Donald Trump’s song of the summer? At this point, it’s probably total silence after a number of musicians denied his campaign the use of their music in August. The Republican presidential nominee received multiple cease and desists and lawsuit threats in recent weeks and irked even more performers as he ramped up his campaign against Vice-President Kamala Harris. Trump is no stranger to riling musicians — his past campaigns got him on the bad side of the Rolling Stones, Neil Young, and even Adele. He’s only added to the list recently, as artists like Beyoncé and Foo Fighters say his campaign didn’t have permission to use their music and are threatening lawsuits.
On September 3, a judge ruled that the campaign can no longer use Sam & Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Comin’.†Trump is facing another lawsuit from Jack White over the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.†And he received a cease and desist from the estate of Leonard Cohen for being the one million bajillionth person to use “Hallelujah†for their own ends. Below, all the musicians who have refused to be on his playlist.
Isaac Hayes
The estate of songwriter Isaac Hayes doesn’t want the Trump campaign leaning on his songs when times are bad. And now a judge says it can’t. Isaac Hayes III received a preliminary injunction against Trump using Sam & Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Comin’†— which his father co-wrote with longtime partner David Porter — on September 3 in a Georgia federal court, CNN reported. However, the judge will not force the campaign to take down past uses of the song. Trump’s attorney Ronald Coleman said the campaign was “not going to force the issue†to use the song. Hayes, meanwhile, said he was “very grateful and happy†for the ruling and called on other musicians to stand up to Trump in court.
Hayes is not only asking Trump to stop using the song, but to also release a public statement and pay $3 million in licensing fees. “Donald Trump represents the worst in honesty, integrity and class and want no association with his campaign of hate and racism,†Hayes tweeted last month. He later told The Hollywood Reporter that the Trump campaign had used “Hold On†at least 135 times in the past few years and that he was especially disturbed to see Trump dance to the song at an NRA rally.
Céline Dion
The song from Titanic isn’t exactly the sort of confidence-inspiring anthem you want for a campaign. But Céline Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On†was on the playlist before Trump took the stage in Bozeman, Montana, on August 9. Dion’s team soon spoke out against Trump’s using her music. “In no way is this use authorized and Céline Dion does not endorse this or any similar use,†her team said in a statement. “… And really, that song?â€
Beyoncé
Early in Harris’s campaign, Beyoncé gave the vice-president permission to use her song “Freedom†featuring Kendrick Lamar. But Trump doesn’t have that same freedom. After spokesperson Steven Cheung posted a video of Trump walking off his set to “Freedom†on August 20, Beyoncé’s label and publisher sent a cease and desist to the Trump campaign, saying it didn’t have permission, Rolling Stone reported. By August 21, Cheung had taken down the post and later told CNN he wanted to goad Democrats with it. “The purpose of the post just proved the point that Democrats are all about banning things, including freedom,†he said. “They fell for it hook, line, and sinker.†CNN also reported the Trump campaign had used “Texas Hold ’Em†at a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on July 31.
Foo Fighters
This was a one-two punch: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took the stage to the Foo Fighters song “My Hero†to endorse Trump on August 23, the day he dropped out of the presidential race. A rep for the band later told CNN they weren’t asked for permission to use the song “and if they were they would not have granted it.†A Trump spokesperson told the Independent the campaign did have permission to use the song, and the outlet reported the campaign appeared to have a license to use it through the rights company BMI. Foo Fighters vowed to donate any proceeds from their fight over the song to the Harris-Walz campaign.
ABBA
Trump played multiple ABBA songs, including “The Winner Takes It All†and “Dancing Queen,†during an August 27 rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and even used footage of the band in a donation message. It didn’t take long for ABBA to say “I Don’t, I Don’t, I Don’t, I Don’t, I Don’t†about wanting to be associated with the Trump campaign. Universal Music Group told the Guardian Trump had not gotten permission to use ABBA’s songs or videos and requested that they “be immediately taken down and removed.†Trump’s campaign has not responded.
Jack White and the White Stripes
Jack White kept his promise, filing a lawsuit against the Trump campaign and aide Margo Martin over her post using the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.†(Even Meg White signed on!) “This machine sues fascists,†White wrote on Instagram. Martin had tweeted a video of Trump getting on a plane set to the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army†on August 29, after which White threatened a lawsuit against the campaign. “Oh….Don’t even think about using my music you fascists,†he wrote on Instagram. “Law suit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others).†Martin has since taken down the post.
Rufus Wainwright and the estate of Leonard Cohen
At Trump’s inexplicable all-music rally October 14, he played a whole host of songs — many of which were from artists who probably object to being heard at a Trump rally. At one point, Trump asked the sound guy to “turn that music up†when Rufus Wainwright’s cover of “Hallelujah†came on the aux. He called it a “great song.†Wainwright issued a statement to Entertainment Weekly condemning the Shrek soundtrack banger inclusion on Trump’s Spotify. “The song ‘Hallelujah’ by Leonard Cohen has become an anthem dedicated to peace, love and acceptance of the truth,†he said. “I’ve been supremely honored over the years to be connected with this ode to tolerance. Witnessing Trump and his supporters commune with this music last night was the height of blasphemy.†He went on to say publishing company for Leonard Cohen’s estate, Sony Music Group, sent a cease and desist on the late songwriter’s behalf. “[T]he good in me hopes that perhaps in inhabiting and really listening to the lyrics of Cohen’s masterpiece, Donald Trump just might experience a hint of remorse over what he’s caused,†Wainwright said. “I’m not holding my breath.â€