'Money, money, money': ABBA tells Trump to stop playing their songs at campaign rallies

The Swedish pop group ABBA is the latest musical group to ask former President Donald Trump's re-election team to stop playing their music and videos at rallies, but the campaign says it has permission.

ABBA hits, including "The Winner Takes It All," "Money, Money, Money," and "Dancing Queen," were played at a rally held by Trump and his running mate JD Vance on July 27 in Minnesota accompanied by videos, according to Reuters.

"Together with the members of ABBA, we have discovered that videos have been released where ABBA's music has been used at Trump events, and we have therefore requested that such use be immediately removed and taken down," the band's record label Universal Music said in a statement.

The band members declined to comment further, adding that they fully supported Universal's statement.

But a Trump representative quickly pointed out that they had obtained permission. "The campaign had a license to play ABBA music through our agreement with BMI and ASCAP," the spokesperson told the Associated Press on Thursday.

The license in question is known as a public performance contract issued by performing rights organizations (PROs), which collect royalties and distribute funds to the songwriter and publisher.

But even if the campaign events are properly licensed, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers acknowledges that if an artist is concerned that their music has been associated with a political campaign, the artist could take legal action based on several claims, including a false endorsement.

The extensive list of musical artists, or their representatives, who have strenuously objected to their songs being played at Trump events during his 2016, 2020 and 2024 campaigns includes dozens of Billboard chart-topping performers over the past five decades:

• Abba: "The Winner Takes It All," "Money, Money, Money" and "Dancing Queen"
• Adele: "Rolling in the Deep" and "Skyfall"
• Aerosmith: "Dream On" and "Living on the Edge"
• The Beatles: "Here Comes the Sun"
• Beyonce: "Freedom"

• Celine Dion: "My Heart Will Go On"
• Creedence Clearwater Revival: "Fortune Son"
• Earth, Wind & Fire: "September"
• Elton John: "Rocket Man" and "Tiny Dancer"

• Foo Fighters: "My Hero"
• Guns N' Roses: "Sweet Child O' Mine"
• House of Pain: "Jump Around"
• Isaac Hayes: "Hold On, I'm Comin"
• Jack White: "Seven Army Nation"
• Linkin Park: "In the End"
• Neil Young: "Rockin' in the Free World"
• Ozzy Osbourne: "Crazy Train
• Phil Collins: "In the Air Tonight"
• Pharell Williams: "Happy"
• Prince: "Purple Rain"
• Rihanna:  "Don't Stop the Music"

• The Rolling Stones: "You Can't Always Get What You Want"
• Sinead O'Connor: "Nothing Compares 2 U"
• The Smiths: "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want"
• Tom Petty: "I Won't Back Down"
• The Village People: "YMCA" and "Macho Man"

Reuters and USA TODAY reporter Jonathan Limehouse contributed to this story