ABBA, the iconic Swedish pop group, has demanded that former U.S. President Donald Trump stop using their music after a number of ABBA hits were played at a recent campaign rally in St. Cloud Minnesota. During the rally, ABBA hits including “Money, Money, Money,” “The Winner Takes It All,” and “Dancing Queen” were used without any unauthorisation. Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) has reported that the rally also played unauthorised video footage of the group.
Universal Music, which represents ABBA, swiftly responded to the unauthorised use of the group’s music and videos. The record company confirmed that the Trump campaign had not requested permission to use ABBA’s content and demanded that the footage be “immediately taken down and removed.”
Cheeky announcement by Celine Dion’s management
This incident is the latest in a series of legal challenges and public disputes between musicians and the Trump campaign. In a cheeky facebook post, Céline Dion’s management recently announced that her hit song “My Heart Will Go On” had been used without authorisation at a Trump rally in Montana. Other artists, including Beyoncé, Johnny Marr of The Smiths, and the estates of Isaac Hayes and Sinead O’Connor, have also taken action to prevent the use of their music at Trump events.
History repeats itself
The controversy surrounding Trump’s use of popular music is not new. During his 2020 presidential run, artists such as Phil Collins, the estate of Tom Petty, and the Rolling Stones issued cease and desist letters to the campaign, demanding that their music not be used in connection with Trump’s political activities. Despite these repeated objections, the Trump campaign has continued to use popular songs at rallies, often sparking backlash from the artists involved.
What are the odds?
As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, the odds for the race are being closely watched. According to data from four major UK-based sportsbooks as of August 30, 2024, Donald Trump and Kamala Harris , hold identical odds, making the race one of the most closely contested in recent history. With odds of 10/11 across Skybet, William Hill, and 888 Sport, both contenders’ probability of winning the election is estimated at 47.62%.
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