Woke Alert: Trump's Rally Songs are a Huge No-No

The Village People's iconic gay anthem, "YMCA," is being blasted at Donald Trump rallies, and the former president is once again in hot water with musicians. While the disco group has not spoken out, other artists are furious that their music is being played without permission on Trump's 2024 campaign trail.

Isaac Hayes' estate is threatening to sue, with Hayes' son condemning Trump's "lack of integrity and class," and demanding $3 million in licensing fees. He wrote, "This behavior will no longer be tolerated, and we will take swift action to put an end to it."

A long list of musical heavyweights have also taken a stand against Trump's unauthorized use of their songs:

• Celine Dion slammed Trump for using "My Heart Will Go On," saying, "In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use…And really, THAT song?"
• Sinéad O'Connor's estate demanded Trump stop using "Nothing Compares 2 U," stating it would have disgusted the late singer.
• Prince's estate condemned Trump's use of "Purple Rain," after he had promised to stop using the artist's music.
• Tom Petty's family sent a cease-and-desist for "I Won't Back Down," stating, "Tom Petty would never want a song of his used for a campaign of hate...The Petty family doesn't stand for this."
• Johnny Marr of The Smiths told Trump to "shut it right down" after using "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want."
• Linkin Park sent a cease-and-desist for "In the End," and Trump removed a video using the song from his Twitter account.
• John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival issued a cease-and-desist for "Fortunate Son," stating Trump was using his voice to portray a message he doesn't endorse.
• Neil Young posted a lawsuit for using "Rockin’ in the Free World” and “Devil’s Sidewalk,” saying, "I did not write it for that."
• Pharrell Williams, Panic! at the Disco, Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses and many others have also sent cease-and-desists or publicly condemned Trump's use of their music.

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Trump's Copyright Conundrum

The U.S. Copyright Office outlines three ways to legally use a musical work: public domain, direct permission, or statutory limitations/exceptions like fair use. Trump's repeated disregard for artist permissions puts him at risk of multiple lawsuits, with artists determined to stop him from using their music to promote his agenda.

Artists Unite Against Trump

This issue transcends political parties, with both liberal and conservative artists offended by Trump's misuse of their art. From legends like Neil Young and Aerosmith to modern stars like Panic! At The Disco, the music industry has united in a rare show of bipartisan solidarity to stop Trump from appropriating their art to promote his controversial agenda.