The Trump campaign’s rally playlist continues to stir controversy, particularly with its recent use of Foo Fighters’ hit track “My Hero.” At a Friday night rally in Arizona, former President Donald Trump, alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr., ended the event to the song. Despite Kennedy Jr.’s endorsement of Trump after suspending his presidential campaign, the choice of music drew ire from the rock band.
Foo Fighters’ Response to Unauthorized Use
User @WUTangKids on X, formerly Twitter, inquired whether the Foo Fighters had permitted Trump to use their song. The band’s official X account responded with a blunt “No,” clarifying that they had not authorized the use of the track. The band then shared a screenshot of the exchange, accompanied by a statement asserting their disapproval.
Hey @foofighters, did you let Trump use “My Hero” to welcome RFK Jr. on stage pic.twitter.com/HivdG8ypxM
— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) August 23, 2024
A Foo Fighters spokesperson stated, “Foo Fighters were not asked permission, and if they were, they would not have granted it.” The band also indicated that any royalties from this unauthorized use would be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign.
Let us be clear. pic.twitter.com/gexHWjPMYh
— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) August 24, 2024
Trump Campaign’s Denial of Unauthorized Use
In response, the Trump campaign asserted that they had obtained the proper license for playing “My Hero.” Steven Cheung, the communications director for Trump’s campaign, countered the Foo Fighters’ claim by stating, “We have a license to play the song. The Foo Fighters or their spokesperson have no idea what they are talking about and engaging in faux outrage.”
Previous Musical Controversies
This incident follows another controversy involving the Trump campaign’s use of music. Just weeks earlier, Trump’s rally in Montana featured Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On,” which led Dion’s team to condemn the unauthorized use. The statement from Dion’s management criticized the campaign’s use of the song, stating, “In no way is this use authorised, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use… And really, THAT song?”
Additionally, French artist Woodkid faced similar issues when his track “Run Boy Run” was used in a Trump campaign video. Woodkid expressed his disapproval on X, stating, “Run Boy Run is a LGBT+ anthem written by me, a proud LGBT+ musician. How ironic. Once again, I never gave permission for the use of my music on that @realDonaldTrump film.”
The repeated clashes between the Trump campaign and artists over unauthorized music usage continue to draw attention and controversy.
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