In a growing backlash against former President Donald Trump’s use of copyrighted music at his rallies, Swedish pop legends ABBA have issued a formal demand for the immediate cessation of their songs at Trump’s events.
On Thursday, ABBA’s record label, Universal Music Publishing AB and Polar Music International AB, issued a statement to Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, revealing that they had not granted any license for the use of ABBA’s music at Trump’s rallies.
“We, together with the members of [ABBA], have discovered that videos have been released where Abba’s music has been used at Trump’s events and have requested that such use be immediately taken down and removed,” ABBA’s record company stated.
The controversy erupted after songs like “The Winner Takes It All” and “Money, Money, Money” were played at a Trump rally in Minnesota earlier this summer. The state, known for its large Swedish-American population, seemed an unlikely backdrop for such a dispute, yet it has sparked significant anger from the Swedish pop stars.
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ABBA joins a long list of artists who have voiced their frustration over Trump’s use of their music. The Foo Fighters, Céline Dion, Beyoncé, Johnny Marr of The Smiths, and the estates of late artists Sinéad O’Connor and Isaac Hayes have all previously demanded that Trump stop using their songs. Hayes’ family even took legal action against the former president.
Céline Dion recently criticized the use of her hit “My Heart Will Go On” from the “Titanic” soundtrack, expressing bewilderment at its inclusion in Trump’s rally. “And really, THAT song?” Dion remarked.
The Foo Fighters also made headlines by condemning Trump’s use of their music at an Arizona rally. The band announced that any royalties from the unauthorized use would be donated to Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign.
Trump’s team recently removed a video featuring Beyoncé’s “Freedom” after her label contested its use. Beyoncé, who has incorporated the song into her own political messaging, has been vocal about the unauthorized use.
The controversy extends beyond recent rallies. In previous election cycles, artists including Adele, Aerosmith, and Guns N’ Roses voiced their disapproval of Trump’s use of their music. Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and Adele both confirmed they did not authorize their songs for Trump’s events, while Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose has been vocal on social media about what he perceives as exploitation of licensing loopholes.
Rose, in particular, has expressed his frustration in no uncertain terms, using sharp language to describe the situation. “Trump campaign is using loopholes in the various venues’ blanket performance licenses which were not intended for such craven political purposes,” he tweeted.
“Can u say ‘shitbags?!’” added the singer.
As the list of artists objecting to Trump’s use of their music continues to grow, the former president’s rallies face he daunting prospect of using music from right-wing singers like Ted Nugent and Kid Rock.
As more artists object to Trump’s use of their music, the former president may be left with no choice but to rely on tracks from right-wing musicians like Ted Nugent and Kid Rock, whose contributions are unlikely to generate the same level of enthusiasm.
