ABBA is requesting that former President Donald Trump stop using their music for his presidential campaign, after the group became aware of unauthorized use of its songs at a recent rally.
A representative for ABBA told CNN that the Trump campaign did not request or obtain permission from the group or its label, Universal Music.
In a statement to CNN, a representative for the band said: “ABBA has recently discovered the unauthorized use of their music and videos at a Trump event through videos that appeared online. As a result, ABBA and its representative has promptly requested the removal and deletion of such content. No request has been received; therefore, no permission or license has been granted.”
A Trump official told CNN: “The campaign had a license to play ABBA music through our agreement with BMI and ASCAP.”
BMI and ASCAP are Performance Rights Organizations based in the US. For a political campaign to play music at a rally, a license from a Performance Rights Organization (PRO) is required. Even with a PRO license, artists and songwriters have various rights of approval, depending how a song is used in a rally, according to legal experts.
Attorney Heidy Vaquerano, a Los Angeles-based partner at the law firm Fox Rothschild who specializes in music, explained to CNN that if a song is used with video images, it could require an additional license.
“The campaign would need to reach out to the respective songwriters of the musical composition through their publisher and the artist’s record label for permission. The publisher, in turn, would go to the artist for their approval for the use,” Vaquerano told CNN.
ABBA joins a growing list of artists who have spoken out against Trump using their music for campaign purposes.
The rock band Foo Fighters said they did not authorize the Trump campaign to use their song “My Hero,” which was played at a rally in Arizona.
Trump’s campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung told CNN they did “have a license to play the song.” A representative for Foo Fighters told CNN the band was not asked permission by the Trump campaign.
The feud between Trump and Foo Fighters highlights a now-familiar tension between some musicians and the campaign, which despite obtaining certain licenses is faced with artists who do not want their music being aligned with Trump’s politics.
More artists speak out
Rocker Jack White formerly of The White Stripes has also condemned the Trump campaign for using his music in a social media video.
On Thursday, Trump’s Deputy Director of Communications Margo Martin posted a video on X of the former president boarding a plane that was set to The White Stripes’ hit song “Seven Nation Army.”
White wrote a strongly-worded post on his Instagram that read in part: “Don’t even think about using my music.” He said he intends to file a lawsuit.
The video was removed from Martin’s X account shortly after White’s post.
CNN has reached out to the Trump campaign and representatives for White for comment.
This is not the first time the Trump campaign has pulled down a social media video after a star objected and threatened legal action.
Earlier this month, Cheung posted a video of Trump on X that was set to Beyoncé’s song “Freedom.” Beyoncé’s label reportedly threatened the Trump campaign with a cease and desist for the social media video. It was taken down shortly after. (CNN has reached out to a representative for Beyoncé.)
CNN previously reported that Beyoncé gave her sign-off to Kamala Harris to use “Freedom” as her official campaign song.
At a Trump rally in Montana earlier in August, Celine Dion’s song and video for “My Heart Will Go On” was played, prompting her team to speak out. “In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use,” the singer’s team said in a statement.
The estate of soul singer Isaac Hayes filed a copyright infringement suit against Trump for using the soul artist’s songs at rallies, so far becoming the only musician to take legal action against the campaign. A hearing on the matter is set for next week.
Trump has been using music from artists who don’t support him for years.
During his 2016 and 2020 campaigns, musicians including Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Neil Young, Pharrell, Rolling Stones, Adele, Guns N’ Roses and the estates of the Beatles and Prince all spoke out against Trump for using their music.
