Kenny Loggins isn’t alone: These music legends also told Trump to stop using their songs

Kenny Loggins is the latest artist to oppose his music being used to score political points. His 1986 hit “Danger Zone”, one of the hit singles from the Top Gun soundtrack, was used in an AI video posted on President Trump’s Truth Social account, mocking protesters who took part in the recent No Kings Day March.

Loggins was furious that his most successful chart hit was used a) for political purposes and b) with his consent. The 77-year-old issued a statement, demanding that the video is taken down.

Highway to the danger zone

“This is an unauthorized use of my performance of ‘Danger Zone,’” the singer said. “Nobody asked me for my permission, which I would have denied, and I request that my recording on this video is removed immediately. I can’t imagine why anybody would want their music used or associated with something created with the sole purpose of dividing us. Too many people are trying to tear us apart, and we need to find new ways to come together. We’re all Americans, and we’re all patriotic. There is no ‘us and them’ – that’s not who we are, nor is it what we should be. It’s all of us. We’re in this together, and it is my hope that we can embrace music as a way of celebrating and uniting each and every one of us”.

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When music and politics don’t mix

While Loggins provided the vocals for “Danger Zone”, the song is not strictly his. It was composed by Giorgio Moroder with lyrics by Tom Whitlock. On the back of the huge commercial success of the Top Gun movie, the single went platinum in five countries, including the UK.

But Loggins isn’t the only musician to have objected to president Trump using their work. In 2024, Beyoncé took legal action to stop Trump’s media team from using her song “Freedom” in a video clip.

In August 2024, Céline Dion‘s management team and record label, Sony Music Canada took to social media to complain about her hit “My Heart Will Go On” being played at a Trump/JD Vance rally in Bozeman, Montana. “Céline Dion does not endorse this or any similar use,” a management statement read.

Family of Stax legend threaten to sue Trump

Isaac Hayes and David Porter co-wrote “Hold On, I’m Comin’” which was a hit for Sam and Dave and recorded by several of their Stax labelmates and dozens of other artists. But when Trump’s team started playing Hold On, I’m Comin’ at rallies, the family of the late singer-songwriter-producer (Hayes passed away in 2008), were not very happy at all and tried to get it stopped by issuing a lawsuit. A federal judge ruled in their favor, banning Trump from using Hayes’ song at political rallies.

Jack White threatened Trump’s MAGA team with a lawsuit of they ever used his “Seven Nation Army” anthem on a video again. “Don’t even think about using my music you fascists,” the White Stripes frontman seethed.

The estate of another late singer, Sinéad O’Connor, also spoke out when Trump used her Prince-penned hit “Nothing Compares 2 U” at his rallies in Maryland and North Carolina. “Sinéad would have been disgusted, hurt, and insulted to have her work misrepresented in this way,” they said.

“A billionaire fascist with an omelette on his head”

Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr has been vocal many times when politicians hijack his music for their own gains. Proudly left wing, Marr doesn’t even want self-serving MPs to profess their admiration for his music (when Conservative David Cameron chose ‘This Charming Man’ as a one of his Desert Island Discs for the BBC in 2006, Marr was furious: “Stop saying that you like the Smiths. No you don’t. I forbid you to like it.”). Needless to say, when Marr found out that an album track he has written with Morrissey, “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” had been taken up by the MAGA crowd, he wasn’t too impressed. During a 2016 US tour, Marr told the crowd at at Los Angeles’ El Rey Theatre that as far as he is concerned, Trump is “a billionaire fascist with an omelette on his head”.

Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” has long been on Trump’s rally playlist – in spite of the Canadian rocker’s attempts to get it removed.

Letters from Mick and Keith

The Rolling Stones had more luck but had to send a batch of cease and desist letters to pull the plug on Trump’s team playing their 1969 song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want“.

Many other artists do not want their work being associated with the Trump administration and have spoken out about it. Adele, the Foo Fighters, Elton John, The O’Jays, Pharrell Williams, R.E.M. and the estate of Tom Petty are some of the others who have objected to their work being used politically.

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