Donald Trump - CMU | the music business explained

The Isaac Hayes estate’s copyright lawsuit against Trump can proceed, but judge axes false endorsement claims

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Isaac Hayes • 3 min read

The Isaac Hayes estate’s copyright lawsuit against Trump can proceed, but judge axes false endorsement claims

Attempts by Donald Trump to get a copyright lawsuit filed over his use of an Isaac Hayes song at his rallies dismissed have failed, meaning the litigation will now proceed. However, a separate claim that Trump’s use of the song also constituted false endorsement has been axed by the judge…

Chris Cooke • 29 Apr 2025

Trump must “weigh in” on AI copyright debate and pressure “less innovative countries” on copyright rules, says OpenAI

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OpenAI • 6 min read

Trump must “weigh in” on AI copyright debate and pressure “less innovative countries” on copyright rules, says OpenAI

OpenAI has asked Donald Trump to stand up for the fair use principle which it believes allows it to use existing content in its AI training without the permission of rightsholders. It also wants Trump to put pressure on countries where copyright rules restrict AI training, which will include the UK…

Chris Cooke • 14 Mar 2025

Turning Point wants out of the Isaac Hayes estate’s Trump lawsuit, because the President himself was in charge of the playlist

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Turning Point • 2 min read

Turning Point wants out of the Isaac Hayes estate’s Trump lawsuit, because the President himself was in charge of the playlist

Right wing group Turning Point got caught up in the lawsuit filed by the Isaac Hayes estate over Donald Trump’s use of the song ‘Hold On, I’m Comin’, because it hosted events for the President. But it says it should be removed from the lawsuit because it wasn’t involved in Trump’s musical choices…

Chris Cooke • 19 Feb 2025

US Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban, app’s American future now in the hands of Donald Trump

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TikTok • 3 min read

US Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban, app’s American future now in the hands of Donald Trump

TikTok is due to be banned in the US on Sunday, after the country’s Supreme Court declined to block the law that instigates the ban. However, Donald Trump seems likely to intervene when he becomes President on Monday. He says, unhelpfully, “you’re going to see what I’m going to do”…

Chris Cooke • 17 Jan 2025

TikTok requests emergency injunction after judges warn app will be “effectively unavailable” in US from 19 Jan 2025

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TikTok • 5 min read

TikTok requests emergency injunction after judges warn app will be “effectively unavailable” in US from 19 Jan 2025

TikTok has failed to overturn a law passed in the US earlier this year that says China-based owner Bytedance must sell the app or it will be banned in the country. It will now take the matter to the US Supreme Court, and wants an emergency injunction to delay the current 19 Jan deadline…

Chris Cooke & Sam Taylor • 09 Dec 2024

Donald Trump settles Eddy Grant copyright lawsuit after fair use defence fails

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Eddy Grant • 2 min read

Donald Trump settles Eddy Grant copyright lawsuit after fair use defence fails

In September a US court said that Donald Trump’s unapproved use of Eddy Grant’s ‘Electric Avenue’ in a 2020 campaign video was not fair use, meaning it infringed copyright. Trump has now settled Grant’s lawsuit, meaning that ruling won’t be challenged on appeal…

Chris Cooke • 22 Nov 2024

Trump nominates outspoken TikTok critic for top FCC position

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TikTok • 3 min read

Trump nominates outspoken TikTok critic for top FCC position

Despite previously trying to ban TikTok when he was President, Donald Trump vowed to save the app during the recent election campaign by overturning the sell-or-be-banned law passed by US Congress earlier this year. But now Trump has nominated a very outspoken TikTok critic to chair the FCC…

Chris Cooke • 19 Nov 2024

“Hurrah for Trump!” hoots Live Nation’s CFO Joe Berchtold - sort of - as he ponders the future of the DoJ’s antitrust lawsuit

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Live Nation • 3 min read

“Hurrah for Trump!” hoots Live Nation’s CFO Joe Berchtold - sort of - as he ponders the future of the DoJ’s antitrust lawsuit

Trump’s victory in last week’s US election is likely good news for Live Nation, as it continues to fight an antitrust lawsuit filed by the Department Of Justice. Under Trump, the DoJ is expected to be much less interventionist on antitrust issues. Certainly that’s what Live Nation is expecting…

Chris Cooke • 12 Nov 2024

Trump campaign guilty of copyright infringement in Eddy Grant lawsuit

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Donald Trump • 3 min read

Trump campaign guilty of copyright infringement in Eddy Grant lawsuit

Eddy Grant has succeeded in his copyright lawsuit against Donald Trump, in doing so demonstrating that using music in political campaign videos does not qualify as fair use, so a licence must be secured. Trump posted a video using ‘Electric Avenue’ during the 2020 US presidential election campaign…

Chris Cooke • 16 Sep 2024

The White Stripes sue Trump campaign, “disgusted” by its “flagrant misappropriation” of Seven Nation Army

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The White Stripes • 3 min read

The White Stripes sue Trump campaign, “disgusted” by its “flagrant misappropriation” of Seven Nation Army

The White Stripes have fallen out with Donald Trump for a second time. After enraging the band in 2016 when he used their music in a campaign video, he’s done it again - and this time the band are going legal, saying his “flagrant misappropriation” of their music has left them “disgusted”…

Chris Cooke • 10 Sep 2024

Judge orders Trump to stop playing Isaac Hayes song amid dispute over date of BMI exclusion

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Isaac Hayes • 2 min read

Judge orders Trump to stop playing Isaac Hayes song amid dispute over date of BMI exclusion

The legal battle between the Isaac Hayes estate and the Donald Trump election campaign continues. A judge has issued an injunction ordering Trump to not use ‘Hold On, I'm Coming’ at his rallies and Hayes’ son has disputed the campaign’s claim about its BMI licence…

Chris Cooke • 04 Sep 2024

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Isaac Hayes • 3 min read

Republicans say Isaac Hayes copyright claim invalid and is maliciously timed political stunt designed to “disproportionately harm” Trump’s campaign

The Republican Party says that, until mid-August, its BMI licence - and that of the Donald Trump campaign - covered Isaac Hayes song ‘Hold On, I’m Coming’, and therefore claims of copyright infringement from the Hayes estate over Trump’s use of that track are invalid…

Chris Cooke • 02 Sep 2024