The Rolling Stones have partnered with the publishing rights organization Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI) to stop Donald Trump and his campaign from using the band’s song “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” at campaign rallies.
After Trump played the song as his walk-off music at his rally in Tulsa last Saturday, BMI contacted the Trump campaign, saying that they will seek a lawsuit if he continues to use it without license or approval.
Trump’s campaign has a Political Entities License, which allows for the public performance of over 15 million different musical works. But a song can be excluded if the artist or publisher objects to the song’s use for political purposes. BMI has formally contacted the Trump campaign, saying that The Rolling Stones are no longer included as part of the license and unauthorized use of the song will result in a breach of the licensing agreement.
“Despite cease & desist directives to Donald Trump in the past, the Rolling Stones are taking further steps to exclude him using their songs at any of his future political campaigning,” the band said in part in the statement. “If Donald Trump disregards the exclusion and persists, then he would face a lawsuit for breaking the embargo and playing music that has not been licensed.”
The Rolling Stones previously rebuked Trump in 2016 when he used their 1969 hit “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” during his presidential campaign. Earlier this week, Tom Petty’s estate also issued a cease and desist to the campaign for the president’s unauthorized use of the song “I Won’t Back Down.”
Representatives for the Trump campaign did not respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
The news was first reported by Deadline.