A major aspect of

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

's presidential election campaigns, in both his 2016 campaign, and his 2020 campaign, are his prominent and frequent

political rallies A political demonstration is an action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause or people partaking in a protest against a cause of concern; it often consists of walking in a mass march formati ...

. Below are musicians who have voiced opposition to their music being used by Trump at his rallies, or for other political purposes, and the actions they took in response to their music’s use.

Adele

Adele stated that Trump did not have permission to use her songs " Rolling in the Deep" or " Skyfall" at Trump political rallies in 2016, and requested that her music not be used in any political campaigning. Adele later endorsed Trump's 2016 opponent,

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

, instead.

Aerosmith

Steven Tyler Steven Victor Tallarico (born March 26, 1948), known professionally as Steven Tyler, is an American singer, best known as the lead singer of the Boston-based rock band Aerosmith, in which he also plays the harmonica, piano, and percussion. ...

Aerosmith Aerosmith is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Boston in 1970. The group consists of Steven Tyler (lead vocals), Joe Perry (musician), Joe Perry (guitar), Tom Hamilton (musician), Tom Hamilton (bass), Joey Kramer (drums) and Brad Whi ...

demanded that Trump stop playing " Dream On" at Trump's political rallies in 2015. In 2018, it happened again, with Tyler demanding Trump stop using another song, " Living on the Edge", at his political rallies. A

cease and desist A cease and desist letter is a document sent to an individual or business to stop alleged illegal activity. The phrase "cease and desist" is a legal doublet, made up of two near-synonyms. The letter may warn that, if the recipient does not dis ...

letter was sent both times.

The Beatles

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...

's estate denounced the use of the Harrison-written

Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...

song " Here Comes the Sun" after the Trump campaign used the song to introduce Ivanka Trump at the 2016

Republican National Convention The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the United States Republican Party. They are administered by the Republican National Committee. The goal of the Repu ...

. The estate noted that Trump did not have permission to use this song, but that they would consider allowing him to use the Harrison song " Beware of Darkness".

Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...

opposed Trump using his song "

Born in the U.S.A. ''Born in the U.S.A.'' is the seventh studio album by American recording artist Bruce Springsteen, released by Columbia Records on June 4, 1984. It topped the charts in nine countries, including the US and UK, becoming his most commercially su ...

" at Trump's political rallies in 2016. Rather than take legal action, he openly announced his support for Trump's opponent,

, and even campaigned in support of her. As a result, the song would instead get booed every time Trump would play it at rallies from that point on.

Creedence Clearwater Revival

John Fogerty John Cameron Fogerty (born May 28, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. Together with Doug Clifford, Stu Cook, and his brother Tom Fogerty Thomas Richard Fogerty (November 9, 1941 – September 6, 1990) was an American mu ...

, the frontman for the band

Creedence Clearwater Revival Creedence Clearwater Revival, also referred to as Creedence and CCR, was an American rock band formed in El Cerrito, California. The band initially consisted of lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter John Fogerty; his brother, ...

, has opposed Trump's use of the band's song " Fortunate Son". In October 2020, Fogerty announced he was sending a cease-and-desist letter to Trump, saying that Trump "is using my words and my voice to portray a message that I do not endorse". Fogerty noted that it was quite the opposite - the song's lyrics were meant as a critique of how wealthy people are unfairly able to avoid the draft or pay their share of taxes. Later on, he openly endorsed Trump's 2020 challenger, Joe Biden by launching his own

TikTok TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes. TikTok is an international version ...

account following Trump's defiance of the cease and desist order over usage of his song, "Fortunate Son".

Eddy Grant

Eddy Grant Edmond Montague Grant (born 5 March 1948) is a Guyanese-British singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known for his genre-blending sound; his music has blended elements of pop, British rock, soul, funk, reggae, electronic music, Afr ...

issued a copyright complaint over Trump's use of his song " Electric Avenue" in a political video he tweeted. The video was taken down, and a lawsuit and cease and desist followed.

Elton John

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

has opposed the use of his songs " Rocket Man" and " Tiny Dancer" at Trump political rallies in 2016. John noted that while their political views were very different, it was not personal. He believed that, as a British musician, his music had no place in US politics at all, and that someone like

Ted Nugent Theodore Anthony Nugent (; born December 13, 1948) is an American rock musician and activist. He initially gained fame as the lead guitarist and occasional lead vocalist of The Amboy Dukes, a band formed in 1963 that played psychedelic rock an ...

was more appropriate.

Everlast

Everlast Erik Francis Schrody (born August 18, 1969), known by his stage name Everlast, is an American musician, singer, rapper, and songwriter, who was the frontman for hip hop group House of Pain. He was also part of the hip hop supergroup La Coka ...

, the House of Pain rapper issued a cease and desist order over Trump's use of his song,

Jump Around "Jump Around" is a song by American hip hop group House of Pain, produced by DJ Muggs of the hip hop group Cypress Hill, who has also covered the song. It became a hit in 1992, reaching number 3 in the United States. A 1993 re-release of the ...

during his campaign rallies, and he launched a profanity-laced tirade against him.

Guns N' Roses

Axl Rose opposed the use of

Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1985. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band comprised vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKa ...

cover of the Paul McCartney and Wings song " Live and Let Die" in a meatpacking plant where Trump refused to take the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

precaution of wearing a mask. In response, Rose created shirts with the phrase "Live N’ Let Die With COVID 45", with all proceeds going to the MusiCares charity.

Isaac Hayes

On May 28, 2022, the family of

Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwri ...

blasted Trump for using the

Sam & Dave Sam & Dave were an American soul and R&B duo who performed together from 1961 until 1981. The tenor (higher) voice was Sam Moore (born 1935) and the baritone/tenor (lower) voice was Dave Prater (1937–1988). Nicknamed "Double Dynamite", "The ...

song

Hold On, I'm Coming Hold may refer to: Physical spaces * Hold (ship), interior cargo space * Baggage hold, cargo space on an airplane * Stronghold, a castle or other fortified place Arts, entertainment, and media * Hold (musical term), a pause, also called a Fermat ...

at a

National Rifle Association The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent Gun politics in the United States, gun rights ...

convention: "The estate and family of Isaac Hayes DID NOT approve and would NEVER approve the use of “Hold on I’m coming” by Sam and Dave by Donald Trump at this weekends @NRA convention. Our condolences go out to the victims and families of #Uvalde and mass shooting victims everywhere." Song co-writer David Porter also objected to the use of the song, stating on Twitter, "Someone shared with me Donald Trump used the song “Hold On I’m Coming” for a speaking appearance of his. Hell to the No! I did Not and would NOT approve of them using the song for any of his purposes! I also know Isaac’s estate wouldn’t approve as well! #Memphis #Music #Grammy"

Leonard Cohen

On August 28, 2020, the Cohen estate issued a statement criticizing Trump's unauthorized use of Leonard Cohen's "

Hallelujah ''Hallelujah'' ( ; he, ''haləlū-Yāh'', meaning "praise Yah") is an interjection used as an expression of gratitude to God. The term is used 24 times in the Hebrew Bible (in the book of Psalms), twice in deuterocanonical books, and four tim ...

" at the

. They said they specifically rejected permission for its use, and would have only realistically considered approving Cohen's song "

You Want It Darker ''You Want It Darker'' is the fourteenth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, released on October 21, 2016, by Columbia Records, 17 days before Cohen's death. The album was created at the end of his life and focuses on death ...

Linkin Park

On July 18, 2020, Trump retweeted a fan-made re-election campaign video ad featuring a cover of

Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. The band's current lineup comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn and drummer ...

's " In the End". Twitter received a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice from the band's management company, Machine Shop Entertainment, and the video was pulled. Linkin Park followed up with a response, "Linkin Park did not and does not endorse Trump, nor authorize his organization to use any of our music. A cease and desist has been issued." The late lead singer, Chester Bennington, had before called Trump a "greater threat to the USA than terrorism."

Luciano Pavarotti

Family members of Italian opera singer

Luciano Pavarotti Luciano Pavarotti (, , ; 12 October 19356 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed tenors of all time. He made numerou ...

protested the use of his recording of " Nessun Dorma" at Trump's rallies (which ends with the chant "I will win".) Pavarotti's widow and three daughters objected, stating that Trump's views on immigration were incompatible with Pavarotti's efforts as

United Nations Messenger of Peace United Nations Messenger of Peace is a special post-nominal honorific title of authority bestowed by the United Nations to "distinguished individuals, carefully selected from the fields of art, music, literature and sports, who have agreed to help f ...

, which had raised large amounts of money for the support of immigrants and refugees.

Neil Young

Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian-American singer and songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, joining Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Richie Furay ...

has indicated multiple times that he does not approve of the use of his song " Rockin' in the Free World" at Trump rallies, which has been done since 2015. Young conceded he had no legal grounds to oppose the song's use, but in 2020 he wrote a scathing open letter directed at Trump that stated: "Every time 'Rockin’ in the Free World' or one of my songs is played at your rallies, I hope you hear my voice. Remember it is the voice of a tax-paying U.S. citizen who does not support you. Me." He later objected to the use of the song in Trump's speech at Mount Rushmore on the Fourth of July of the same year.

Nickelback

Nickelback indicated that they did not support Trump's use of their song "

Photograph A photograph (also known as a photo, image, or picture) is an image created by light falling on a photosensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic image sensor, such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are now create ...

". When Trump tweeted a doctored version of the song and music video on Twitter, the band's record label,

Warner Music Group Warner Music Group Corp. ( d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and t ...

, issued a

copyright A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, education ...

claim, leading to the video being taken down. Sales of the real version of the song jumped over 500% in the days afterwards despite the takedown.

Nico Vega

Nico Vega criticized a "fight for Trump" video, shared by President Donald Trump on twitter 20 December 2020, for using their song " Beast". "To be clear, Nico Vega does not support the use of our song "Beast" in Trump's recent video, We have love and empathy for all people of all backgrounds, races and beliefs, and we feel sick how all Americans' fears and vulnerabilities have been exploited over the last four years, We will not participate in a form of propaganda that pits Americans against one another." On December 23, 2020 Billboard Magazine reported that Nico Vega dropped a "Cease and Desis" Playlist on Spotify which listed all the songs and bands who had opposed Trump's use of their songs at rallies or in campaign videos.

Panic! at the Disco

Brendon Urie of

Panic! at the Disco Panic! at the Disco is the solo project of American musician Brendon Urie. It was originally a pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2004 by childhood friends Urie, Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith, and Brent Wilson. They recorded their firs ...

demanded that Trump stop using his song " High Hopes" at Trump's political rallies in 2020, releasing a brief statement of "Donald Trump represents nothing we stand for...Dear Trump Campaign, F--- you. You're not invited. Stop playing my song. No thanks, Brendon Urie, Panic! At The Disco & company".

Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom he ...

opposed Trump's playing of his song "

Happy Happiness, in the context of mental or emotional states, is positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Other forms include life satisfaction, well-being, subjective well-being, flourishing and eudaimonia. Sinc ...

" at rallies, including one held just hours after the 2018

Pittsburgh synagogue shooting The Pittsburgh synagogue shooting was an antisemitic terrorist attack which took place at the Tree of Life – Or L'Simcha Congregation synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. The congregation, alo ...

. Williams' legal team threatened legal action, claiming its use without permission copyright and trademark infringement.

Phil Collins

Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English singer, musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and lead singer of the rock band Genesis and also has a career as a solo performer. Between 1982 and ...

' legal team sent a cease and desist order to Trump's campaign after the unauthorized use of " In the Air Tonight" at a rally at Des Moines, Iowa on October 14, 2020.

Prince

The estate of

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

condemned Trump's use of his song " Purple Rain" at a rally in 2019. In response, the estate shared a letter from the Trump campaign from 2018 that had promised not to use Prince's music, because they had not received the rights from the estate, showing they had official documentation of acknowledgement that they did not have the rights to play the music.

Queen

Brian May of

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

opposed Trump's use of " We Are the Champions" as his "

theme song Theme music is a musical composition that is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at so ...

" while walking out to the

in 2016. He denounced its use as unauthorized, where permission was neither sought nor given, and that they were looking at taking further steps should the band's music be used any further by his campaign.

R.E.M

R.E.M R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternativ ...

has opposed the use of their music by Trump on a number of occasions. In 2015, vocalist Michael Stipe voiced opposition of " It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" at Trump rallies, stating "Do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign." In 2019, bassist

Mike Mills Michael Edward Mills (born December 17, 1958) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and composer who was a founding member of the alternative rock band R.E.M. Though known primarily as the bass guitarist and backing vocalist of R.E.M., hi ...

spoke out about Trump's promotion of a video containing the unauthorized use of the song " Everybody Hurts", urging Twitter to take it down, which it eventually did. Later in 2020, Mills threatened legal action over using "Everybody Hurts" and "

Losing My Religion "Losing My Religion" is a song by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in February 1991 as the first single from the group's seventh album, '' Out of Time'' (1991). Built on a mandolin riff, the song was an unlikely hit for the group ...

" at Trump's rallies.

Rihanna

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...

threatened legal action against Trump for the unauthorized use of her song " Don't Stop the Music" at Trump rallies in 2018. Her legal team released a comment that Rihanna has no association or affiliation with Trump, and she did not support his campaign.

The Rolling Stones

Both

Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...

and Keith Richards of

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

oppose Trump's use of the song "

You Can't Always Get What You Want "You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones on their 1969 album ''Let It Bleed''. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it was named as the 100th greatest song of all time by ''Rolling Stone'' ...

". The band sent him

letters about its use in 2016, and upon Trump using it again in June 2020, the band teamed up with

Broadcast Music, Inc. Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) is a performance rights organization in the United States. It collects blanket license fees from businesses that use music, entitling those businesses to play or sync any songs from BMI's repertoire of over 20.6 milli ...

to threaten legal action if the song is used again.

Tom Petty

The family of

Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American musician who was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. He previously led the band Mudcrutch, was a member of the lat ...

denounced Trump's use of the song "

I Won't Back Down "I Won't Back Down" is a song by American rock musician Tom Petty. It was released in April 1989 as the lead single from his first solo album, ''Full Moon Fever''. The song was co-written by Petty and Jeff Lynne, also his writing partner for the ...

" at political rallies in 2020. The family sent the campaign a

letter, stating that the song was written for the "

underdog An underdog is a person or group in a competition, usually in sports and creative works, who is largely expected to lose. The party, team, or individual expected to win is called the favorite or top dog. In the case where an underdog wins, the ...

" and " common man", and that Trump did not represent either.

Village People

In June 2020 Village People frontman

Victor Willis Victor Edward Willis (born July 1, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is the founding member of the disco group Village People. He performed as their lead singer and was co-songwriter for all of their most successful singles. ...

asked that Trump no longer use any of his music at his rallies, particularly the songs " Macho Man" and "

Y.M.C.A. YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...

" After a cease-and-desist order by Willis, usage continued.

Scorpio Music Scorpio Music is a French music label headquartered in Paris. The company was founded by Henri Belolo in 1976,Scorpio Music

, Village People's label, are considering legal action against Trump for using "Y.M.C.A." at his rallies.

The White Stripes

Following a political ad for the Trump campaign using the song "

Seven Nation Army "Seven Nation Army" is a song by American rock duo the White Stripes. It is the opening track on their fourth studio album, ''Elephant'' (2003). V2 Records released the song to American alternative radio on February 17, 2003, as the lead single f ...

" by The White Stripes in October 2016, lead singer Jack White and his former wife and drummer,

Meg White Megan Martha White (born December 10, 1974) is an American former musician and singer who was the drummer of Detroit rock duo The White Stripes. Her music career began when, on a whim, she played on her future White Stripes bandmate Jack White' ...

, issued a statement that they did not give permission for Trump to use their music, nor were they implying their support for him. The record label Third Man Records asked Trump not to use The White Stripes, or any of Third Man Records material for his rallies. In the weeks following, they also released merchandise referencing their final studio album '' Icky Thump'', renaming it "Icky Trump", and including altered lyrics related to the ideologies of Trump and his supporters.

References

{{Trump presidency Trump administration controversies Lists of musicians Music controversies