ABBA Appeals to Donald Trump to Halt Use of Their Music at Rallies

Swedish band ABBA has requested Donald Trump to cease using their music at his campaign rallies. However, Trump's campaign claims it has the necessary permissions. "ABBA has recently discovered the unauthorised use of their music and videos at a Trump event through videos that appeared online," stated the band, known for hits like "Waterloo," "The Winner Takes It All," and "Money, Money, Money."

ABBA's Request

The band and its representatives have asked for the removal and deletion of such content. They clarified that no request for permission had been received, and thus, no license was granted. A spokesperson from Trump's campaign countered this by stating, "The campaign had a license to play ABBA music through our agreement with BMI and ASCAP."

Other Artists' Objections

ABBA is not alone in objecting to Trump's use of their music. Before the 2020 election, artists like Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Pharrell, John Fogerty, Neil Young, Eddy Grant, Panic! at the Disco, R.E.M., and Guns N' Roses also raised objections. In this election cycle, Celine Dion has asked Trump to stop using "My Heart Will Go On," and Beyoncé blocked him from using her song "Freedom" in a campaign video.

Legal Aspects of Music Use

Campaigns do not need an artist's explicit permission to play their songs at rallies if they have obtained a blanket license from performing rights organisations like ASCAP and BMI. This allows them to legally play the music without direct approval from the artists.

Instances of ABBA's Music Use

According to Swedish daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, a reporter attended a Trump rally in Minnesota in July where "The Winner Takes It All" was played. Universal Music in Sweden also noted that videos had surfaced showing ABBA's music being played at least one Trump event.

ABBA has achieved significant success with 20 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 during the 1970s and 1980s. They released a comeback album titled "Voyage" in 2021.

The band's request highlights ongoing tensions between artists and political campaigns over the use of music without direct consent.