Yes. Neil Young approved Tim Walz’s use of “Rockin’ in the Free World” as walkout music after Walz’s vice-presidential acceptance speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The approval was confirmed by a Harris campaign official and a Young spokesperson, according to reports published August 22, 2024.
What song did Tim Walz walk out to?
After delivering his acceptance speech on the convention’s third night, August 21, 2024, Walz exited the stage to “Rockin’ in the Free World.” ABC News reported that Walz chose the track himself and that it was one of his personal favorites. The song appears on Young’s 1989 album Freedom, as reported by Variety.
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This was exit music after the speech, not an entrance song. ABC News reported that a Harris campaign official confirmed Young gave the campaign permission; Billboard separately attributed confirmation of Young’s personal sign-off to a spokesperson for the musician.
What did Young’s approval cover?
The reports establish approval for Walz’s convention use of the song. They do not publish the authorization or its legal terms, so they do not establish a general campaign license, permission for future uses, or an endorsement of the Harris-Walz campaign as a whole. No direct Young statement about this 2024 approval was included in the reports.
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Why was the permission notable?
Young had previously objected to Donald Trump campaign uses of his music. ABC News reported that Young sued Trump in 2020 over rally use of his songs and later dropped the lawsuits. In 2015, TIME reported that Young’s manager said Trump was not authorized to use “Rockin’ in the Free World” at his campaign announcement; the article also quoted Young discussing the lack of a request.
The contrast in the Walz episode is that reporting says the campaign sought and received permission for this particular convention use. It is not evidence that every political use of music follows the same licensing path.
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