Aerosmith, Rolling Stones Members Demand Campai... May 2026

This 2020 initiative followed years of individual protests against unauthorized use, particularly during Donald Trump's campaigns.

Members of and The Rolling Stones are among dozens of high-profile musicians who signed an open letter in July 2020 demanding that political campaigns seek express consent before using their music . This collective effort, organized in partnership with the Artist Rights Alliance , was addressed to major U.S. political committees and sought to establish clear policies to protect artists' intellectual property and personal values. Key Details of the Collective Demand

: The artists argued that unauthorized music use is "dishonest and immoral," as it falsely implies a candidate has the creator's support. Aerosmith, Rolling Stones Members Demand Campai...

: The artists claimed this practice "undermines the campaign process" and "distorts elections" by confusing the voting public about where artists actually stand.

: Repeatedly objected to the use of "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Start Me Up" at rallies, eventually threatening legal action through BMI to exclude their songs from blanket licenses. This 2020 initiative followed years of individual protests

The petition highlighted several risks and moral issues associated with current campaign practices:

: Previously sent a cease-and-desist to the Trump campaign in 2015 regarding the use of "Dream On," framing it as a matter of creator rights rather than a partisan attack. political committees and sought to establish clear policies

: unauthorized use may violate federal and state copyright and trademark laws , as well as "rights of publicity".