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, but the case was discontinued with prejudice and without costs.

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 dispute 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 licensing.

Trump's legal team attempted to defend the usage as fair use for political commentary, but the judge rejected this argument, stating it was "a wholesale copying of music to accompany a political campaign ad." Grant initially sought $300,000 in damages plus legal fees.

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 over "Seven Nation Army," though it could be refiled. Conversely, Isaac Hayes' estate succeeded in their copyright case against Trump's campaign regarding the use of "Hold On, I'm Coming."

Related Articles

Previous Articles