As Reported by rolling Stone, over the past 12 years or so, a particular annoyance of many arena-level acts is the fact that politicians can play their songs at rallies without the artists' permission. The reason for this is: Generally, a party cannot play another party's music in public without consent. However, most large political rallies are held at arenas or other venues that regularly hold public events. Most medium and large venues (and many small ones) pay ASCAP a public performance license which allows them to play pre-recorded music at a public event. The previously unconsidered consequence of this is that politicians are now playing artists' music at their rallies, which, as argued by many artists, suggests that the artist being played supports the politician- even if they do not.

A number of bigger acts have come together to demand a change to this system. Green Day, Blondie, Pearl Jam, Elvis Costello, R.E.M. Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, Sia, Regina Spektor, Lorde, Sheryl Crow, Rosanne Cash, and Lionel Richie have each signed an open letter drafted by Artist Rights Coalition. The letter is addressed to major political party committees (and not to the Federal Government or music licensing systems) and requests that each of the major political parties get consent of an artists' music before using it in political campaigns. No party has responded as the news of this action was just announced today.

Previously, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Michael Stipe and and others have all threatened the Trump campaign with legal action for using their songs without permission at public events.