Oncast Music · Pop Lunch

Neil Young sues Trump again

· Fact-checked before it aired. Unconfirmed claims from this segment are not shown.

Neil Young has filed a new lawsuit against Donald Trump over the unauthorized use of his song "Rockin' in the Free World" at political rallies. This is not the first time: Young famously objected to Trump's use of the track during his 2016 campaign and has pursued legal action before. The song — a protest anthem from Young's 1989 album "Freedom" — has been a fixture of Trump's rallies despite Young's repeated objections.

Musicians have long pushed back on politicians using their music without permission; Young's song in particular carries ironic resonance given Trump's politics. The dispute centers on copyright and the right of artists to control the political contexts in which their work is deployed.

Slow Horses Season 6's finale, "Judgment Day," began streaming on Apple TV on October 21, 2026 (with an early U.S. release Tuesday night, October 20).

Neil Young is suing Donald Trump over the unauthorized use of "Rockin' in the Free World" at campaign rallies — his second such suit over this song.

MJ Lenderman has covered Lambchop's "Weakened" on the Nashville band's new covers EP, "Demoed."

Brett Morgen has remastered David Bowie's previously unreleased 1978 concert film "Stage" for an immersive multi-screen live show.

Factory Floor has returned with "One Trip," their first album in 10 years, and shared tracks "Continuation" and the title track.

Fact-check

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What the hosts said

CNeil Young is suing Donald Trump over "Rockin' in the Free World" — again.
LAgain? This is the second time he's taken this to court.
CPitchfork is reporting Young filed a new lawsuit over the president's unauthorized use of the song at rallies.
LI mean, you have to admire the persistence. Most people just tweet about it.
CHere's the thing — that song is a protest anthem from 1989. It's about homelessness, pollution, the gap between rich and poor.
LRight, and Trump's been playing it at his rallies for years. Young has been objecting since the first campaign.
CSo why does Young keep losing? Because this is a copyright fight, not a political one.
LBut artists should have a say in how their music is used politically! If I wrote a song and someone I despise started blasting it at every speech, I'd be livid.
CHold on, hold on. The venues pay for blanket licenses. The song is legally licensed. You can't just decide you don't like the customer.
LThat's exactly my point! The system lets politicians use songs without the artist's consent. It's broken.
CLaura, if you sell your song to a streaming platform, do you get to veto who streams it? No. That's the deal with public performance licenses.
LIt's different when a campaign uses it as a theme song. It implies endorsement. People hear "Rockin' in the Free World" and think Neil Young supports Trump. That's false.
CNo one thinks Neil Young supports Trump. The man is about as anti-Trump as it gets. The irony is obvious to everyone.
LThen why is the song still playing? Because the legal system gives Trump a free pass.
CBecause Young keeps losing in court. Look, I get the frustration, but this is how music licensing works, and the blanket licenses are what cover public performance.
LOh, come on. That's not a real solution for a catalog he built over decades.
COkay, here's what I'll concede: it's a terrible look for Trump to keep using a song the artist hates. But legally, the licensing setup is what Young is up against.
LFine. Fine. But I still think it's wrong, and I'm glad Young keeps making noise about it.
CDifferent world entirely: the Slow Horses season finale is streaming now on Apple TV.
LOh, I love Slow Horses. Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb is the best thing on television.
CApple TV posted the finale is up. Season six, episode six — "Judgment Day." Dropped early in the U.S. last night.
LAnd they left River's fate ambiguous in the last episode. One fan on X said they could have him dead if the actor gets cast as the next Bond.
CThat's a wild theory. River Cartwright as Bond? The guy trips over his own feet half the time.
LHey, he's got the cheekbones for it. But no, they wouldn't kill him off. He's the heart of the show.
CAnother reply nailed it: "A dysfunctional team, questionable management, and somehow they deliver." That's the whole show in one line.
LSounds like every office I've ever worked in.
CAnd speaking of TV drama, one Chicago Fire fan is not happy with the new season.
LA post from a guy named Buckshot says the first two episodes are "going woke" and by the season finale the show will be completely woke.
C"Going woke" — what does that even mean for a firefighter show? More diverse firehouse?
LThis is the laziest criticism in TV. A show adds a female captain or a gay firefighter and suddenly it's "woke"? That's just reality.
CBut Laura, you know how these shows work. They don't just add characters, they add lectures. The writing changes.
LOr the show is just reflecting the world. Firehouses aren't all straight white guys anymore. Neither are hospitals or police stations.
CThat's fair. But there's a difference between diversity and preachy writing. Some shows do it well, some don't.
LAnd Buckshot himself said he doesn't know if he's right or wrong. At least he's honest about it.
CTwo episodes in and already predicting the finale. That's commitment.
LOr just looking for something to complain about. Either way, I'll be watching.
CThat's it for this hour. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time.

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