ABBA Requests Donald Trump to Cease Use of Their Music in Campaign Events
In a significant development, the iconic Swedish pop group ABBA has formally requested that former President Donald Trump refrain from using their music during his presidential campaign. The call for an end to the unauthorized use of their songs emerged after the group learned of their music being played at a recent rally.
A representative for ABBA disclosed to CNN that the Trump campaign did not seek or secure permission from either the band or their record label, Universal Music. In a statement, the representative mentioned, “ABBA has recently discovered the unauthorized use of their music and videos at a Trump event through videos that appeared online. As a result, ABBA and its representative has promptly requested the removal and deletion of such content. No request has been received; therefore, no permission or license has been granted.”
In response, a Trump official asserted to CNN, “The campaign had a license to play ABBA music through our agreement with BMI and ASCAP.”
BMI and ASCAP, both Performance Rights Organizations based in the United States, provide licenses that are necessary for political campaigns to use music at rallies. However, legal experts have noted that artists and songwriters possess various rights of approval depending on how their songs are utilized in a rally, even if a PRO license is secured.
Attorney Heidy Vaquerano, a partner at the law firm Fox Rothschild in Los Angeles, explained that using a song in conjunction with video images may necessitate additional licensing. “The campaign would need to reach out to the respective songwriters of the musical composition through their publisher and the artist’s record label for permission. The publisher, in turn, would go to the artist for their approval for the use,” Vaquerano remarked to CNN.
ABBA’s request aligns with a growing trend, as several artists have voiced objections to Trump incorporating their music into his campaign. The rock band Foo Fighters previously stated they did not permit the use of their song “My Hero,” which was played at a rally in Arizona. A spokesperson for Trump’s campaign, Steven Cheung, maintained that they possessed a license to play the song, despite Foo Fighters clarifying that they had not been asked for permission.
This ongoing dispute exemplifies the tension between certain musicians and Trump’s campaign, which continues to face opposition from artists opposing their music being tied to Trump’s political stance. Rock musician Jack White, formerly of The White Stripes, has also criticized the Trump campaign for using his music in a social media video.
Recently, Trump’s Deputy Director of Communications Margo Martin shared a video on X of the former president boarding a plane, accompanied by The White Stripes’ hit “Seven Nation Army.” Following this, White issued a strongly-worded statement on Instagram, warning, “Don’t even think about using my music,” and expressed intentions to pursue legal action. The video was subsequently removed from Martin’s X account.
This is not the first instance where the Trump campaign has had to retract a social media video due to a star’s objection combined with threats of legal action. Earlier in the month, Cheung shared another video on X featuring Trump to the tune of Beyoncé’s “Freedom,” which was swiftly removed after her label issued a cease-and-desist notice.
CNN previously reported that Beyoncé had granted her approval for Kamala Harris to use “Freedom” as her official campaign song.
At a rally in Montana earlier this month, Celine Dion’s song and video for “My Heart Will Go On” were played, prompting her team to declare, “In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use.”
The estate of Isaac Hayes has taken legal action against Trump for using the iconic soul musician’s songs at rallies, marking the first instance of an artist pursuing legal remedies against the campaign. A hearing on the matter is slated for next week.
Historically, Trump has utilized music from artists who are not in support of him during his campaigns. Throughout his 2016 and 2020 bids, notable musicians—including Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Neil Young, Pharrell, the Rolling Stones, Adele, Guns N’ Roses, and the estates of the Beatles and Prince—have expressed their condemnation regarding the use of their music by Trump.