Remember The Copyright Warriors In The Months Ahead

"Every four years, the U.S. holds a presidential election, and every four years, musicians ask Republican candidates to stop playing their songs at rallies. This year, so far, Newt Gingrich has been asked by Survivor to stop playing “Eye of the Tiger” and Somali-born musician K’naan has asked Mitt Romney to stop playing “Wavin’ Flag.” In 2011, Tom Petty had Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., stop playing “American Girl.”

In campaigns past, David Byrne had Gov. Charlie Crist stop using “Road to Nowhere” in his attacks on Marco Rubio, Jackson Browne had Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and the Ohio Republican Party stop using “Running on Empty” to attack then-Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. The singers from Heart stopped then-Gov. Sarah Palin from using “Barracuda.” In 2000, Sting asked George W. Bush to stop playing “Brand New Day.”