Donald Trump’s song of the summer? At this point, it’s probably total silence after a number of musicians denied his campaign the use of their music in August. The Republican presidential nominee received multiple cease and desists and lawsuit threats in recent weeks and irked even more performers as he ramped up his campaign against Vice-President Kamala Harris. Trump is no stranger to riling musicians — his past campaigns got him on the bad side of the Rolling Stones, Neil Young, and even Adele. Now, he’s only adding to the list as artists like Beyoncé and Foo Fighters say his campaign didn’t have permission to use their music and are threatening lawsuits. Next week, his campaign will appear in court for the first time over alleged unauthorized use of Sam & Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Coming.” Below, all the musicians who have refused to be on his playlist.
Isaac Hayes
The estate of songwriter Isaac Hayes doesn’t want the Trump campaign leaning on his songs when times are bad. Isaac Hayes III, son of the Stax Records writer, asserted on August 3 that Trump doesn’t have permission to use Sam & Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Coming,” which his father wrote with longtime partner David Porter. “Donald Trump represents the worst in honesty, integrity and class and want no association with his campaign of hate and racism,” Hayes tweeted, adding that he would be taking legal action. Hayes later told The Hollywood Reporter that the Trump campaign had used “Hold On” at least 135 times in the past few years and that he was especially disturbed to see Trump dance to the song at an NRA rally. Soon, Hayes will face the Trump campaign in court, as a judge has granted him an emergency hearing over the copyright complaint. Hayes is asking Trump to stop using the song, release a public statement, and pay $3 million in licensing fees. The hearing is set for September 3 in Atlanta in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
Once again, the estate and family of @isaachayes DID NOT approve the use of “Hold on I’m coming’” written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter by Donald Trump tonight in Atlanta.
— Isaac Hayes III (@IsaacHayes3) August 4, 2024
We and our partners at @primarywave are taking legal action to stop the unauthorized use of this song.…
Céline Dion
The song from Titanic isn’t exactly the sort of confidence-inspiring anthem you want for a campaign. But Céline Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” was on the playlist before Trump took the stage in Bozeman, Montana, on August 9. Dion’s team soon spoke out against Trump’s using her music. “In no way is this use authorized and Céline Dion does not endorse this or any similar use,” her team said in a statement. “… And really, that song?”
Today, Celine Dion’s management team and her record label, Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., became aware of the unauthorized usage of the video, recording, musical performance, and likeness of Celine Dion singing “My Heart Will Go On” at a Donald Trump / JD Vance campaign… pic.twitter.com/28CYLFvgER
— Celine Dion (@celinedion) August 10, 2024
Beyoncé
Early in Harris’s campaign, Beyoncé gave the vice-president permission to use her song “Freedom” featuring Kendrick Lamar. But Trump doesn’t have that same freedom. After spokesperson Steven Cheung posted a video of Trump walking off his set to “Freedom” on August 20, Beyoncé’s label and publisher sent a cease and desist to the Trump campaign, saying it didn’t have permission, Rolling Stone reported. By August 21, Cheung had taken down the post and later told CNN he wanted to goad Democrats with it. “The purpose of the post just proved the point that Democrats are all about banning things, including freedom,” he said. “They fell for it hook, line, and sinker.” CNN also reported the Trump campaign had used “Texas Hold ’Em” at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on July 31.
Foo Fighters
This was a one-two punch: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took the stage to the Foo Fighters song “My Hero” to endorse Trump on August 23, the day he dropped out of the presidential race. A rep for the band later told CNN they weren’t asked for permission to use the song “and if they were they would not have granted it.” A Trump spokesperson told the Independent the campaign did have permission to use the song, and the outlet reported the campaign appeared to have a license to use it through the rights company BMI. Foo Fighters vowed to donate any proceeds from their fight over the song to the Harris-Walz campaign.
ABBA
Trump played multiple ABBA songs, including “The Winner Takes It All” and “Dancing Queen,” during an August 27 rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and even used footage of the band in a donation message. It didn’t take long for ABBA to say “I Don’t, I Don’t, I Don’t, I Don’t, I Don’t” about wanting to be associated with the Trump campaign. Universal Music Group told the Guardian Trump had not gotten permission to use ABBA’s songs or videos and requested that they “be immediately taken down and removed.” Trump’s campaign has not responded.
Jack White and the White Stripes
Jack White is no stranger to fighting Trump with his music — even once changing the lyrics to his White Stripes song “Icky Thump.” After Trump’s deputy director of communications, Margo Martin, tweeted a video of the candidate getting on a plane set to the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” on August 29, White threatened a lawsuit against the campaign. “Oh….Don’t even think about using my music you fascists,” he wrote on Instagram. “Law suit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others).” Martin has since taken down the post.
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