It's David Byrne Vs. Florida Governor Charlie Crist

Talking Heads founder, David Byrne wasn't very amused when Florida Governor Charlie Crist decided it would be a great idea to use their "Road To Nowhere" song to attack his Republican primary opponent for his senate run. Although the Crist Campaign removed the ad using the song after a complaint from Warner Bros. Records, Byrne is now suing Crist for $1 million dollars.

Strangely, Crist's Republican opponent in the senate primary, Mario Rubio ran into his own song infringement problems after they used The Steve Miller Band's "Take The Money And Run" without permission in an ad attacking Crist.

Part of what music artists most object to by the unauthorized use of their songs in political ads is that it implies an endorsement of the politics of that particular candidate, which may be very contrary to that artist's own personal belief's. It can have a negative effect on some customers who may refuse recordings by that artist due to a mistaken belief about their politics.

Politicians often become desperate during heated campaigns, and steps to secure licensing rights often become short-cutted, and unauthorized use of certain materials becomes a real problem.