Brendon Urie Tells Donald Trump to Stop Playing Panic! At the Disco Music at His Rallies

  • Save

  • Save
Brendon Urie performing in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2009. Photo Credit: Silvio Tanaka

Brendon Urie has demanded that the Trump campaign cease playing Panic! At the Disco music at campaign rallies.

Specifically, Brendon Urie voiced his disapproval with the appearance of “High Hopes” at Trump’s recently held Tulsa, Oklahoma, rally in a pair of firmly worded tweets.

The first of these messages reads: “Dear Trump Campaign, F—k you. You’re not invited. Stop playing my song. No thanks, Brendon Urie, Panic! At The Disco & company.”

And the second post, which features a link to a voter-registration organization, states: “Donald Trump represents nothing we stand for. The highest hope we have is voting this monster out in November.”

At the time of this writing, the Trump campaign hadn’t responded to the 33-year-old’s clear-cut opposition. However, statutory public performance laws generally enable politicians to use music of their choosing at rallies, so long as the hosting venue pays a blanket fee.

Over the weekend, Digital Music News compiled a list of the songs played at the president’s Tulsa rally, which took place last Saturday, June 20th. Elton John, Rolling Stones, and Tom Petty tracks were among those that made an appearance at the function.

Tom Petty’s family subsequently stated that they had “issued an official cease and desist notice to the Trump campaign,” but as mentioned, U.S. copyright law and statutory performance licenses generally leave artists without (legal) recourse in terms of pushing back against public-event usages that they don’t approve of.

In the past, artists including Aerosmith, Rihanna, R.E.M., and Guns N’ Roses have spoken out against the Trump campaign’s use of their music at rallies. A vocal opponent of the Trump administration, Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose engaged in a war of words with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin last month.

During a campaign event in Phoenix, Arizona, yesterday, the chief executive took the stage as Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A.” played. That’s Trump’s usual entry music, and Greenwood has widely approved its usage.

6 Responses

  1. restless94110

    Message to Brandon: Shut up. Collect your royalties. Be happy, And, for sure? Shut up.

    • Burt

      Message to you: STFU. Brandon has the right to deny use of his creative works. And, no, a blanket license doesn’t deny him that right. You’re still an asshole.

    • Soon

      It will be some of his last checks

      The Industry has NO MORE MONEY for fake ass rock stars

      Soon all you fake jokes the lawyers prop up as musicians are on your way out!

      And your genres are dead

      Oh and your over played!!!

      Hahaha hahaha ha

  2. Charlie Sheen

    More evidence that Hollywood and millionaire musicians are dumbfuks. He needs to back to his gated mansion and do pedo things.

    • IP Freely

      Yeah. Anyone who is creative and successful shouldn’t have an opinion on anything. Talk about a dubfuk…it’s you.