A heap of artists are partnering with Artist Rights Alliance in an open letter that demands politicians seek clearance to use their music. It seemingly follows Trump getting called out a bunch of times for using artists’ music as part of his campaigns and at his rallies.
Trump has been called out by The Rolling Stones, Adele, R.E.M., and Aerosmith to name a few so far. As well as Linkin Park earlier this month.
The open letter is calling for major political parties in the US to “establish clear policies requiring campaigns to seek consent of featured recording artists, songwriters and copyright owners before publicly using their music in a political or campaign setting.”
“As artists, activists, and citizens, we ask you to pledge that all candidates you support will seek consent from featured recording artists and songwriters before using their music in campaign and political settings,” the letter reads.
“This is the only way to effectively protect your candidates from legal risk, unnecessary public controversy, and the moral quagmire that comes from falsely claiming or implying an artist’s support or distorting an artists’ expression in such a high stakes public way.”
You can read the letter in full here.
The list of names on the open letter is huge too. Aerosmith, Alanis Morissette, B-52s, Elton John, Green Day, Lorde, Panic! At The Disco, and Sia are just a few of the big names to have signed.
The Rolling Stones and Neil Young have also threatened Trump with legal action for use of their songs.
