REM Disapprove Of Donald Trump Using Their Music At Rally

His quote was also Tweeted out by founding R.E.M. member Mike Mills.

R.E.M., a local Georgia band with songs about both gardening and swimming after sunset, is the latest to join the ranks of bands none too pleased with Republican presidential candidates for using their music without permission.

‘Personally, I think the Orange Clown will do anything for attention.

The song was used as Trump‘s entrance music, and lead singer Michael Stipe was, shall we say, annoyed when he heard about it. “I hate giving it to him”.

Stipe went further in a Twitter posting that slammed politicians as “sad, attention-grabbing, power-hungry little men”.

Regardless of what happens, R.E.M. notes in an official statement that we should be anxious about bigger issues than the music being played at political events.

The harsh words came after Trump and Cruz played R.E.M.’s 1987 hit It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine) as an opening song during a rally criticizing President Obama’s recent nuclear deal with Iraq yesterday afternoon.

Of course, songs are hilariously misused by advertisers and politicians all the time – “Born In The USA” and the Reagan campaign, anyone? – but for some reason people have decided that “It’s The End Of The World As We Know It” is just what they need to pep their product or cause up.

According to an ASCAP document called, “Using Music in Political Campaigns”, Young or R.E.M. would be within their rights to sue, if either wished, because while Trump’s campaign secured the copyrights to the music, the campaign may be in violation of other laws. R.E.M. themselves. Their response was not as colorful as their response to Trump’s use of the song, but the refusal was still essentially “Don’t use the song”. Trump at least conceded at that point to not use the song in his campaign again.