Last night, Minnesota governor Tim Walz officially accepted the vice presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention. When Walz finished his speech, Neil Young's pissed-off 1989 anthem "Rockin' In The Free World" boomed over the arena speakers. This is nothing new. "Rockin' In The Free World" is a staple at political events, even though its lyrics paint a notably bleak picture of that free world. But this time, there was something different: Neil Young actually approved the song's use.
Neil Young personally allowed the Harris-Walz campaign to use his song "Rockin' in the Free World" as Walz exited tonight, a campaign official says. (Walz personally chose the song, given it's a favorite of his.) Young previously sued the Trump campaign to stop them from using…
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) August 22, 2024
"Rockin In The Free World" has remained in the political space over the years; Secretary Of State Antony Blinken covered the song at a Kyiv bar a few months ago. Last night, Stevie Wonder, John Legend, and Maren Morris all performed at the DNC. (Jason Isbell and Lil Jon performed on previous nights.) Tonight, Pink will perform there.
