Musicians who stopped Trump from using their tunes

Musicians who stopped Trump from using their tunes - Few presidents have polarized the world like Donald Trump. Love him or loathe him, the world's most powerful man has always been a controversial figure. At his rallies, Trump has played some of the most iconic music ever, much to the dismay of many musicians. Now, with the launch of his 2020 election campaign, he seems to keep running into the same problem. Click through to meet the musicians who have tried to stop Trump from using their tunes.

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Hans Zimmer - Trump launched his election campaign with a video using Hans Zimmer’s song 'Why Do We Fall?' from 'The Dark Knight Rises' score to add a touch of that classic Zimmer gravitas.

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Hans Zimmer -

The video has since been removed from circulation after Warner Bros said they will be taking legal action due to the song's unauthorized use. It's a shame, since Trump loves Bruce Wayne!

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Neil Young - Neil Young was the first rock star to rebel against Trump. His single 'Rockin' in the Free World' was used during Trump's presidential campaign announcement at Trump Tower.

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Neil Young - Young's team said Trump's usage was "not authorized," and that Young actually supported Bernie Sanders. Trump's campaign returned fire by providing receipts that showed they paid for the rights to use the song.

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R.E.M. - The alternative rockers weren't happy when Trump used their song, 'It's the End of the World,' at his campaign rallies.

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R.E.M. - Front man Michael Stipe attacked Trump on Twitter, "go f*** yourselves, the lot of you — you sad, attention grabbing, power-hungry little men." He went to say "do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign."

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Twisted Sister - Twisted Singer are fronted by Dee Snider, who allowed Trump to use their song, 'We're Not Gonna Take It.' Originally, Snider thought Trump would "raise holy h*ll" in America's political system.

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Twisted Sister - However, after a while the band couldn't take it anymore. Snider called Trump "upsetting" and "extremist," while Jay Jay French said the band "couldn't in good faith allow Trump to keep using the song."

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Adele - During his campaign, Trump worked in a medley of Adele's hits, like 'Skyfall' and 'Rolling in the Deep.'

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Adele - Adele's spokesperson said she had "not given permission" for her songs to be used. The singer went on to endorse Hillary Clinton, telling concert goers "don't vote for him."

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Elton John - 'Rocket Man' and 'Tiny Dancer' became popular songs at Trump's rallies, yet Elton John is not a fan of the Republican.

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Elton John - "I've met Donald Trump, he was very nice to me, it's nothing personal," John explained. "His political views are his own, mine are very different, I'm not a Republican in a million years."

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The Rolling Stones - One of the more popular rally songs was 'You Can't Always Get What You Want,' by the Rolling Stones. After he got the Republican presidential candidate nominee, the campaign played 'Start It Up.'

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The Rolling Stones - The band has released two statements, asking Trump to "cease all use" of their tunes, and that they "do not endorse" Trump.

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Queen - Queen's song 'We Are the Champions' was played when Trump took the stage at the Republican National Convention.

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Queen - "I can confirm that permission to use the track was neither sought nor given," said Brian May. When the song was used again and again, the band released another disapproving statement.

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George Harrison's estate - The Beatles song 'Here Comes the Sun' was used at Trump's campaigns. George Harrison wrote the song, and his estate disapproved of the usage.

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George Harrison's estate - "It's offensive and against the wishes of the George Harrison estate," they tweeted, "If it had been 'Beware of Darkness,' then we may have approved it!"

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Luciano Pavarotti's estate - Like with Harrison, this opera singer's estate were unhappy when Trump used his song, 'Nessun Dorma' during his rallies.

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Luciano Pavarotti's estate - Pavarotti's widow, Nicoletta Mantovani, said that the singer's values were "incompatible with the world view embodied by Trump." The President had previously claimed that he and Pavarotti were friends.

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Steven Tyler - As one quarter of Aerosmith, Steven Tyler made it his mission to stop Trump from using the band's songs.

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Steven Tyler - Trump used the Aerosmith hit 'Dream On' at his campaign rallies, which led Tyler's reps to fire off cease and desist letters. Trump hit back on Twitter, "even though I have the legal right to use Steven Tyler's song, he asked me not to. Have better one to take its place."

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Prince's estate - Back in October 2018, Prince's estate sent a warning to Trump and the White House, urging them to stop using his song, 'Purple Rain.'

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Prince's estate - "The Prince Estate has never given permission to President Trump or the White House to use Prince's songs and have requested that they cease all use immediately," the estate wrote.

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Pharrell Williams - Trump's use of 'Happy' made Pharrell Williams pretty upset, leading him to send a cease-and-desist letter.

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Pharrell Williams - The song was played just hours after the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, where 11 people were murdered. "Pharrell has not, and will not, grant you permission to publicly perform or otherwise broadcast or disseminate any of his music," his lawyer explained.

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Rihanna - Last year, Rihanna endorsed Andrew Gillum as Florida governor. She later learned that her music was used for a Trump rally in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

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Rihanna - Trump played 'Please Don't Stop the Music,' leading Rihanna to ask Trump to stop the music. "Me nor my people would ever be at or around one of those tragic rallies," she wrote on Twitter.

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Guns N' Roses - The song 'Sweet Child o' Mine' was played at a Trump rally in West Virginia last year. Axl Rose wasn't having it, so he accused Trump of cheating the system.

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Guns N' Roses - "Unfortunately the Trump campaign is using loopholes in the various venues' blanket performance licenses," Rose revealed.

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Neil Young, Again - Neil Young could be Trump's musical nemesis. In a newer statement, Young accused Trump of consistently playing 'Rockin' in the Free World,' despite saying he'd stop.

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Neil Young, Again - "DT does not have my permission to use the song 'Rockin' in the Free World' at his appearances," Young said, "it goes against my wishes."

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Musicians who stopped Trump from using their tunes

These artists are not fans of the current president

10/04/19 | StarsInsider

MUSIC politics

Few presidents have polarized the world like Donald Trump. Love him or loathe him, the world's most powerful man has always been a controversial figure. At his rallies, Trump has played some of the most iconic music ever, much to the dismay of many musicians. Now, with the launch of his 2020 election campaign, he seems to keep running into the same problem. Click through to meet the musicians who have tried to stop Trump from using their tunes.