Beastie Boys License Song for an Ad For First Time Ever with “Sabotage” Appearance in Joe Biden Ad About Music Venues

Beastie Boys’ song “Sabotage” has been used for an official ad endorsing Joe Biden. This is the first time the group has ever allowed one of their songs be used for a commercial, according to Brooklyn Vegan. The ad, which focuses on how small music venues across the country are struggling due to COVID-19, also features “Where Is My Mind?” by the Pixies.

Joe Malcoun, co-owner of the The Blind Pig, a music venue in Ann Arbor, MI, is featured in the video to show how Donald Trump’s economy during the pandemic has affected his and many other music venues across the country. “For 50 years, The Blind Pig has been open and crowded, but right now, it’s an empty room. This is the reality of Trump’s Covid response,” said Malcoun in the Biden ad. The co-owner went on to explain that music venues will not survive if Trump is reelected this November because he has no plan to help the struggling businesses. Malcoun passionately explained his feelings about what needs to happen. “This is Donald Trump’s economy: There is no plan and you don’t know how to go forward. It makes me so angry. My only hope for my family and for this business and my community is that Joe Biden wins this election,” he said.

The Beastie Boys just recently released recording of their 2009 performance, which was also their final performance together. The recording is of their Bonnaroo Music Festival performance. The band intended to do a tour following the festival but did not follow through after Adam Yauch, also known as “MCA,” was diagnosed with a cancerous parotid gland and lymph node.

While this is the first commercial that has used a song by the Beastie Boys, their music has been featured on some movie and video game trailers in past years. According to Brooklyn Vegan, Yauch’s will states that the use of any Beastie Boys song in advertisements is prohibited. Along with that, it states that he prohibits the use of his name, photos or any other artistic property in advertisements.

The Beastie Boys’ LP, Same Old Bullshit, will be included in this year’s Record Store Day, which falls on Black Friday. The 14 track album was originally released in 1994. The album reissue will be released on November 27.