SIGN: Tell Trump to stop disrespecting artists and playing their songs without permission!

Sign the petition telling the Trump campaign to stop playing music at campaign events without artists' permission! Sign the petition telling the Trump campaign to stop playing music at campaign events without artists' permission!

Sign the petition telling the Trump campaign to stop playing music at campaign events without artists' permission!

Dear MoveOn member,

Earlier this week, instead of talking to voters at a Pennsylvania town hall event, disgraced former president Donald Trump stood on stage for nearly 40 minutes swaying to songs—many by artists who have explicitly asked not to be featured by him during his campaign. His behavior wasn't just bizarre; it was plain disrespectful.

Here's a quick recap of his latest offenses against popular artists: 

Leonard Cohen's estate issued a cease and desist when Rufus Wainwright's recording of "Hallelujah" was played, and Wainwright himself called it "the height of blasphemy."¹

Irish singer-songwriter and activist Sinéad O'Connor was on the playlist despite her estate's asking the campaign months ago to stop using her music.²

And "November Rain" by Guns N' Roses played despite lead vocalist Axl Rose requesting the band's songs not be played at campaign events back in 2018.³

Enough is enough. Sign our petition and tell the campaign these disrespectful playlists have to stop.

Tell the Trump campaign: Stop making playlists without permission. 

Dozens of musicians, record labels, and estates have called on Trump to stop playing their songs at campaign events. Many have even sent formal cease and desist letters. And yet, the campaign refuses to quit making playlists full of music and artists who have publicly denounced him. 

Over the last eight years, artists from Adele to Elton John to Rihanna have spoken out or sent cease and desist letters demanding that Trump stop the unauthorized use of their music.⁴

The persistent use of these songs is yet another perfect example of how little Trump and his campaign regard the law, personal boundaries, and ethics.

Will you tell the Trump campaign to take the aux cord away from Trump and stop playing music by artists without their explicit permission?

After Trump's improper use of Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down" in 2020, the artist's estate wrote, "Trump was in no way authorized to use this song to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind."⁵

And common sense was certainly not on display in the swing state of Pennsylvania this week—where instead of heeding urgent requests from his staff to take questions from voters, Trump pivoted to a 40-minute, bizarre musical set.⁶

We need a president who's focused on governing, not DJing. Sign the petition today to tell Trump's campaign: Respect artists and stop playing their songs without explicit consent.

Thanks for all you do.

–Allison, Corinne, Allie, Tes, and the rest of the team

Sources: 

1. "'Height of blasphemy': Rufus Wainwright and Leonard Cohen estate oppose Trump use of Hallelujah," The Guardian, October 15, 2024
https://act.moveon.org/go/198441?t=7&akid=411263%2E53570607%2E5QGYZ5

2. "Donald Trump plays Sinéad O'Connor song at campaign event months after singer's estate asked him to stop using her music," Irish Independent, October 15, 2024 
https://act.moveon.org/go/198442?t=9&akid=411263%2E53570607%2E5QGYZ5

3. "23 artists who have spoken out against Donald Trump playing their music at his events," Business Insider, January 24, 2024 
https://act.moveon.org/go/198443?t=11&akid=411263%2E53570607%2E5QGYZ5

4. Ibid. 

5. Ibid. 

6. "Trump sways and bops to music for 39 minutes in bizarre town hall episode," The Washington Post, October 15, 2024
https://act.moveon.org/go/198444?t=13&akid=411263%2E53570607%2E5QGYZ5

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