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Abba Objects to Use of Their Music at Trump Rally
Swedish pop legends Abba have expressed discontent after their iconic songs, such as “The Winner Takes It All,” were played at a Donald Trump campaign rally. Reports from the Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet indicate that the event, which took place in Minnesota in July, featured several of the band’s hits, including “Money, Money, Money” and “Dancing Queen.”
In a statement provided to Reuters, the band’s record label, Universal Music, confirmed that they, along with Abba, have identified unauthorized uses of their music at Trump events. The label emphasized their request for immediate removal of these instances, highlighting that no permission or license was given for the campaign’s use of the music.
Abba joins a long line of artists and estates who have voiced objections to Trump’s use of their songs during his presidential campaigns. Recently, the Foo Fighters spoke out on social media about the unauthorized use of “My Hero” at a Trump rally, contending that they had not granted permission for its use. The Trump campaign has claimed it had the right to utilize the song, a point of contention reported by The Independent.
A representative for the Foo Fighters stated that any royalties derived from the song’s use by the Trump campaign would be redirected to support Kamala Harris’s campaign.
The controversy doesn’t stop there; last month, Celine Dion’s team condemned the “unauthorized” use of a segment from her hit “My Heart Will Go On,” while the family of the late soul artist Isaac Hayes demanded that Trump cease playing “Hold On, I’m Coming,” alongside a request for $3 million in licensing fees.
In March, the estate of the late Sinéad O’Connor similarly requested that Trump stop using “Nothing Compares 2 U,” stating that such use would have deeply offended the artist. Other well-known artists, including Adele, R.E.M., and the Rolling Stones, have previously taken steps to ensure their music is not associated with Trump’s political activities.
Despite these objections, musicians face challenges in enforcing their rights in this context. In the United States, political campaigns must obtain a Political Entities License from the music rights organization BMI, providing access to a wide array of tracks for use in events. While artists and publishers can request their music be removed from this collection, it appears that many campaign organizers do not diligently verify the permissions before utilizing songs.
Source
www.bbc.com