Several prominent musicians and the estates of late artists have publicly objected to former President Donald Trump’s use of their songs at campaign events, sparking a widespread dispute over copyright and artistic control.
Katy Perry, Celine Dion, and Phil Collins are among the artists who have explicitly condemned Trump for using their music without permission. The Smiths halted the use of their song "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want," while Dion withdrew "My Heart Will Go On" from his campaign playlists. Collins demanded the removal of "In The Air Tonight." Other well-known acts, including Black Sabbath and Kenny Loggins, have similarly rejected the use of their work.
The estates of deceased musicians have also taken a stand. Among them are the representatives for Prince, George Harrison, Tom Petty, Leonard Cohen, Luciano Pavarotti, and Sinead O’Connor. These estates objected to Trump incorporating those artists’ songs in his political events. In one notable legal action, the estate of Isaac Hayes filed a $3 million lawsuit against Trump in 2024 for unauthorized use of the track "Hold On I’m Coming," ultimately reaching an out-of-court settlement.
Many musicians condemned specific uses of their songs in politically sensitive contexts. Adele blocked the use of “Rolling In The Deep” and “Skyfall,” while Radiohead opposed “Let Down” being featured in an immigration-related video. Neil Young prohibited “Rockin’ in the Free World,” and The Rolling Stones resisted the usage of both “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and “Sympathy for the Devil.” Rihanna stopped Trump from playing “Don’t Stop the Music,” Steven Tyler barred Aerosmith’s “Livin’ on the Edge,” and ABBA prevented several of their hits, including “Dancing Queen” and “Money, Money, Money,” from being used at rallies.
Some artists expressed strong moral objections to their music’s association with Trump’s policies. For instance, Alicia Keys denounced the use of her song in videos related to immigration arrests, describing it as supporting an “inhumane agenda.” Kesha called out the White House after her track “Blow” was featured in a TikTok video highlighting missile strikes, labeling those behind it as “perverts.”
Despite these confrontations, Trump’s personal musical preferences reportedly favor 1970s pop and Broadway tunes, with him citing artists such as Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, and Elton John as favorites. However, Elton John has also objected to the use of his songs “Rocket Man” and “Tiny Dancer” at Trump events.
Some musicians, including Kanye West, Kid Rock, and Billy Ray Cyrus, have voiced support for Trump or refrained from criticizing him, aligning with his policies or overlooking his controversies.
According to White House communications director Steven Cheung, the disputes over song usage may be a deliberate strategy. Cheung suggested that Trump’s team anticipates the public backlash, seeing it as a way to generate attention and engagement among his core supporters. “This just gives us more attention and more view counts to our videos because people want to see what they are bitching about,” Cheung said, implying that the controversies serve to amplify campaign visibility.
As the conflicts over music rights continue, the episode underscores the complex intersection of art, politics, and intellectual property in contemporary political campaigning.