The Influence Of Music In Politics

In recent years, musicians have routinely used their voices in efforts to support or protest politicians and their policies. Some artists choose to release public statements in support of or decrying political candidates, while others choose to support or decry candidates by penning or dedicating songs to them. Oftentimes, especially in this past Presidential election cycle, musicians have denied political candidates permission to use their music in campaigning efforts. Some of these artists may choose to do so in efforts to keep their art as apolitical as possible, but many choose to deny political candidates permission to use their music in protest of them. Whatever decision these musical artists come to, they should continue to use their work to express their political preferences …show more content…
However, music can be enjoyed and cherished in private. Donald Trump may love the music of Adele or the Rolling Stones, and he is free to enjoy their songs on his own time. However, once he elected to utilize their intellectual material for his own personal gain on the campaign trail, he began to tread murky waters. Politicians like Trump should seek to deeply understand the ramifications of using an artist’s work in a public, explicitly political setting. Musicians as authors and curators of their own art are the most qualified people to answer the question of what they intend their music to represent. As such they should be afforded the respect of determining the message their art portrays, especially in public settings such as political campaign trails. If a musician does not stand for a movement, they can most authentically contend that their music does not stand for a particular movement. Before a campaign seeks to use someone’s intellectual property, it behooves them to ascertain whether or not they are using that property in a manner which respects not only the art, but the artist as