The Many, Many Musicians Who Have Told Politicians to Stop Using Their Songs

Mar. 15, 2025

Celine Dion; Isaac Hayes; Donald Trump.Photo:Cindy Ord/Getty; Marsaili McGrath/Getty; Joe Raedle/Getty

Cindy Ord/Getty; Marsaili McGrath/Getty; Joe Raedle/Getty

Céline DionwantsDonald Trumpto stop using her music — and she’s not the only one.

The renowned superstar is hardly the first musician to request such a thing, as many have also slammed the former U.S. president for using their songs during his campaign rallies this year. Some havedirectly addressed Trump, while others’teamsandestateshave issued formal statements demanding the 2024 Republican presidential nominee stop using their catalogs during his third bid for president — some even threatened legal action.

Below is a loosely chronological list of musicians who have told Trump, and other politicians, to stop rocking (in the free world) to their hit songs. (Note: we’re not discriminating between artists who have issued the terse-if-diplomatic “This candidate didn’t ask our permission” statement and artists who flat-out told a candidate to stop using their music.)

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

The Boss has frequently gone to the mat for his music, having toldRonald Reagan,Bob Doleand Pat Buchanan (in 1984, 1996 and 2000, respectively) to drop “Born in the U.S.A.” from their campaigns. What’s weird is that none of them have picked up on the fact that the song is a barely veiled critique of the U.S.’ lack of support for veterans.

John Mellencamp, “Pink Houses” and “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.”

Mellencamp also turned down Reagan in 1984; the Gipper wanted to use “Pink Houses.” And he toldGeorge W. BushandJohn McCainthey weren’t entitled to “R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.” in 2000 and 2008, respectively.

Sam & Dave, “Soul Man”

Quick, what’s the first thing that you think of when you envision Bob Dole: Is it “Soul Man?” Regardless, Dole was using the song during his 1996 campaign when Sam & Dave told him to cut it out.

Sam & Dave, “Hold On, I’m Coming”

The duo also told former presidentBarack Obamahe wasn’t allowed to use their song “Hold On, I’m Coming” in 2008.

Tom Petty, “I Won’t Back Down”

Bush the younger didn’t fare much better than his dad in his attempts to find a campaign soundtrack. Not only didTom Pettytell him to stop using his music in 2000, but so did Mellencamp and Sting, although the former was the only one tothreaten legal action.

Sting, “Brand New Day”

Though to be fair,Stingalso discouraged Al Gore from using his song “Brand New Day.”

Orleans, “Still the One”

Boston, “More Than a Feeling”

Boston had more than a feeling that Mike Huckabee shouldn’t be using their song during his 2008 campaign. (They had a cease-and-desist letter.)

Many artists, to John McCain

McCain had a hard time putting together a campaign mixtape in 2008. Not only did Mellencamp shoot him down for “Pink Houses” (and “Our Country”), but so did Heart (“Barracuda”), Jackson Browne (“Running on Empty”),Bon Jovi(“Who Says You Can’t Go Home”), Van Halen (“Right Now”), Petty (“Won’t Back Down,” again) andABBA(“Take a Chance on Me”).

Rush, “Tom Sawyer”

Avowed Libertarian Rand Paul is also a big Rush fan, which comes as no surprise – the group used Libertarian icon Ayn Rand as early inspiration. But they’re not really fans of his, and have warned him about using both “Tom Sawyer” and “The Spirit of Radio” during his campaigns.

Survivor, “Eye of the Tiger”

Survivor objected to Newt Gingrich using their iconic song in 2012, though Gingrich’s campaign manager looked to The Heavy’s “How You Like Me Now,” but the British band also turned him down.

Several artists, to Mitt Romney

Tom Petty, “American Girl”

Michele Bachmann (remember her?) got some mileage out of Petty’s “American Girl” in 2012 before he told her to stop.

Katrina and the Waves, “Walking on Sunshine”

Katrina and the Waves also emerged from obscurity to tell Bachmann to quit using “Walking on Sunshine.”

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

The Irish (and pro-union) punk group told Wisconsin Governor and (anti-union) presidential hopeful Scott Walker to stop using their song in the bluntest way possible: a since-deleted X (formerly Twitter) post saying, “We literally hate you.”

Axwell & Ingrosso, ‘Something New’

EDM superstars Axwell & Ingrosso came out against Marco Rubio using their song “Something New” in January 2015, though he’s also mentioned being a fan of David Guetta and Swedish House Mafia, so maybe there’s hope for a Rubio/EDM mashup yet.

Several artists, to Donald Trump

Finding Trumpa campaign soundtrackhas been a task through the years.Adele’s teamdistanced themselves from his use of both “Rolling in the Deep” and “Skyfall” at past rallies;AerosmithfrontmanSteven Tyler’s lawyers sent Trump cease-and-desist letters when he used “Dream On”; REM lead singer Michael Stipe responded with “Go f— yourself” when informed that Trump used “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)"; and Neil Young refused to allow him to use “Rockin’ in the Free World,” as well.

Oh, not to mention theRolling Stones(for “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” “Sympathy for the Devil,” and “Brown Sugar”) andElton John. John was diplomatic,saying, “I don’t want my music to be involved in anything to do with an American election campaign,” while it’s safe to say we know where the Stones would fall if Trumphadsought their permission: “Can you imagine President Trump? The worst nightmare,“Keith Richards toldBillboardin 2015.

Explosions in the Sky, “Your Hand in Mine”

Possibly because of the group’s musical placement in the Texas-centricFriday Night Lightssoundtrack, someone in Ted Cruz’s campaign thought it might be OK to use the group’s “Your Hand in Mine” in a campaign video.The band disagreed.

Steven Tyler, “Livin’ on the Edge”

After Trump used Aerosmith’s “Livin’ on the Edge” at a campaign event in Charleston, West Virginia, in August 2018, frontman Tyler sent the presidenta cease and desist letter ordering him to stop using the band’s music at his rallies.

According toCBS News, Tyler is a registered Republican. But the 76-year-old rocker says the issue “is not about Democrats vs. Republicans.” “I do not let anyone use my songs without my permission,” he said in a statement previously. “My music is for causes not political campaigns or rallies. Protecting copyright and songwriters is what I’ve been fighting for even before this current administration took office. This is one of the reasons why [Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry] and I have been pushing the Senate to pass the Music Modernization Act. NO is a complete sentence.”

This wasn’t the first time Trump has played Aerosmith’s music without its permission. Tyler also referenced two previous cease and desist letters sent to Trump in 2015 amid his presidential campaign.

Pharrell Williams, “Happy”

Pharrell Williamssent a cease-and-desist to Trumpafter the former president played his upbeat hit “Happy” at a rally that took place in the wake of the 2018Pittsburgh synagogue shootingthatkilled 11 peopleand injured six others.

Rihanna, “Don’t Stop the Music”

The “Wild Thoughts” singer discovered in November 2018 that former President Trump had been playing her songs during his political rallies, and she was less than pleased about making his playlist. She responded toWashington Postnational editor Philip Rucker’sX postabout the anomalous nature of Trump’s rallies, which read, “It’s been said a million times, but here’s a million and one — Trump’s rallies are unlike anything else in politics. Currently,Rihanna’s ‘Don’t Stop the Music’ is blaring in Chattanooga as aides toss free Trump T-shirts into the crowd, like a ball game. Everyone’s loving it.”

Rihanna, however, was not loving it, and made her displeasure known. “Not for much longer…me nor my people would ever be at or around one of those tragic rallies, so thanks for the heads up Philip!” the pop titanresponded. She alsosent Trump a cease-and-desistletter afterward.

Prince, “Purple Rain”

The late icon’s estate wasn’t happy with the former president when they found out that “Purple Rain” was played at Trump’s campaign event inPrince’s hometown of Minneapolis in October 2019. They alleged that the Trump campaign promised in October 2018 that they would not use any of the singer’s music at events.

“President Trump played Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ tonight at a campaign event in Minneapolis despite confirming a year ago that the campaign would not use Prince’s music,” Prince’s estate said in anX post. “The Prince Estate will never give permission to President Trump to use Prince’s songs.”

The estate also brought receipts, as they attached a copy of a letter from the law firm that represented Trump’s campaign in 2018 to their social media post. The letter itself stated that the campaign would “refrain from using Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ or any other Prince music, in connection with campaign rallies or other campaign events.”

The Smiths, “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want”

In January 2024, The Smiths guitaristJohnny Marrmade it clear he didn’t want his band’s music associated with Trump after sharing his thoughts about their hit “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” being played at a rally in South Dakota.

“Ahh…right…OK,” he quoted anX postwith a video from the rally. “I never in a million years would’ve thought this could come to pass. Consider this s— shut right down right now.”

Sinéad O’Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U”

Céline Dion, “My Heart Will Go On”

Céline Dion had no idea Trump was using one of her most famous songs at a campaign rally in Montana in August 2024. Her team swiftlyissued a statement on her behalf, noting that the use of her “in no way” meant she endorsed the former president’s third bid for president.

“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 rally in Montana,” astatement posted on Dion’s X pageread. “In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use.”

ABBA, “The Winner Takes It All,” “Dancing Queen” and “Money, Money, Money”

AfterABBAlearned Trump and his running mate,J.D. Vance, used a selection of their hits (including “The Winner Takes It All,” “Dancing Queen” and “Money, Money, Money”) at a July 27 rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, the Swedish group quickly moved to prevent them from doing so at all future events,Reutersreported on Aug. 29.

In a statement issued to the outlet, the group’s record label, Universal Music, stated, “Together with the members of ABBA, we have discovered that videos have been released where ABBA’s music has been used at Trump events, and we have therefore requested that such use be immediately removed and taken down.”

The band — composed of members Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad — also told Reuters no license or other form of permission had been granted to the Trump-Vance campaign.

Jack White, “Seven Nation Army”

The White Stripes’ Jack White shut down the Trump campaign’s use of his former rock duo’s track “Seven Nation Army” in no time flat.

Just hours after his campaign’s deputy director of communications, Margo Martin, shared a video of the presidential candidate boarding his jet to the hit song on Aug. 29, White took toInstagramto express his disapproval.

Alongside a screen recording the video, which Martin removed shortly after White’s post, the musician issued a heated statement in which he threatened legal action against Trump and his campaign. “Oh….Don’t even think about using my music you fascists,” he wrote. “[Lawsuit] coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others.). Have a great day at work today Margo Martin.”

source: people.com