Kesha Slams White House Song Use

The controversial TikTok video, posted on February 10th, featured Kesha's 2010 song "Blow" as a soundtrack to footage of fighter jets firing upon and destroying naval ships. The 31-second clip, captioned "Lethality" with fire and eagle emojis, amassed over 16 million views and 2 million likes. In response, Kesha stated she did not approve of her music being used to "incite violence and threaten war," calling the video "disgusting and inhumane." On the social media platform X, she directly addressed the White House, posting, "Stop using my music, perverts." This incident is part of a larger pattern of musicians publicly condemning the Trump administration for the unauthorized use of their work. Artists including Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, SZA, and Radiohead have all recently voiced objections to their music being used in social media posts by the White House or associated agencies. The legal standing for politicians using popular music is complex. While campaign rallies may be covered by broad licensing agreements from organizations like ASCAP and BMI, using music in online videos without direct permission can lead to copyright violation claims. Artists can also argue that such use falsely implies an endorsement. Historically, numerous musicians have demanded politicians stop using their songs, a trend that spans decades and political affiliations. The family of Tom Petty sent a cease and desist letter to the Trump campaign for using "I Won't Back Down," and Bruce Springsteen has repeatedly objected to his song "Born in the U.S.A." being used at political rallies. Other high-profile examples include Beyoncé sending a cease-and-desist in 2024 over the use of her song "Freedom," and the Rolling Stones threatening legal action to prevent the use of "You Can't Always Get What You Want." In several instances, the White House has removed videos after artists, such as Sabrina Carpenter, publicly objected.