Trump used the Foo Fighters song “My Hero” without permission so the band will be donating any royalties to the Harris campaign.
Here was Trump’s unauthorized use of the song:
I wonder if @FooDGrohl and @foofighters know that Trump is using their music at his rally in Arizona? Did the Trump campaign license this music? pic.twitter.com/jH0RBTow0k
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) August 23, 2024
A Foo Fighters spokesperson had a quick response:
“Foo Fighters were not asked permission, and if they were, they would not have granted it,” a spokesperson tells Billboard of the unauthorized usage. Furthermore, “appropriate actions are being taken” against the campaign, the spokesperson continues, and any royalties received as a result of this usage will be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign.
Artists have had many different responses to Trump’s theft of their work.
Beyonce went with the standard cease and desist letter. The estate of Isaac Hayes is suing Trump for potentially millions of dollars for hundreds of illegal uses. Neil Young allowed Tim Walz to use Rockin’ In The Free World at the Democratic convention after suing Trump for his illegal use of the song.
These songs are the livelihood of these artists, and artists have been dealing with Trump’s intellectual property theft on the campaign trail for almost a decade.
Campaigns are just like everyone else. They either have to get permission or pay to license a song, and the license request can be rejected by the copyright holder.
The Foo Fighters are making it hurt for Trump by giving any fees that come from Trump’s unauthorized use of the song to Kamala Harris.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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