Trump has been accused of using multiple musicians' work throughout both campaigns without their permissionTrump has been accused of using multiple musicians' work throughout both campaigns without their permission. Photo / Getty
Trump has been accused of using multiple musicians' work throughout both campaigns without their permissionTrump has been accused of using multiple musicians' work throughout both campaigns without their permission. Photo / Getty
Abba has demanded Donald Trump stop playing their songs at campaign events.
Hits by the Swedish pop group, including Dancing Queen, The Winner Takes It All and Money, Money, Money, were played at a rally for Trump’s running mate JD Vance in July in Minnesota.
The band’s labelsaid on Thursday that Trump’s campaign did not have authorisation to use their songs, nor to show a 10-minute clip of their greatest anthems.
“Together with the members of Abba, we have discovered that videos have been released where Abba’s music has been used at Trump events, and we have therefore requested that such use be immediately removed and taken down,” Universal Music said in a statement.
It added that no permission or license had been granted to the Trump campaign.
The band members agreed with the statement made by Universal about usage of their songs. Photo / Getty Images
Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, who form the group, have said they will not comment further, but have emphasised their full support for Universal’s statement.
The band join the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Prince and Adele, who have all opposed the use of their music at events associated with the former President.
Last week, Beyonce’s label issued Trump’s team a cease-and-desist letter after her song Freedom was used in a video clip shared online. Kamala Harris, meanwhile, was given permission to kick off her campaign with an ad featuring the same song.
Earlier this month, the Foo Fighters donated to the Harris campaign after the band said that Trump had used one of his songs at a rally without their permission.
Days before, Celine Dion demanded the Trump-Vance campaign stop using her music, calling the use of her song My Heart Will Go On at a Montana rally “unauthorised”.
In March, late Irish singer and activist Sinead O’Connor’s label also demanded the Trump campaign stop using her music.
