Donald Trump Loses Legal Battle With Electric Avenue Against Eddie Grant

Former US President Donald Trump has been ordered to pay damages to London singer-songwriter Eddy Grant for using his song Electric Avenue without permission.

It took Grant, 76, more than four years to sue the Republican presidential candidate this year in US courts, over his 2020 campaign video that used a 40-second clip of the song.

The video was viewed 13.7 million times before Twitter, now known as X, removed it.

A federal judge in Manhattan has ruled that Mr. Trump infringed on Grant's copyright on his 1983 hit song, and he is now liable for damages as well as the singer's legal fees.

Mr. Grant’s battle with the former president began in August 2020, before he was elected to the White House, when the songwriter’s lawyer, Wallace E.J. Collins, issued a cease-and-desist letter to Donald Trump’s campaign team.

On Friday, Judge John J. Koeltl rejected arguments by Trump’s lawyers that the video posted to Twitter was protected under the fair use copyright doctrine, which allows the use of protected works in certain situations.

Brian D. Kaplan, Mr. Grant's attorney, said: Business Insider“As a firm believer in artists’ rights and the ability to control their creative output, Mr. Grant believes the decision will help others in their fight against the unauthorized use of sound recordings and musical compositions.

“Politicians are not above the law and the court has confirmed that.”

Earlier this month A US judge has ordered the Trump campaign to stop using the song “Hold On, I’m Coming” at his rallies.In response to a lawsuit filed by the family of the song's co-writer, Isaac Hayes.

Dozens of other artists have objected to the use of their songs at Trump rallies in recent months, including ABBA, the Foo Fighters, Celine Dion and Johnny Marr.

Electric Avenue takes its name from South London Road in Brixton, the first market street in the capital to be lit by electricity. It still forms part of Brixton Market today.

The song inspired the title of Mr Grant's song, which he wrote in response to the 1981 Brixton riots, and which reached number two in the charts in both the UK and US.

Mr. Trump's team has been contacted for comment on the Electric Street court case.