ABBA asks Trump to stop using their songs; Trump team claims permission

NEW YORK (AP) — Swedish supergroup ABBA has asked Donald Trump to stop using their music at campaign rallies, but the Republican presidential nominee’s campaign insists it has permission.

“ABBA has recently discovered the unauthorized use of their music and videos at a Trump event through videos that appeared online,” said a statement to The Associated Press from the band, known for hits like “Waterloo,” “The Winner Takes It All,” and “Money, Money, Money.”

“As a result, ABBA and its representative has promptly requested the removal and deletion of such content. No request has been received; therefore, no permission or license has been granted.”

A spokesperson for the Trump campaign argued they had obtained a license. “The campaign had a license to play ABBA music through our agreement with BMI and ASCAP,” the spokesperson told the AP.

ABBA joins a long list of performers who’ve objected to Trump using their songs. Ahead of the 2020 election, artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Pharrell, John Fogerty, Neil Young, Eddy Grant, Panic! at the Disco, R.E.M., and Guns N’ Roses also asked Trump to stop using their music.

This cycle, Celine Dion has requested that Trump stop using “My Heart Will Go On” and Beyoncé blocked Trump from using her song “Freedom” in a campaign video. In 2016, Adele similarly asked Trump to quit playing her songs at political rallies.

Campaigns generally don’t require an artist’s direct consent to play their songs at rallies, provided that the political organization or the venue has acquired a blanket license from performing rights organizations like ASCAP and BMI.

Swedish daily newspaper Svenska Dagbladet reported that its journalist attended a Trump rally in Minnesota in July, where “The Winner Takes it All” was played. Universal Music in Sweden mentioned that videos had surfaced showing ABBA’s music being played at at least one Trump event.

ABBA, who achieved 20 songs in the Billboard Hot 100, mostly during the 1970s and 1980s, made a comeback with the release of their album “Voyage” in 2021.

Source: The Associated Press