The Rolling Stones have threatened legal action against US President Donald Trump for the continued use of their songs at campaign rallies.
The Trump campaign has used the band’s 1969 hit ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ at rallies as early as 2016 – most recently, it was used to close out the President’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma earlier this month.
In a statement, the band commented that their legal team was working with music licensing organisation BMI to formally
“The BMI have notified the Trump campaign on behalf of the Stones that the unauthorised use of their songs will constitute a breach of its licensing agreement,” the statement reads.
“If Donald Trump disregards the exclusion and persists, then he would face a lawsuit for breaking the embargo and playing music that has not been licensed.”
The Stones join the family of the late Tom Petty in condemning the usage of their music at the Oklahoma rally. Petty’s 1989 track ‘I Won’t Back Down’ was played as the US President took the stage. The rocker’s family released a statement saying they had issued a cease-and-desist, commenting, “Trump was in no way authorized to use this song to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind.”
“Both the late Tom Petty and his family firmly stand against racism and discrimination of any kind. Tom Petty would never want a song of his used for a campaign of hate. He liked to bring people together.”
R.E.M., Rihanna, Guns n’ Roses and Prince’s estate are among those who’ve spoken out against the Trump campaign’s unauthorised usage of their tracks over the years.
