Rocker Neil Young sues Trump for $10 million over use of his song

The legendary musician says Trump used "Rockin' in the Free World" at an Ohio midterm rally despite vowing not to do so in a 2020 settlement.RICHMOND, Va. (CN) — Two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Neil Young sued one of President Donald Trump’s political action committees Monday over the use of his song “Rockin’ in the Free World” at a recent rally.​Young, a Canadian citizen by birth who gained U.S. citizenship in 2020, accuses the PAC Trump 47 Committee of playing the song before Trump walked on stage for an Oct. 12 rally in Youngstown, Ohio. According to Young, Trump used the song despite promising in a 2020 settlement not to use it again without a license.​"‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ is a blistering anthem that contrasts the hollow promises of American political rhetoric with the harsh realities faced by the poor, homeless and forgotten," Young wrote in his five-page lawsuit. The lyrics paint vivid street-level portraits — a mother discarding her baby, addicts lost in despair, garbage piling in the shadows of prosperity — while the repeated chorus delivers a savage irony, celebrating freedom that clearly isn’t shared by all."​Young, who has been critical of Trump and the president’s use of his music dating to campaign events in 2015, said the committee lacks a license or permission.​"The song is the opposite of everything that Donald J. Trump stands for," the 80-year-old said.​The two-time Grammy Award winner filed the lawsuit in Virginia, claiming the PAC has an office in Richmond. The PAC did not respond to a request for comment.​"The committee did, and still does, finance, conduct, control, manage and supervise rallies designed to encourage attendees to vote for Republican candidates in the midterm elections," Young said. “The committee has caused the song to be played numerous times at other rallies designed to encourage Republican votes in the upcoming midterm elections.”​Young asks the court to block the committee from playing any of his songs and to award him $10 million in damages. Young is far from the first artist to complain about Trump using their music for political purposes. Rihanna, Linkin Park, Steven Tyler, the White Stripes and the estates of Tom Petty and Sinead O’ Connor have filed similar complaints.According to guitarist Frank “Poncho” Sampedro, Young wrote the song on tour after finding out a planned visit to the Soviet Union wouldn’t happen. Sampedro said to Young, “I guess we’ll have to keep on rockin’ in the free world,” and Young wrote and performed the song a day later in Seattle. The lyrics, which Young notably sang during a 1989 episode of Saturday Night Live, criticize George H.W. Bush’s administration.​"‘Rockin’ in the Free World’ has had, and continues to have, an enormous popularity, having been performed even within the last few weeks by numerous famous musical artists such as Roger Daltrey, Lucinda Williams, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Grohl, Dave Matthews and Billy Strings, resulting in the song being named Vintage Rock Song of 2026 by Rolling Stone Magazine," Young said.​One of the founders of Farm Aid, Young has a long history of activism, including his song with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, “Ohio,” written about the students the National Guard killed during an anti-Vietnam War protest at Kent State. Young’s 2006 “Living with War” album criticized the Iraq War and Trump’s Republican predecessor, former President George W. Bush. In recent years, Young pulled his music from Spotify as the platform continued streaming Joe Rogan’s podcast and others that spread Covid-19 misinformation.​Young’s attorneys Robert Besser and Scott Simmons did not respond to a request for comment. U.S. District Judge Robert Payne, a George H.W. Bush appointee, will oversee the case.Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads