NEW YORK (AP) — After a video of Celine Dion’s performance of “My Heart Will Go On” at a Donald Trump campaign rally in Bozeman, Montana, last weekend, the response from the Canadian artist’s team, who recently shone at the Opening of the 2024 Paris Olympics , was swift. PUBLICIDAD “In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use,” reads a statement posted on social media. “.
.. And really, THAT song?” PUBLICIDAD Which artists have said no to Donald Trump? Dion joins a long list of artists who have opposed Trump using their songs.
Prior to the 2020 elections, the list included Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Pharrell, John Fogerty, Neil Young, Eddy Grant, Panic! at the Disco, R.E.M.
and Guns N' Roses. It also has heirs of deceased artists, such as Leonard Cohen, Tom Petty, and Prince, as well as English artists like The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Adele. The British band The Smiths' song "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" was played at some of Trump's events, including a rally in Rapid City, South Dakota last September and in January of this year at a rally in Laconia, New Hampshire.
In X, The Smiths' guitarist Johnny Marr wrote: "Ahh...
Right...
Okay. Never in a million years would I have thought this could happen. Consider this s*** ended right now.
" In 2022, David Porter, one of the composers behind "Hold On, I'm Coming" by Sam and Dave, tweeted "To hell with the NO!", after learning that Trump used the song at a National Rifle Association (NRA) rally. But Sam Moore of Sam and Dave performed "America the Beautiful" at a concert prior to Trump's inauguration. On Monday, the son of the late soul singer Isaac Hayes announced on social media that he and his family have threatened to take legal action against Trump "for 134 counts of copyright infringement for the unauthorized use of the song 'Hold On I'm Coming' at campaign rallies from 2022 to 2024.
" However, Trump has gained the approval of some famous musicians, including Kid Rock and Lee Greenwood, known for his patriotic anthem, "God Bless the USA". Also heard at Trump's rally on Thursday in Asheville, North Carolina was Village People's "Y.M.
C.A." Can artists legally oppose their songs being used in political campaigns? Yes, but artists rarely have complete control over where, when, and how their music is played.
The performing rights organizations representing the most recognizable recorded music - ASCAP and BMI - require political campaigns to obtain licenses that allow them to use large amounts of songs from their vast catalogs. This means that a political campaign does not have to negotiate individually for each song used. If a political license is acquired, artists can object to its use, and the song is removed from the license.
The problem, of course, is that not all campaigns immediately address those requests. Few cases escalate to the point of litigation, but it is not unheard of: Neil Young filed a lawsuit in August 2020 for the use of his music in Trump's campaign, including "Rockin' in the Free World." He later voluntarily dismissed the case "with prejudice," which means it cannot be refiled.
Eddy Grant sued Trump in September for the use of his 1980s hit “Electric Avenue” in an animated video for Trump’s campaign that mocked Joe Biden..
