Phil Collins sends cease and desist order to President Trump's campaign after it used his hit song In the Air Tonight during a Des Moines rally
Phil Collins sent a cease and desist letter to the Trump campaign demanding that it no longer play the British rocker’s 1981 hit song In the Air Tonight after the president’s team used it during Wednesday’s rally in Iowa.
The song was played to the crowd of hundreds of supporters who gathered near the tarmac at Des Moines International Airport on Wednesday as President Trump was arriving on Air Force One.
As the plane carrying the president made its approach for landing, the song played in the background.
As Trump deplaned Air Force One and came down the stairs, he was met with roaring applause. The president made a grand entrance to Survivor’s hit song Eye of the Tiger.
Representatives for Phil Collins have sent a cease and desist letter to the campaign of President Trump demanding that it no longer play his 1981 hit song In the Air Tonight at his rallies. Trump is seen right in Des Moines, Iowa, on Wednesday
The campaign played the song in the background as Air Force One landed at Des Moines International Airport on Wednesday
Collins’ representative told Consequence of Sound that the campaign did not have the artist’s permission to use the song.
‘Yes we are well aware of the Trump campaign’s use of this song and we have already issued a “cease and desist” letter via our lawyers who continue to monitor the situation,’ the rep said.
The Trump campaign has been contacted by DailyMail.com for comment.
Some people said they found the campaign’s use of In the Air Tonight to be in poor taste given that the country is in the grip of a pandemic caused by an airborne virus.
At least 20 hit-making recording artists have publicly demanded that Trump stop using their songs during his rallies and speeches.
The family of Tom Petty , who died in 2017, asked the president's campaign to stop playing his hit song I Won't Back Down at his rallies. The Rolling Stones (led by front man Mick Jagger, who is seen right) once threatened legal action to get Trump to stop using the band's material
The Village People lead singer Victor Willis recently demanded that the president stop playing his band’s hit songs Macho Man and Y.M.C.A. at his rallies.
Earlier this year, the family of the late rocker Tom Petty sent a cease and desist letter to the campaign after it played I Won’t Back Down.
The family said the song was written for the ‘underdog’ and ‘common man’ and that the president did not represent either.
The Rolling Stones, Rihanna, R.E.M., Prince, Panic! At the Disco, Pharrell Williams, Nickelback, Neil Young, Adele, George Harrison, Elton John, Guns N’ Roses, and Luciana Pavarotti have all objected to the use of their material during Trump rallies.