These 15 celebrities blasted Trump for using their music

Catch up quick: Trump posted an AI-generated video set to Loggins' "Danger Zone" depicting the president dumping brown sludge from a fighter jet on protesters at No Kings events.

• "Nobody asked me for my permission, which I would have denied, and I request that my recording on this video is removed immediately," Loggins wrote in an Instagram post on Monday.
• The White House did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

Reality check: Campaigns typically license packages from performing rights organizations (PROs), giving them broad usage rights for events.

• But singers have had objections — and have even filed legal challenges — to politicians, especially Trump, for using their music.

Here's a look at who's pushed back.

Beyoncé

Beyoncé's label threatened legal action after her song "Freedom" appeared in a 13-second Trump video posted to X in August 2024.

• "Freedom" had been Kamala Harris' unofficial campaign song. It was featured in a pro-Harris ad narrated by actor Jeffrey Wright.
• Trump's campaign later deleted the video.

Celine Dion

Celine Dion's team disavowed any link to Trump's campaign in 2024 after her song "My Heart Will Go On" was featured at a rally in Montana.

• "Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use," Dion wrote on her official X account at the time. "…And really, THAT song?"

Neil Young

Neil Young sued the Trump campaign in 2020 over using "Rockin' in the Free World" and "Devil's Sidewalk," seeking up to $150,000 in damages.

• Young eventually dismissed the copyright infringement case.

ABBA

Swedish band ABBA and Universal Music demanded that Trump stop using one of the band's songs on the 2024 campaign trail.

• However, the Trump campaign told CNN they had worked with two PROs — American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Media Inc. (BMI) — to license its use.

White Stripes

Jack White and his lawyers filed suit in 2024 after one of Trump's aides posted a campaign video that included "Seven Nation Army," a song by his band The White Stripes.

• "Law suit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others.)," White wrote on Instagram.
• White and bandmate Meg White later dropped the lawsuit.

Foo Fighters

The Foo Fighters openly opposed Trump using their music at a 2024 rally, in which Trump introduced Robert Kennedy Jr. to their tune, "My Hero."

• A spokesperson for the band said at the time that the Foo Fighters were not asked permission to use their songs, and would not have agreed to do so if asked.

Yoann Lemoine

French singer Yoann Lemoine, otherwise known as Woodkid, urged Trump to stop using his song "Run Boy Run" in campaign materials.

• "Run Boy Run is a LGBT+ anthem wrote by me, a proud LGBT+ musician," Lemoine wrote on X in 2024. "How ironic."

Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones threatened legal action over Trump's use of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" at rallies during the 2020 campaign, per Deadline. Trump reportedly used the song as a walk-off track.

• They'd previously objected to Trump using their songs in 2016, but Trump's campaign kept playing them.
• The band said it would work with BMI to limit the Trump campaign's use of the song.

Ozzy Osbourne

In 2019, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne raged over Trump using the song "Crazy Train" in a video posted on X.

• The video openly mocked 2020 Democratic primary candidates who debated on MSNBC with Osbourne's song playing over it.

Aerosmith

Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler sent the Trump campaign multiple cease-and-desist letters in order for the president to stop playing his music at rallies.

• "Our songs are for causes not campaigns," Tyler told TMZ in 2018.

Rihanna

Rihanna sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Trump campaign in 2018 after "Don't Stop the Music" played at a rally in Tennessee.

• "As you are or should be aware, Ms. Fenty has not provided her consent to Mr. Trump to use her music. Such use is therefore improper," reads a statement from Rihanna's team, per Rolling Stone.
• She reportedly learned her song was used after a Washington Post reporter tweeted footage of it. She responded to the tweet: "Not for much longer…me nor my people would ever be at or around one of those tragic rallies, so thanks for the heads up!"

Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams called on Trump to stop using his song "Happy" after it was used at a 2018 farmers event following the Tree of Life synagogue mass shooting in Pittsburgh.

• "There was nothing 'happy' about the tragedy inflicted upon our country on Saturday and no permission was granted for your use of this song for this purpose," Williams' spokesperson said in a statement in NPR at the time.

Adele

Adele objected in 2016 to Trump using her hit song "Rolling in the Deep" at campaign rallies, saying he didn't have permission.

• "Adele has not given permission for her music to be used for any political campaigning," her spokesperson said at the time, per BBC News.

Queen

The band Queen objected to campaigns using their music after Trump used one of their songs in 2016.

• "Queen does not want its music associated with any mainstream or political debate in any country. Nor does Queen want 'We are the Champions' to be used as an endorsement of Mr. Trump," per a statement from Queen's music publisher. "We trust, hope and expect that Mr. Trump and his campaign will respect these wishes moving forward."

Go deeper:

• Trump takes shot at Taylor Swift, reigniting their feud
• Trump wants probe into Harris' endorsements from Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey