Political campaigns and hit songs go hand in hand. These songs help to give emotion or set the mood of the campaign. Some people like it, and some people are just pissed about it. Some of the artists who wrote and sang these hit songs do not appreciate that politicians use their songs in their campaign.
Donald Trump just scored a major hit in his campaign. As reported by Rolling Stone, Twisted Sister's 1984 hit song "We're Not Gonna Take It" was permitted by the band's lead singer and songwriter, Dee Snider.
According to Snider, Trump asked him personally if he could use his song in his campaign. “He called and he asked, which I appreciated. I said, ‘Look, we don’t see eye to eye on everything -- there are definitely issues that we’re far apart on.’ But thinking back to when I wrote the song and what the song is about, it’s about rebellion, speaking your mind and fighting the system. If anybody’s doing that, he sure is,” shared Snider.
Trump and Snider had a history together when Snider joined the Celebrity Apprentice but was fired by Trump by the seventh episode.
Snider also added that he and Trump were friends. “I have spent time with Donald and his family. I don’t think either of us expected that we would like each other, but you know, Donald Trump is a pretty chill guy. He’s a frontman. When that camera goes on, he furls his brow, he does his thing. Off-camera he’s very self-deprecating. He makes jokes about being too orange and about his hair,” revealed Snider.
Some of the big names in the music industry expressed their disapproval on some of the politicians that were using their songs in their campaigns. R.E.M.'s front man, Michael Stripe, tweeted, "Go f**k yourselves, the lot of you — you sad, attention-grabbing, power-hungry little men. Do not use our music or my voice for your moronic charade of a campaign."
