English rock band, The Rolling Stones has threatened to sue US President Donald Trump over unauthorised use of their music in his political campaign rallies. The legal team of the British rock band is working with BMI (a music rights organization), to stop the band’s music from being played during Trump’s re-election campaign. Trump has been using The Rolling Stone’s songs since 2016, when the band raised its first objection.
However, the US President disregarded the objection and one of The Rolling Stones’ classic “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” was played during the US President’s rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma in June 2020. This event has been heavily criticized for being held while the US is battling COVID- 19.
Trump has a political entities’ license which allows it the public performance of around fifteen million musical works in BMI’s repertoire in their campaign events. However, the license has a provision that allows BMI to exclude musical works from the license if a songwriter or publisher objects to its use by a campaign. BMI has notified Trump that any unauthorized use of the band’s songs will constitute a breach of its licensing agreement. Since The Rolling Stones has sent an objection, their works have been removed from the campaign license and a letter has been sent notifying the same to Trump’s campaign.
Another performing-rights group ASCAP has also stated that Trump won’t be allowed to use any of the band’s songs in the campaign. Trump’s campaign does not have any license from ASCAP at the moment but even if it takes one, it won’t be able to play The Rolling Stone’s songs. Few other notable members who have asked ASCAP that their songs be excluded from the 2020 Trump campaign are Neil Young and the estate of Tom Petty.
