Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Tom Petty's Estate Rips Kari Lake For Using Song Without Permission To Promote Her 'Failed Campaign'

Tom Petty; Kari Lake
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty Images; John Moore/Getty Images

The late rocker's estate released a statement calling out the failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate.

The estate of late rocker Tom Petty criticized Kari Lake—a QAnon adherent and election denier who was the Republican nominee in Arizona's gubernatorial race—after she used his song "I Won't Back Down" to promote her "failed campaign."

Lake has thus far refused to concede after she officially lost the gubernatorial race to Katie Hobbs, the Arizona Secretary of State whom Lake threatened with imprisonment on baseless and unspecified allegations of criminality related to the 2020 election.


Instead, she's rehashed the playbook made popular by former Republican President Donald Trump, falsely alleging that election fraud took place, and her use of "I Won't Back Down" was her way of making this statement in an ad she released following her loss.

However, Petty's estate says the song "was stolen and used without permission or a license to promote Kari Lake’s failed campaign."

You can see the ad below.

Petty's estate posted a longer statement to the rocker's official Twitter account, saying:

"This is illegal. We are exploring all of our legal options to stop this unauthorized use and to prohibit future misappropriations of Tom’s beloved anthem."
"Thank you to all of the fans who brought this to our attention and who help us protect his legacy every day.”

You can see the official statement below.

As it turns out, Lake's choice of music is her simply mimicking Trump, who was called out by Petty's estate for using the same song when he announced a return to the campaign trail in 2020.

At the time, Petty's estate said that Petty—who made no secret of his progressive politics when he was alive—would have disapproved of Trump's use of the song, saying Trump "was in no way authorized" to use it "to further a campaign that leaves too many Americans and common sense behind."

Lake and her use of the song were immediately criticized.


The criticism from Petty's estate is only the latest example of Lake being called out by an arist who doesn't agree with the political beliefs of the MAGA crowd.

Earlier this year, Twisted Sister rocker Dee Snider lashed out at Lake after learning her campaign had used the band's song "We're Not Going to Take It" at her campaign rallies.

While Snider acknowledged that people don't have to "get permission to play any song at an event," referring to paid licensing agreements that allow venues to legally use an entire catalog of music, he said that he "WILL denounce" those he disagrees with.

Later, he noted the hyper conservative Lake was using a song "NEVER intended for you fascist morons" because the first line is what he called a "PRO-CHOICE anthem."

Lake's campaign was unrepentant, later responding Snider was once "anti-establishment" because he once testified before Congress about music censorship during hearings in the 1990s about the "dangers" of rock music.

More from Trending

Lil Nas X
Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

Lil Nas X Speaks Out

Lil Nas X’s summer swerved from chart-topping to chaotic after his arrest in Los Angeles last week. The Grammy-winning “Industry Baby” rapper, born Montero Lamar Hill, found himself in the middle of a late-night spiral that ended with felony charges, a hospital stay, and a video to fans that was equal parts rattled and reassuring.

According to reports from last week, Hill was spotted drifting in and out of a Hollywood hotel before wandering the streets in nothing but underwear and cowboy boots.

Keep ReadingShow less
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift
Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Travis Kelce's Dad Just Revealed When Travis Proposed To Taylor—And Fans Are All Noticing A Huge Easter Egg

In "Love Story," Taylor Swift once sang, "We were both young when I first saw you . . . It's a love story, baby, just say, 'Yes.'"

And in "You Belong with Me," Swift sang, "I'm on the bleachers / Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find / What you're looking for has been here the whole time."

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Charlie Kirk; Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift
Real America's Voice; Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Charlie Kirk Slammed After Telling Taylor Swift To 'Submit To Your Husband' Following News Of Her Engagement

Far-right influencer Charlie Kirk put his misogyny and sexism on full display when he responded to the news that Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce and musician Taylor Swift are engaged to be married, saying that Swift should now take the opportunity to become "more conservative" and reminding her to "submit to your husband."

Kirk was of course just one of the millions around the country who responded to the news that America's most famous couple will soon tie the knot—but few made comments as openly backward as this.

Keep ReadingShow less
Randy Rainbow; Donald Trump
Randy Rainbow/YouTube; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Randy Rainbow Skewers Trump's Desire To Be King With Spot-On 'Lion King' Parody

Since the first presidency of MAGA Republican President Donald Trump, one of the greatest things to happen as a result was the rise of Randy Rainbow. Yes, unlike JD Vance, that's his real name.

His blend of political satire and musical parodies with a Broadway point of view have skewered Trump, his cabinet, and his closest cronies in Congress. His YouTube channel has garnered over 160 million views.

Keep ReadingShow less