Foo Fighters have expressed their displeasure following Donald Trump’s use of one of their tracks during his presidential campaign.
The renowned rock group had their song, My Hero, resonate loudly as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stepped onto the platform at Mr. Trump’s campaign event in Arizona on Friday, subsequent to the former president introducing him.
Mr. Kennedy, the son of presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of President John F. Kennedy, arrived at the gathering just after announcing he was suspending his independent presidential campaign to endorse Mr. Trump in specific states.
When inquired on social platforms if they had authorized Mr. Trump to utilize the 1997 song, Foo Fighters’ official Twitter account curtly replied: “No”.
Foo Fighters performing at a festival in Denmark in July. Pic: AP
The rock ensemble also shared a screenshot of their response on their X page, captioning it with “let us clarify”.
A representative for the band informed the PA news agency: “Foo Fighters were not approached for approval, and if they had been, it would have been denied.”
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The group joins an extensive list of artists who have voiced their objection to Mr. Trump utilizing their music without prior consent.
Among those making a stand are:
The pop icon criticized him for incorporating her iconic track My Heart Will Go On in a campaign rally earlier this month.
Her management team issued a statement on behalf of the Canadian singer and her record label asserting that the use of the melody was “in no manner” authorized, adding: “… And honestly, THAT song?”
The Smiths
This year, The Smiths’ guitarist Johnny Marr lambasted Mr. Trump after the band’s classic Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want was featured at a rally.
In response to a video capturing the song playing in the background of one of Trump’s rallies, Marr exclaimed: “Ahh…right…OK. I never in a million years would have thought this could happen. Shut this down immediately.”
The family of the late artist Tom Petty issued a cease and desist notice to Mr. Trump in 2020 following his use of the hit I Won’t Back Down at a comeback rally in Oklahoma.
In a harsh statement, Petty’s family expressed that the song was crafted “for the everyday person” and they wished to prevent its use for a “campaign of hate”.
The legendary British band threatened legal action against Mr. Trump after he played You Can’t Always Get What You Want at a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2020.
They had been dispatching cease and desist letters to his campaign team since 2016.
The singer-songwriter sought legal recourse against Mr. Trump’s re-election campaign in 2020 for copyright violations, alleging unauthorized usage of his music at the president’s rallies.
In court proceedings, Young protested that Rockin’ In The Free World and Devil’s Sidewalk were played “numerous times at rallies and political events for the entertainment and amusement of attendees”.
Nonetheless, his lawsuit was later dismissed with prejudice, barring it from being refiled, with uncertainties surrounding whether the case had been resolved.
Linkin Park
The American band issued a cease-and-desist order in 2020 after their song In The End was featured in a video endorsing the then-president.
X, previously known as Twitter, removed the video shortly after its posting, citing a copyright infringement complaint.
Black Sabbath
Band member Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne delivered a reprimand to Mr. Trump in 2019, forbidding him from using Black Sabbath’s music in his campaign content after he utilized the track Crazy Train without authorization.
In 2018, the band’s lead vocalist Steven Tyler addressed a letter to the then-president commanding him to refrain from playing their songs at political rallies after their 1993 hit Livin’ On The Edge was featured at a West Virginia rally.
The vocalist had earlier sent two cease-and-desist letters in 2015 regarding the unauthorized use of Aerosmith’s music.
Mr. Trump’s campaign playlist included the late artist’s signature song Purple Rain during the lead-up to the November 2018 midterm elections, prompting a backlash from his family.
Omarr Baker, Prince’s half-brother, tweeted: “The Prince Estate has never granted permission to President Trump or The White House to use Prince’s compositions and has asked that they cease all utilization immediately.”
The R&B artist issued a cease-and-desist notice when he played her 2007 hit Don’t Stop The Music at an event in Tennessee in 2018.
In reaction to a tweet describing her song being played “as aides toss free Trump T-shirts into the crowd”, the SOS singer stated: “Not for much longer… neither I nor my team would ever be present at or near one of those unfortunate rallies, so thanks for the alert Philip!”
