Trump's Unauthorized Music Use Sparks Outrage from Kenny Loggins and Other Artists

Kenny Loggins is the latest musician to slam Donald Trump for using his 1986 hit song "Danger Zone" in a contentious AI-generated video. The video, seemingly in response to the recent "No Kings" protests in the US, features Trump as a king flying a fighter jet and releasing a brown sludge onto protesters. Loggins stated that he did not authorize the use of his song and requested that it be removed immediately.

"This is an unauthorised use of my performance of Danger Zone," Loggins said. "Nobody asked me for my permission, which I would have denied, and I request that my recording on this video is removed immediately."

Loggins joins a long list of musicians who have objected to Trump's unauthorized use of their music in his political messaging. The issue stretches back to Trump's first presidential campaign in 2015 when R.E.M. protested the use of their song "It's the End of the World as We Know It." Since then, major artists such as Rihanna, Phil Collins, Steven Tyler, Neil Young, the Foo Fighters, and The Rolling Stones have objected to their music being used by Trump.

Key Takeaways:

• Loggins is the latest musician to object to Trump's unauthorized use of his song "Danger Zone" in a contentious AI-generated video.
• The issue of Trump's music use has a long history dating back to his first presidential campaign in 2015.
• Other artists who have objected to Trump's use of their music include Rihanna, Phil Collins, Steven Tyler, Neil Young, the Foo Fighters, and The Rolling Stones.
• Trump's use of music has also sparked controversy over the use of songs from deceased artists, including Sinead O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2U."
• Musicians are permitted to object to unauthorized use of their work in campaign advertisements, and political figures cannot use songs in a way that suggests the artist endorses the political message.

Statistics:

• Since 2015, at least 10 major artists have objected to Trump's unauthorized use of their music.
• Loggins is the latest in a long line of musicians to speak out against Trump's use of their work.
• Trump's use of unauthorized music has sparked controversy over the use of songs from deceased artists, including Sinead O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2U."
• Artists have the right to object to unauthorized use of their work in campaign advertisements and can issue cease-and-desist letters to halt the use of their music.

Sources:

• "Go f--- yourselves, the lot of you – you sad, attention-grabbing, power-hungry little men. Do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign." – Michael Stipe, R.E.M. (Source: The New York Times, 2015)
• "I can't imagine why anybody would want their music used or associated with something created with the sole purpose of dividing us." – Kenny Loggins (Source: The Hollywood Reporter, 2023)
• "It is no exaggeration to say that Sinead would have been disgusted, hurt and insulted to have her work misrepresented in this way by someone who she herself referred to as a 'biblical devil'." – Sinead O'Connor's estate representatives (Source: Rolling Stone, 2022)
• "The public performance right is a broad permission for public performances of the sound recording." – American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (Source: ASCAP Website, 2022)