Donald Trump and Eddy Grant have reached a settlement in the copyright infringement lawsuit over Trump's unauthorized use of "Electric Avenue" in a 2020 campaign video. The settlement terms remain undisclosed, though Grant initially sought $300,000 plus legal fees.

Photo Credit: Eddy Grant by Stuart Sevastos / CC by 2.0

US District Judge John Koetl had previously found Trump liable for copyright infringement in September. The case centered on an animated video mocking Joe Biden that featured Grant's song playing in the background, posted across social media platforms without permission or proper licensing.

Trump's legal team unsuccessfully argued fair use for political commentary. The judge rejected this defense, stating it was "a wholesale copying of music to accompany a political campaign ad" rather than a transformative work like a parody.

This case joins a growing list of musical artists who have objected to Trump's unauthorized use of their music, including:

• ABBA
• Celine Dion
• Foo Fighters
• Sinead O'Connor's estate
• Johnny Marr of The Smiths

In related developments, Jack White recently dropped a similar lawsuit regarding "Seven Nation Army," though it could be refiled. Meanwhile, Isaac Hayes' estate successfully won their copyright case against Trump's campaign for using "Hold On, I'm Coming."

Related Articles

Previous Articles