Neil Young Sues Trump Campaign Again Over Unauthorized Song Use

Rock musician Neil Young has filed a $10 million lawsuit against a fundraising committee supporting former President Donald Trump, alleging copyright infringement for the "unauthorized" use of his 1989 song "Rockin' in the Free World." The lawsuit, filed by Young's company Silver Fiddle Music, states the song was played without a license or permission at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on October 12.

According to the suit, playing the song at a political event constitutes an "unauthorized public performance." In the United States, public performance licenses are typically required for music played at campaign rallies, even if the campaign has legally purchased a copy of the recording. These licenses are needed from the copyright holders of the musical work itself.

Young, a Canadian-American artist who has been outspoken in his opposition to Trump's politics, described "Rockin' in the Free World" as a song that contrasts "the hollow promises of American political rhetoric with the harsh realities faced by the poor, homeless and forgotten." He asserts that the song's message is the antithesis of everything Donald Trump stands for.

This is not the first time Young has taken legal action against the Trump campaign over the song. In 2020, he sued Trump's re-election campaign for copyright infringement concerning "Rockin' in the Free World" and "Devil's Sidewalk." The parties reportedly settled that dispute shortly after the campaign was served with the lawsuit, with the campaign agreeing not to use the song without permission again.

The current lawsuit claims that Trump was "personally aware that a license would be required to play the Song at rallies," and that Young "has not, and would not, grant the required license." It also notes that the song has been played "numerous times at other rallies."

Young, 80, posted about the lawsuit on his website, acknowledging past interactions with Trump at concerts but emphasizing the need for proper licensing. "I am sorry it came to this, but money and transactions are something you understand," he wrote.

Several other artists, including The Rolling Stones, Rihanna, Adele, R.E.M., and the estate of Prince, have previously criticized President Trump for using their music at campaign events.