robust global picture of underground water supplies and how farms, and to a lesser extent cities and industries, are straining the resource almost everywhere. It also points to how governments aren’t doing enough to regulate groundwater in much or most of the world, the researchers and other experts commented.

“That is the bottom line,” said Upmanu Lall, a professor of environmental engineering at Columbia University and director of the Columbia Water Center who was not involved in the study. “Groundwater depletion continues unabated in most areas of the world.”

In about a third of the 542 aquifers where researchers were able to analyze several decades of data, they found that depletion has been more severe in the 21st century than in the last 20 years of the previous one. In most cases, that’s happening in places that have also received less rainfall over time, they found. Aquifers located in drylands with large farm industries — in places such as northern Mexico, parts of Iran and southern California — are particularly vulnerable to rapid groundwater depletion, the study found.

But there are some cases for hope, Jasechko said.

That’s because in about 20% of the aquifers studied, the authors found that the rate at which groundwater levels are falling in the 21st century had slowed down compared to the the 1980s and ’90s.

“Our analysis suggests that long-term groundwater losses are neither universal nor irreversible,” the authors wrote. But in a follow-up interview, one of them, University College London hydrogeology professor Richard Taylor, said that pumping too much groundwater can irreversibly damage aquifers when it causes land to subside or slump, and the aquifer can no longer store water.

In Saudi Arabia, groundwater depletion has slowed this century in the Eastern Saq aquifer, researchers found, possibly due to changes the desert kingdom implemented — such as banning the growth of some water-intensive crops — to its farming practices in recent decades to curb water use.

The Bangkok basin in Thailand is another example the study highlighted where groundwater levels rose in the early 21st century compared to previous decades. The authors cited groundwater pumping fees and licenses established by the Thai government as possible reasons for the improvement.

And outside Tucson, Arizona, they pointed to a groundwater recharge project — in which surface water from the Colorado River is banked underground — as another example where groundwater levels have risen considerably in the 21st century.

“That means there is an ability to act, but also lessons to be learned,” Taylor said.

Hydrologists, policy makers and other water experts often describe groundwater as a local or hyper-local resource, because of the huge differences in how water moves through rocks and soils in individual aquifers.

“You can’t extrapolate from one region to another, but you can clearly map the fact that we are depleting faster than we are accreting,” said Felicia Marcus, a former top water official in California and a fellow at Stanford University’s Water in the West Program who was not involved in the research.

That, said Marcus, means “you’ve got to intervene.”