Neil Young seeks $10 million over political use of his song
Neil Young has sued Trump 47 Committee for $10 million over alleged unauthorized use of Rockin' in the Free World. Music Business Worldwide reports that Young filed the complaint in federal court in Virginia on October 26 after an October 12 rally in Youngstown, Ohio. The lawsuit concerns rights in the composition, and Donald Trump is not personally named as a defendant. Young also seeks an order to stop the committee from performing the song or other compositions he owns. The $10 million is a demand, not an award, and the filing does not explain how Young calculated it.
THE BREAKDOWN
Before approving campaign work, distinguish composition permissions from master-recording rights and public-performance licenses. A creator's permission to use a track in a social post is not blanket clearance for a political rally or a campaign advertisement. Ask rights counsel to document political-use exclusions and the process for notifying license administrators. Preserve evidence of each disputed use, but do not treat the lawsuit's damages demand as a market rate for licensing.
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