“Don’t even think about using my music, you fascists”: Now Jack White and Abba tell Trump to stop using their music
So who’s left on the Republican playlist?
Jack White has become the latest artist to prevent Donald Trump from using his music as part of his presidential campaign.
It comes after Trump aide Margo Martin posted footage to her Twitter/ X account of Trump boarding a plane to the soundtrack of the White Stripes’ Seven Nation Army.
White shot back on Instagram and made his displeasure obvious, writing: “Oh… Don’t even think about using my music you fascists. Law suit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your 5 thousand others.)
"Have a great day at work today Margo Martin. And as long as I’m here, a double fuck you DonOLD for insulting our nation’s veterans at Arlington you scum.
"You should lose every military family’s vote immediately from that if ANYTHING makes sense anymore.”
A post shared by Jack White (@officialjackwhite)
A photo posted by on
So White joins a small army of artists who have distanced themselves from Trump. Just yesterday Abba also sought to prevent him from using their music at his rallies.
In the past week the Foo Fighters and Beyonce have also joined a list that includes (deep breath) Tom Petty, Adele, Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith, Earth Wind And Fire, Elton John, House Of Pain, the Rolling Stones, Sinead O’Connor, Eddy Grant, Queen, Free, Nickelback, Phil Collins, Guns N’ Roses, Linkin Park, The O Jays, Ozzy Osbourne, Rihanna, John Fogerty, Journey, Celine Dion, Twisted Sister, Village People, Panic! At The Disco, Pharrell Williams, REM and oh yes the Estate of Issac Hayes, who are demanding $3million for the use of Hold On, I’m Coming at his events.
Get the MusicRadar Newsletter
Want all the hottest music and gear news, reviews, deals, features and more, direct to your inbox? Sign up here.
So, you have to ask... who’s left that wouldn’t mind their music being used by Trump?
Ted Nugent
Nugent was MAGA long before the phrase was a glint in the orange one’s eyes. He’s been vocal in his support of Trump, loves guns to the extent that he’s served on the board of the National Rifle Association and insults Democrats with gusto. Back in 2014 he called President Obama a “communist-raised, communist-nurtured subhuman mongrel”. Lovely.
Kid Rock
Indeed the rap rocker already has. He performed his song American Bad Ass at the Republican National Convention in July.
Kanye West?
Who can forget that deeply bizarre meeting of Trump and Kanye at the Oval Office in 2018? Then four years later at the height of the controversy over West’s stream of antisemitic tweets, Trump invited the rapper to dinner at his Mar-A-Lago estate. Kanye’s politics have never been stable, but he probably wouldn’t object to Trump using his music…
MIA
Yes indeed. The Sri Lanka-born rapper recently tweeted: “Trump is going to ride America through the most challenging 4 years coming pulling out weed... Trump is like a trumpet, if the Trumpet sounds then it’s time for God.”
Azealia Banks
The scatological rapper told The Standard last autumn that she would be voting for Trump. Why? “He’s just f**king funny. He’s been through how many bankruptcies? How many wives? Seriously, nothing can take him down.”
Hmm not much of a playlist though, is it?
Will Simpson is a freelance music expert whose work has appeared in Classic Rock, Classic Pop, Guitarist and Total Guitar magazine. He is the author of 'Freedom Through Football: Inside Britain's Most Intrepid Sports Club' and his second book 'An American Cricket Odyssey' is due out in 2025