Trump Campaign Was Legally Allowed To Use Neil Young's Music At Rally, But Doing So Was Kind Of Dumb

from the yeh-fired dept

Thu, Jun 18th 2015 1:27pm — Timothy Geigner

It seems like every presidential election cycle, which comes around far too often and lasts for far too long for my taste, there inevitably ends up being some kind of row between some musicians and some politicians over music used at campaign events. The targets of these disputes tend to be Republican candidates, due to the political demographics of musicians as a general thing, but Democrats have been targeted as well. And, as we've mentioned in the past, other than creating a stir in the media and hoping the target campaign relents, there's roughly shit-all these musicians can do about it. But that stir can often times be enough, especially if the musician uses the opportunity to pimp a rival candidate.

Like Bernie Sanders, for example. Apparently when walking ego Donald Trump decided that he was going to announce his candidacy for President of these United States, his campaign decided to use Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World" at the event. Neil not only wasn't pleased, but he used the opportunity to boost the candidate he does endorse.

"Donald Trump was not authorized to use 'Rockin' In The Free World' in his presidential candidacy announcement," said Young's manager in a statement. "Neil Young, a Canadian citizen, is a supporter of Bernie Sanders for President of the United States Of America."

As it turned out, as it usually does, Trump was authorized to use Young's music through an ASCAP license. That said, maybe it's time politicians learned to take the extra step and clear things with musicians before using their music, if for no other reason than to protect against the backlash becoming an advertisement for a rival campaign. Campaigns are very much like brands, after all, and the last thing a brand wants to do is get a competitor's name in circulation. That's got to be doubly so when the rival "brand" is someone like Bernie Sanders who, think whatever you like of him, is starving for more name-recognition on the national level. A couple of simple phone calls from the campaign office would likely inoculate against this sort of thing happening, where now every quote from Young on this dust-up mentions Young's support of Sanders.

All that being said, Young has somehow managed to make Trump the sympathetic figure in this whole story.

A press secretary for the real estate mogul said Wednesday that Trump would respect the wishes of Neil Young and no longer use "Rockin' In the Free World," which Trump featured Tuesday during his announcement that he was seeking the Republican Party's nomination for president. Trump press secretary Hope Hicks said Wednesday that "despite Neil's differing political views, Mr. Trump likes Neil very much."

It's a good way to spin the ending of this story for Trump's team, appearing so reasonable and agreeable to Young's antics, which come off looking petty. Still, no reason to let your campaign's music choice give the artist an opportunity to pimp Bernie Sanders. There are enough conservative musicians out there making music.

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Filed Under: bernie sanders, donald trump, endorsements, music, neil young, presidential campaigns, rockin' in the free world
Companies: ascap

41 Comments

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Baron von Robber, 18 Jun 2015 @ 1:33pm

Donald Trump is just a host for what really runs the show, his hair.

It's a sentient, alien looking to make a power grab.
I know this as Trump has never provided his hair's birth certificate.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 1:34pm

I don't know if I am for or against Trump but his response to Young's complaint impressed me.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 1:38pm

Re:
I could almost gaurantee that you are not for trump.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 1:42pm

Re:
A local radio personality endorsed Chris Christy for president. His argument was that all the candidates are basically the same, but Christy has the potential for much more comic relief than any of the other likely candidates. This was before Trump.

So I support Trump for president. If he wins, the amount of comedy gold coming out of the White House will be unprecedented. Late night comedy shows will have to spill over into daytime. Just the need for more writers and on air comedians will be enough to keep Trump's promise of being the best jobs president ever.
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Baron von Robber, 18 Jun 2015 @ 1:43pm

Re:
Ah but it was his press sec that responded. It's possible he feels that way, but unknown for sure.
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Not a NY fan, 18 Jun 2015 @ 2:02pm

Actually...
Neil Young had a pretty good and definitely cogent post as his response.
Argued for democracy and people and against corporatism and the hijacking of the democratic process.
Spent VERY little time discussing the "permission" issue.
I thought it was pretty good as a tech dirty kind of awesome...
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Anon, 18 Jun 2015 @ 2:08pm

Re: Actually...
Exactly - how did Niel look bad in this exchange? He has a cogent and differing point of view, and using his lyrics just invites the response he got. I don't recall noticing the name Bernie Sanders, but now I know who he is. Brilliant, Donald!
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Baron von Robber, 18 Jun 2015 @ 2:18pm

The Trump paid actors to be cheering in the audience.
Teehee.

https://news.google.com/news/rtc?ncl=dswEjsR2mgFsNzMeqiAkTHE0cgatM&authuser=0&am p;ned=us&topic=n&siidp=475cf172a3166cb26911d90054d0cfe4e5fe
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Roger Strong (profile), 18 Jun 2015 @ 2:38pm

Right behind you, Napoleon.
"We can't let this happen. We should march on Washington and stop this travesty. Our nation is totally divided!"
- Donald Trump, on Obama's 2012 election win

He may have failed to overthrow the US government, but he CAN defeat a Canadian folk singer using ASCAP licensing. Look out, ISIS!
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Ukko, 18 Jun 2015 @ 2:45pm

You must be joking. Any boost to Bernie Sanders' campaign is a boon for Republicans. If he wins the Democratic nomination, it will be McGovern all over again.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 2:45pm

Re: Re: Actually...
I. also, don't doubt that the response that came from Neil Young came directly from the pen of Neil Young.
I fail to see how Trumps spin-doctor saying he likes Neil Young has him looking like a "sympathetic figure". Sorry, a what?

Trump a sympathetic figure - are you serious?
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David, 18 Jun 2015 @ 3:03pm

Re: Re:
Oh, did I miss the announcement what being for Trump has been decided on to entail?

Has he made up his hair about this yet? Or did his campaign managers roll dice?
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 3:08pm

The tangled web
I couldn't give a shit about Trump, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the fact that Mr. Young didn't grasp that he had handed over his rights to ASCAP, and they can license his stuff to any cretin with a checkbook. Make a deal with the devil, you live with the results.
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Bob, 18 Jun 2015 @ 3:12pm

Doesn't matter what Neil Young wants or says he sold his rights to the music publisher. Now the music is available to anyone to use as they see fit if they paid for it. It is no different than purchasing any other consumer good. After the consumer buys it the manufacturer has no say in how it should be used.

Neil shouldn't have sold the rights of his songs to a publishing company if he didn't want Trump or anyone else to use it.
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David, 18 Jun 2015 @ 3:13pm

Re:
The Trump paid actors to be cheering in the audience.
Teehee.

At least a candidate fearing the intelligence of the average American citizen.

Romney did not pay actors to be cheering in the audience. And he did not have to.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 3:29pm

Re:
Now lets just the get the studios on board with the idea that a sale is a sale. Neil was just practicing what the studios preach, the creator of the work should be able to control its uses, at least that is their excuse or all the limitations they want to impose on use via DRM.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 4:39pm

Re:
You don't sell any rights to a collection agency like ASCAP, you're assigning the authority for the agency to collect and distribute royalties.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 5:09pm

Re:
Did you read what Mr Young wrote/said?
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 5:11pm

I find it humorous when politicians choose a "theme song" when they obviously do not understand the lyrics, what a bunch of idiots.
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Pixelation, 18 Jun 2015 @ 6:47pm

Good 'ol Neil Young. Creative Commons Man don't need him around anyhow.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 7:28pm

Did Donald Trump just fire Neil Young from his campaign? Or did Neil Young quit? It appears to be a bit of both.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Jun 2015 @ 7:36pm

Actually, what Trump paid for was the performance rights. Since Trump hired his own crowd, it might be judged as a political commercial, and for that he ALSO needs the permission of the artist and/or publisher (the song is published by Neil's own company).
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charliebrown (profile), 18 Jun 2015 @ 8:02pm

Maybe?
Maybe Donald Trump, if elected, will push for major copyright reform?

Now if this doesn't get a few "funny" votes, I don't know what will!
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David, 18 Jun 2015 @ 11:54pm

Re: Maybe?
Now if this doesn't get a few "funny" votes, I don't know what will!

Which is the reason you don't make the "funniest posts of the week" lineup. If it's any consolation to you, neither do I.

Fart joke.
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Bt Garner (profile), 19 Jun 2015 @ 3:30am

Perhaps Donald could use Ted Nugent's "Cat Scratch Fever" instead?
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Baron von Robber, 19 Jun 2015 @ 6:41am

Re:
Isn't he in jail or dead? =b
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Pragmatic, 19 Jun 2015 @ 7:33am

Re: Re:
No, his supporters bullied their workers into cheering at rallies on their own time, no pay.

No wonder he lost!
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Pragmatic, 19 Jun 2015 @ 7:36am

Re: Re: Re:
Sorry, that was "during work hours, no pay."

Still freakin' wrong.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/19/news/la-pn-romney-ad-miners-rally-20120919

http://www.p olitico.com/news/stories/0912/81421.html
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John Fenderson (profile), 19 Jun 2015 @ 8:14am

Re:
People who find Sanders appealing are very likely to find the other Democratic candidates unappealing. So, you're recommending that those people should avoid voting for the candidate they feel represents them the best in order to vote for a candidate they dislike just because it might cause a different candidate they dislike to win?

This type of thinking is a large part of what's gone wrong with elections in the US.
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John Fenderson (profile), 19 Jun 2015 @ 8:36am

Re:
Not just politicians. It's amazing how many times companies choose inappropriate music to use in their commercials. One example that I found extremely funny was when Devo's song "Here To Go" was used in a car commercial.

It's funny because the song is about how we're all going to die and ends with the sounds of a car accident.
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Jun 2015 @ 8:59am

Young is Canadian, does anyone care who he wants to be our President?

What is supposed to do, do you think any artist would support Trump using their music?

Most people overthink these kind of things.
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Howard the Duck, 19 Jun 2015 @ 9:21am

Re: Re: Re: Re:
Pragmatic is quite opinionated. Clash?
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Howard the Duck, 19 Jun 2015 @ 9:24am

Re:
At least it won't be German Shepherds and fire hoses. Democrats are so forgetful.
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Howard the Duck, 19 Jun 2015 @ 9:28am

Re:
How do you know he hired his own people? You don't. But that's OK. You're a democrat.
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Howard the Duck, 19 Jun 2015 @ 9:31am

Re: Re:
No. He's still out shooting guns and enjoying his freedom of speech. As long as the neo-fascist liberal progressives don't PC us into oblivion,
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Anonymous Coward, 19 Jun 2015 @ 10:49am

All I know is that any time a popular song is used as background music in a commercial or theme song it completely turns me off to ever listening to it again on the radio or adding it to my collection.

If anything the studio selling rights to a song has caused them to lose more money from me than anything else. If only my boycotting wasn't so irrelevant to them. :P
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John Fenderson (profile), 19 Jun 2015 @ 12:53pm

Re:
Just do what I do: don't watch commercials. Commercials are the primary reason why the only TV I watch anymore is Netflix.
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GEMont, 19 Jun 2015 @ 1:25pm

Heil POTUS!!
Corporate Figurehead Selection Day approaches once again.

With the addition of the final Clown Candidate for POTUS now dancing around the ring, all that is left is the introduction of the Ringer - the pre-selected corporate winner of the "contest".

It has to be someone nobody knows well, and who has no track record of past (dirty) deeds, like Barracks (Drones) O-bomber once had. Otherwise it will be impossible to convince the American public that it all "voted" for the same candidate once again.

Certainly, with the addition of the "Toupe", the list of people that nobody in their right mind would vote for, is now complete, leaving only the introduction of Mr., (or more likely) Mrs. Only Possible Choice.

Should be a fun circus performance as usual. Don't forget your popcorn.

---
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Baron von Robber, 19 Jun 2015 @ 2:16pm

Re: Re: Re:
Who are you talking to? I'm an ex-Republican still Conservative.
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Baron von Robber, 19 Jun 2015 @ 2:18pm

Re:
Hey, there's an ex Canadian running for president. So yea, maybe he does.
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res (profile), 19 Jun 2015 @ 3:02pm

Re: Re:
"Just do what I do: don't watch commercial"
Those commercials are some of the best programming on the TV (except for the perfume commercials)
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