Céline Dion needs Donald Trump to cease utilizing her music — and he or she’s not the one one.
The famend celebrity is hardly the primary musician to request such a factor, as many have additionally slammed the previous U.S. president for utilizing their songs throughout his marketing campaign rallies this yr. Some have instantly addressed Trump, whereas others’ groups and estates have issued formal statements demanding the 2024 Republican presidential nominee cease utilizing their catalogs throughout his third bid for president — some even threatened authorized motion.
Beneath is a loosely chronological listing of musicians who’ve advised Trump, and different politicians, to cease rocking (within the free world) to their hit songs. (Word: we’re not discriminating between artists who’ve issued the terse-if-diplomatic “This candidate didn’t ask our permission” assertion and artists who flat-out advised a candidate to cease utilizing their music.)
Bruce Springsteen, “Born in the united statesA.”
The Boss has ceaselessly gone to the mat for his music, having advised Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole and Pat Buchanan (in 1984, 1996 and 2000, respectively) to drop “Born in the united statesA.” from their campaigns. What’s bizarre is that none of them have picked up on the truth that the tune is a barely veiled critique of the U.S.’ lack of assist for veterans.
John Mellencamp, “Pink Homes” and “R.O.C.Ok. in the united statesA.”
Mellencamp additionally turned down Reagan in 1984; the Gipper needed to make use of “Pink Homes.” And he advised George W. Bush and John McCain they weren’t entitled to “R.O.C.Ok. in the united statesA.” in 2000 and 2008, respectively.
Bobby McFerrin, “Don’t Fear, Be Completely satisfied”
George H.W. Bush’s makes an attempt to get the nation to cease worrying and be joyful in 1988 have been stymied by the tune’s author, Bobby McFerrin, who objected to Bush’s use of the tune.
Sam & Dave, “Soul Man”
Fast, what’s the very first thing that you simply consider once you envision Bob Dole: Is it “Soul Man?” Regardless, Dole was utilizing the tune throughout his 1996 marketing campaign when Sam & Dave advised him to chop it out.
Sam & Dave, “Maintain On, I’m Coming”
The duo additionally advised former president Barack Obama he wasn’t allowed to make use of their tune “Maintain On, I’m Coming” in 2008.
In August 2024, the household of Isaac Hayes — who co-wrote Sam & Dave’s 1966 tune — posted a letter on social media demanding that Trump cease utilizing the late soul singer’s tune at his rallies — the place, based on them, “Maintain On, I am Coming” has been performed 134 occasions by the Trump marketing campaign from 2022 to 2024. The household additionally threatened authorized motion.
Tom Petty, “I Gained’t Again Down”
Bush the youthful didn’t fare a lot better than his dad in his makes an attempt to discover a marketing campaign soundtrack. Not solely did Tom Petty inform him to cease utilizing his music in 2000, however so did Mellencamp and Sting, though the previous was the one one to threaten authorized motion.
Sting, “Model New Day”
Although to be honest, Sting additionally discouraged Al Gore from utilizing his tune “Model New Day.”
Orleans, “Nonetheless the One”
Bush was additionally dinged by John Corridor, the writer of soft-rockers Orleans’ hit “Nonetheless the One,” for utilizing the tune whereas campaigning for reelection in 2004.
Boston, “Extra Than a Feeling”
Boston had greater than a sense that Mike Huckabee shouldn’t be utilizing their tune throughout his 2008 marketing campaign. (They’d a cease-and-desist letter.)
Many artists, to John McCain
McCain had a tough time placing collectively a marketing campaign mixtape in 2008. Not solely did Mellencamp shoot him down for “Pink Homes” (and “Our Nation”), however so did Coronary heart (“Barracuda”), Jackson Browne (“Working on Empty”), Bon Jovi (“Who Says You Can’t Go House”), Van Halen (“Proper Now”), Petty (“Gained’t Again Down,” once more) and ABBA (“Take a Probability on Me”).
Rush, “Tom Sawyer”
Avowed Libertarian Rand Paul can also be an enormous Rush fan, which comes as no shock – the group used Libertarian icon Ayn Rand as early inspiration. However they’re not likely followers of his, and have warned him about utilizing each “Tom Sawyer” and “The Spirit of Radio” throughout his campaigns.
Survivor, “Eye of the Tiger”
Survivor objected to Newt Gingrich utilizing their iconic tune in 2012, although Gingrich’s marketing campaign supervisor appeared to The Heavy’s “How You Like Me Now,” however the British band additionally turned him down.
A number of artists, to Mitt Romney
Romney had about as onerous a time as McCain looking for appropriate marketing campaign music. He was shot down by Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider (for “We’re Not Gonna Take It”), Silversun Pickups (“Panic Swap”), Ok’Naan (“Wavin’ Flag”) and in addition Survivor (“Eye of the Tiger,” natch).
Tom Petty, “American Woman”
Michele Bachmann (keep in mind her?) received some mileage out of Petty’s “American Woman” in 2012 earlier than he advised her to cease.
Katrina and the Waves, “Strolling on Sunshine”
Katrina and the Waves additionally emerged from obscurity to inform Bachmann to give up utilizing “Strolling on Sunshine.”
Dropkick Murphys, “I am Delivery As much as Boston”
The Irish (and pro-union) punk group advised Wisconsin Governor and (anti-union) presidential hopeful Scott Walker to cease utilizing their tune within the bluntest means potential: a since-deleted X (previously Twitter) submit saying, “We actually hate you.”
Axwell & Ingrosso, ‘One thing New’
EDM superstars Axwell & Ingrosso got here out in opposition to Marco Rubio utilizing their tune “One thing New” in January 2015, although he’s additionally talked about being a fan of David Guetta and Swedish Home Mafia, so perhaps there’s hope for a Rubio/EDM mashup but.
A number of artists, to Donald Trump
Discovering Trump a marketing campaign soundtrack has been a process via the years. Adele’s workforce distanced themselves from his use of each “Rolling within the Deep” and “Skyfall” at previous rallies; Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler’s legal professionals despatched Trump cease-and-desist letters when he used “Dream On”; REM lead singer Michael Stipe responded with “Go f— your self” when knowledgeable that Trump used “It’s the Finish of the World as We Know It (And I Really feel Effective)”; and Neil Younger refused to permit him to make use of “Rockin’ within the Free World,” as nicely.
Oh, to not point out the Rolling Stones (for “You Can’t At all times Get What You Need,” “Sympathy for the Satan,” and “Brown Sugar”) and Elton John. John was diplomatic, saying, “I don’t need my music to be concerned in something to do with an American election marketing campaign,” whereas it’s secure to say we all know the place the Stones would fall if Trump had sought their permission: “Are you able to think about President Trump? The worst nightmare,” Keith Richards advised Billboard in 2015.
Explosions within the Sky, “Your Hand in Mine”
Presumably due to the group’s musical placement within the Texas-centric Friday Night time Lights soundtrack, somebody in Ted Cruz’s marketing campaign thought it may be OK to make use of the group’s “Your Hand in Mine” in a marketing campaign video. The band disagreed.
Steven Tyler, “Livin’ on the Edge”
After Trump used Aerosmith’s “Livin’ on the Edge” at a marketing campaign occasion in Charleston, West Virginia, in August 2018, frontman Tyler despatched the president a stop and desist letter ordering him to cease utilizing the band’s music at his rallies.
In accordance with CBS Information, Tyler is a registered Republican. However the 76-year-old rocker says the difficulty “shouldn’t be about Democrats vs. Republicans.” “I don’t let anybody use my songs with out my permission,” he mentioned in an announcement beforehand. “My music is for causes not political campaigns or rallies. Defending copyright and songwriters is what I’ve been combating for even earlier than this present administration took workplace. This is without doubt one of the the reason why [Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry] and I’ve been pushing the Senate to go the Music Modernization Act. NO is a whole sentence.”
This wasn’t the primary time Trump has performed Aerosmith’s music with out its permission. Tyler additionally referenced two earlier stop and desist letters despatched to Trump in 2015 amid his presidential marketing campaign.
“As we now have made clear quite a few occasions, Mr. Trump is creating the misunderstanding that our shopper has given his consent for using his music, and even that he endorses the presidency of Mr. Trump,” a letter from their lawyer learn. “Through the use of ‘Livin’ on the Edge’ with out our shopper’s permission, Mr. Trump is falsely implying that our shopper, as soon as once more, endorses his marketing campaign and/or his presidency, as evidenced by precise confusion seen from the reactions of our shopper’s followers throughout social media.”
Pharrell Williams, “Completely satisfied”
Pharrell Williams despatched a cease-and-desist to Trump after the previous president performed his upbeat hit “Completely satisfied” at a rally that befell within the wake of the 2018 Pittsburgh synagogue taking pictures that killed 11 individuals and injured six others.
“On the day of the mass homicide of 11 human beings by the hands of a deranged ‘nationalist,’ you performed his tune ‘Completely satisfied’ to a crowd at a political occasion in Indiana,” wrote Howard King, Williams’ lawyer, per USA At the moment. “There was nothing ‘joyful’ in regards to the tragedy inflicted upon our nation on Saturday and no permission was granted on your use of this tune for this objective,” the letter continued. “Demand is hereby made that you simply stop and desist from any additional unauthorized use of Pharrell Williams’ music.”
Rihanna, “Don’t Cease the Music”
The “Wild Ideas” singer found in November 2018 that former President Trump had been enjoying her songs throughout his political rallies, and he or she was lower than happy about making his playlist. She responded to Washington Submit nationwide editor Philip Rucker’s X submit in regards to the anomalous nature of Trump’s rallies, which learn, “It’s been mentioned one million occasions, however right here’s one million and one — Trump’s rallies are not like anything in politics. At the moment, Rihanna’s ‘Don’t Cease the Music’ is blaring in Chattanooga as aides toss free Trump T-shirts into the group, like a ball recreation. Everybody’s loving it.”
Rihanna, nonetheless, was not loving it, and made her displeasure recognized. “Not for for much longer…me nor my individuals would ever be at or round a kind of tragic rallies, so thanks for the heads up Philip!” the pop titan responded. She additionally despatched Trump a cease-and-desist letter afterward.
Prince, “Purple Rain”
The late icon’s property wasn’t pleased with the previous president after they came upon that “Purple Rain” was performed at Trump’s marketing campaign occasion in Prince’s hometown of Minneapolis in October 2019. They alleged that the Trump marketing campaign promised in October 2018 that they might not use any of the singer’s music at occasions.
“President Trump performed Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ tonight at a marketing campaign occasion in Minneapolis regardless of confirming a yr in the past that the marketing campaign wouldn’t use Prince’s music,” Prince’s property mentioned in an X submit. “The Prince Property won’t ever give permission to President Trump to make use of Prince’s songs.”
The property additionally introduced receipts, as they connected a duplicate of a letter from the legislation agency that represented Trump’s marketing campaign in 2018 to their social media submit. The letter itself acknowledged that the marketing campaign would “chorus from utilizing Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ or another Prince music, in reference to marketing campaign rallies or different marketing campaign occasions.”
The Smiths, “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Need”
In January 2024, The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr made it clear he did not need his band’s music related to Trump after sharing his ideas about their hit “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Need” being performed at a rally in South Dakota.
“Ahh…proper…OK,” he quoted an X submit with a video from the rally. “I by no means in one million years would’ve thought this might come to go. Contemplate this s— shut proper down proper now.”
Sinéad O’Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U”
The property of Sinéad O’Connor needed no half in Trump enjoying the late singer’s music throughout his marketing campaign rallies. They voiced their anger towards the previous president in a joint assertion in March 2024 condemning using O’Connor’s 1990 traditional “Nothing Compares 2 U,” saying, “All through her life, it’s well-known that Sinéad O’Connor lived by a fierce ethical code outlined by honesty, kindness, equity, and decency in direction of her fellow human beings.”
“It was with outrage subsequently that we realized that Donald Trump has been utilizing her iconic efficiency of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ at his political rallies,” the assertion continued. “It’s no exaggeration to say that Sinéad would have been disgusted, harm, and insulted to have her work misrepresented on this means by somebody who she herself known as a ‘biblical satan.'”
Céline Dion, “My Coronary heart Will Go On”
Céline Dion had no concept Trump was utilizing one among her most well-known songs at a marketing campaign rally in Montana in August 2024. Her workforce swiftly issued an announcement on her behalf, noting that using her “under no circumstances” meant she endorsed the previous president’s third bid for president.
“At the moment, Celine Dion’s administration workforce and her file label, Sony Music Leisure Canada Inc., turned conscious of the unauthorized utilization of the video, recording, musical efficiency, and likeness of Celine Dion singing ‘My Coronary heart Will Go On’ at a Donald Trump / JD Vance marketing campaign rally in Montana,” an announcement posted on Dion’s X web page learn. “Under no circumstances is that this use licensed, and Celine Dion doesn’t endorse this or any related use.”
ABBA, “The Winner Takes It All,” “Dancing Queen” and “Cash, Cash, Cash”
After ABBA realized Trump and his working mate, J.D. Vance, used a choice of their hits (together with “The Winner Takes It All,” “Dancing Queen” and “Cash, Cash, Cash”) at a July 27 rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, the Swedish group rapidly moved to stop them from doing so in any respect future occasions, Reuters reported on Aug. 29.
In an announcement issued to the outlet, the group’s file label, Common Music, acknowledged, “Along with the members of ABBA, we now have found that movies have been launched the place ABBA’s music has been used at Trump occasions, and we now have subsequently requested that such use be instantly eliminated and brought down.”
The band — composed of members Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad — additionally advised Reuters no license or different type of permission had been granted to the Trump-Vance marketing campaign.
Jack White, “Seven Nation Military”
The White Stripes’ Jack White shut down the Trump marketing campaign’s use of his former rock duo’s observe “Seven Nation Military” very quickly flat.
Simply hours after his marketing campaign’s deputy director of communications, Margo Martin, shared a video of the presidential candidate boarding his jet to the hit tune on Aug. 29, White took to Instagram to precise his disapproval.
Alongside a display recording the video, which Martin eliminated shortly after White’s submit, the musician issued a heated assertion during which he threatened authorized motion in opposition to Trump and his marketing campaign. “Oh….Do not even consider using my music you fascists,” he wrote. “[Lawsuit] coming from my legal professionals about this (so as to add to your 5 thousand others.). Have an awesome day at work immediately Margo Martin.”