create a " cease - and - desist " play list is a special form of footling I was not prepared for .
Going all the way back to Donald Trump’s first presidential campaign, the music he played at his rallies consistently made news headlines, but rarely for good reasons.
A recent example is Isaac Hayes’s estate.A federal judge recently ruled the Trump campaign and other entities tied to it must stop playing the late singer’s song “Hold On, I’m Comin',“while his family sues the campaign for their use of the song.
The singer’s son, Isaac Hayes III, announced his lawsuit on X, writing, “Donald Trump, @realdonaldtrump, the RNC, Trump, Trump for President Inc. 2024, Turning Point and The NRA are required to appear in court September 3rd, 2024 at the Northern U.S. District Federal Court in Atlanta. See you in court.”
🚨 break 🚨 The Federal Court has grant our request for an Emergency Hearing to ensure injunctive fill-in . Donald Trump,@realdonaldtrump , the RNC , Trump , Trump for President Inc. 2024 , Turning Point and The NRA are required to come along in court September 3rd , 2024 at the …
Legal expertDanny Cevallos explained to NBC thatthe venues that host these campaign rallies typically have licensing agreements with music licensing companies like ASCAP or BMI, allowing them to legally play a large catalog of songs. “But now, those companies are allowing an out. If you’re an artist and you say, ‘Hey, I know I’ve given my music over to this license, but if it’s a campaign, if it’s political, I want it out.’ And the companies are allowing that,” he said.
" Trump ’s squad is allege , ' Hey , we buy the permit , we have the license , there is a license at the locale , we ’re going to use it anyway . ' That ’s where the battle start , " Cevallos preserve .
Needless to say, this battle has spanned many years, campaigns, artists, and genres. Here are 30 artists who have condemned Trump’s use of their music at campaign rallies, events, or in campaign content over the years:
1.Abba
2.Céline Dion
Her team released a statement on X and Instagram with a cheeky question for the former president. “In no way is this use authorized and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use… and really, that song?”
Today , Celine Dion ’s direction team and her record label , Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc. , became aware of the unauthorised employment of the telecasting , transcription , musical performance , and likeness of Celine Dion vocalizing “ My Heart Will Go On ” at a Donald Trump / JD Vance campaign…pic.twitter.com/28CYLFvgER
3.Beyoncé
The singer did, however,give his opponent permission to use the song.It played at Kamala Harris’s campaign headquarters in Delaware when she formally announced she was running for president.
It also played at the DNC when she walked out on stage to formally accept the democratic party’s nomination.
And it was the song featured in her first campaign video.
4.Foo Fighters
5.The White Stripes
White shared a screenshot of the tweet to his Instagram page with a caption that said, “Oh… Don’t even think about using my music you fascists. Law suit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others.)”
6.Sinéad O’Connor’s estate
7.Village People
Her mention of the band tolerating Trump’s use of their music in the past refers to the situation that sparked this Facebook post in 2020. Trump played their music that year also, but the tone of their response was very different. They said, “Since our music is not being used for a specific endorsement, the president’s use is perfectly legal.”
8.Johnny Marr
He shared a tweet of the song playing at a rally in South Dakota saying, “Consider this shit shut right down right now.”
9.Nico Vega
10.Phil Collins
11.Tom Petty’s estate
Petty’s family issued a statement on social media. “Trump was in no way authorized to use this song to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind,” they wrote.
pic.twitter.com/mxToRoHWNn
A former member of Petty’s band also chimed in with a statement, “I in no way approve of Trump even whistling any piece of music associated with our band. I hope that’s clear enough,” he said.
12.John Fogerty
Fogerty released a statement on X saying, “He is using my words and my voice to portray a message that I do not endorse.”
Then, in 2021,Fogerty expressed his distaste for Trump in his first song release in eight years. The song was called,“Weeping in the Promised Land.“It was about Fogerty’s experience living through 2020. He called Trump a “fork-tongued pharaoh.”
13.The Rolling Stones
In 2020, music rights management companyBMI released a statement to CNNon the band’s behalf, explaining that Trump’s campaign has a “political entities license.” That means they can legally play the 15 million songs in BMI’s catalog at campaign rallies.
" There is a provision , however , that allows BMI to exclude musical work from the license if a songwriter or publisher objects to its consumption by a campaign … BMI has received such an remonstrance and sent a letter apprise the Trump campaign that the Rolling Stones ’ works have been removed from the campaign license , and advising the campaign that any future use of these musical composition will be in severance of its license understanding with BMI . ”
14.Prince’s estate
In a statement on X, his family said doing this contradicted a commitment Trump already made not to use Prince’s music. “Prince Estate will never give permission to President Trump to use Prince’s songs,” they wrote.
President Trump played Prince ’s “ Purple Rain ” tonight at a drive event in Minneapolis despite confirming a year ago that the campaign would not use Prince ’s music . The Prince Estate will never give permission to President Trump to utilise Prince ’s songs.pic.twitter.com/FuMUPzSWOe
15.Queen
16.Linkin Park
The group had the video removed, and said in a statement, “Linkin Park did not and does not endorse Trump, nor authorize his organization to use any of our music.”
Linkin Park did not and does not second Trump , nor authorize his organization to use any of our music . A cease and refrain has been issued .
17.Eddy Grant
18.Twisted Sister
19.The O’Jays
20.House of Pain
21.Free
Paul Rodgers, the lead singer for the British rock band, said on X, “Permission to use ‘All Right Now’ was never sought for or granted by me. My lawyer is dealing with this matter.”
permit to use " All powerful Now " was never seek for or cede by me . My lawyer is dealing with this thing . - Paul
22.Earth, Wind & Fire
The group reposted a tweet from Queen and said, “Another unauthorized use (September) at the Republican Convention, against our wishes.”
Another unauthorized use ( September ) at the Republican Convention , against our wishes - ground , Wind & Firehttps://t.co/GV48JxcbGz
23.Rihanna
Rihanna also made her feelings clear on X before sending the cease-and-desist.
Not for much longer … me nor my mass would ever be at or around one of those tragical rally , so thanks for the straits up philip!https://t.co / dRgRi06GrJ
24.R.E.M.
Finally, in 2020, bassist Mike Mills tweeted that the band was considering legal action after Trump played their songs “Everybody Hurts” and “Losing My Religion” at a rally. “We are exploring all legal avenues to prevent this, but if that’s not possible please know that we do not condone the use of our music by this fraud and con man.”
We are cognizant that the President*@realDonaldTrumpcontinues to use our euphony at his rallies . We are exploring all legal avenues to prevent this , but if that ’s not possible please hump that we do not condone the use of goods and services of our music by this fraud and con man .
25.Aerosmith
Tyler tweeted that this wasn’t a political issue for him, “Protecting copyright and songwriters is what I’ve been fighting for even before this current administration took office.”
THIS IS NOT ABOUT DEMS VS . REPUB . I DO NOT have ANYONE expend MY SONGS WITHOUT MY PERMISSION . MY MUSIC IS FOR causal agency NOT FOR POLITICAL campaign OR rallying . PROTECTING COPYRIGHT AND SONGWRITERS IS WHAT I’VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR EVEN BEFORE THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION TOOK OFFICE .
In a second tweet he concluded, “No is a complete sentence.”
THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY@JOEPERRYAND I HAVE BEEN push THE SENATE TO PASS THE MUSIC MODERNIZATION ACT.NO IS A COMPLETE SENTENCE .
26.Neil Young
27.Elton John
28.Adele
29.Pharrell Williams
30.A-ha
There’s also Panic! At The Disco, Ozzy Osbourne, Guns N' Roses, Leonard Cohen’s estate, and George Harrison’s estate,who had hilarious responses.
For more on the 2024 election, clickhere.
