Staff Reports
Foo Fighters have made headlines yet again by whining about former President Donald Trump using their music at a campaign rally. The rock band has claimed that they did not authorize the use of their song “My Hero,” and are reportedly shifting any royalties they might collect to the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris. This melodramatic response from the band reeks of the familiar left-wing outrage that seems to erupt whenever Trump is involved.
In a recent event in Arizona, Trump’s campaign decided to play the Foo Fighters’ classic hit, leading to this latest episode of musical temper tantrums. The band’s representative has been vocal about withholding permission, stating unequivocally that if they had been approached, the answer would have been a resounding no. Their noble intention? To ensure that any income generated from the unapproved use of their song is funneled straight into a political campaign that the average American knows is all about expanding government and limiting liberties.
While the Foo Fighters may lament their situation, they don’t seem to realize that their faux outrage has been met with evidence that the Trump campaign actually did secure proper licensing to use the song. A spokesperson for Trump’s team confirmed that they have the rights to play the track, backed up by documentation from BMI’s Songview service. It is astonishing how quickly some artists jump to conclusions without bothering to check the facts—perhaps a lesson in the need for thoroughness is necessary for this group of rock stars.
This trend of musicians rushing to decry Trump’s campaign using their songs is more than just artistic integrity; it’s become a ritualistic performance for them. The music industry is filled with individuals who prefer to keep their brand tidy by steering clear of any association with the former president. Many seem desperate to avoid the wrath of progressives who can quickly turn vocal about a celebrity’s perceived faux pas, especially if it involves supporting someone they’ve anointed as the embodiment of evil. In the case of Dave Grohl and his fellow bandmates, it seems the pressure to publicly disavow Trump outweighs the actual business of making music.
Foo Fighters Frontman Cries About Trump Campaign Using His Music. Trump Campaign Wrecks Him.https://t.co/QJDx4uDP0q
— RedState (@RedState) August 26, 2024
What stands out as particularly hilarious in this scenario is that Grohl might not have cared all that much at all had Trump not been painted in such over-the-top caricatures for so many years. If rock legends like the Foo Fighters had a sense of humor—or perhaps a sense of perspective—they’d recognize that Trump using their music could be seen as a compliment. Instead, they seem to prefer virtue-signaling to an adoring leftist audience rather than enjoying the fact that their music continues to resonate, even in the political realm.
In the end, the Foo Fighters and others who make similar complaints could stand to learn that the best way to engage with their audience is through music and not through political statements that turn their art into a battleground of ideological warfare. However, it seems that any opportunity to pander to progressives leads them to miss the forest for the trees—and the punchline is often on them.
