White House Used Music Without Permission Says Boards of Canada

Boards of Canada and their longtime label Warp Records have publicly condemned the White House after one of the duo's new songs appeared in a political promotional video without authorization.

The controversy erupted after the White House's social media accounts shared a short video featuring imagery of American flags, border patrol operations, military-style visuals, and nationalist themes. The soundtrack included "Deep Time," a track from Boards of Canada's newly released album Inferno.

The reaction from the Scottish electronic duo and their label was swift.

In a statement issued through Warp Records, the label said: "Warp Records and Boards of Canada do not condone the unauthorised use of their music for political messaging." The statement made clear that neither the band nor the label had approved the video's use of the song.

The White House video reportedly ran for approximately 15 seconds and utilized not only the music but also visual elements that closely resembled the VHS-inspired aesthetic that has become closely associated with Boards of Canada's recent promotional campaign. Fans quickly noticed similarities between the administration's video and the analog, tape-based imagery used to promote Inferno, the duo's first album in 13 years.

The incident immediately sparked backlash among the group's fanbase.

Social media users questioned whether the music had been licensed or cleared for use and criticized the pairing of the band's atmospheric electronic sound with overtly political messaging. Many commenters pointed out that Boards of Canada have historically maintained a low public profile and rarely engage in political commentary, making the label's unusually direct statement particularly noteworthy.

The dispute also adds Boards of Canada to a long list of artists who have objected to political uses of their music.

Over the years, numerous musicians have publicly challenged Donald Trump, his campaigns, or the White House over unauthorized music usage. Artists including The White Stripes, Neil Young, Rihanna, Adele, Queen, Semisonic, Celine Dion, Heart, Sabrina Carpenter, and others have either issued public objections, cease-and-desist demands, or threatened legal action after discovering their songs being used in political contexts without approval.

Earlier this year, Semisonic publicly criticized the White House for using "Closing Time" in a deportation-themed social media post, saying the administration had "missed the point entirely" and confirming the band had not granted permission.

For Boards of Canada fans, the timing made the situation even stranger.

The duo had spent months building anticipation for Inferno, their first studio album since 2013's Tomorrow's Harvest. The release campaign included mysterious VHS tapes, cryptic imagery, global listening events, and carefully curated visual branding. The White House video's use of both the music and a similar visual style struck many observers as an unusually direct appropriation of the band's creative identity.

Despite the controversy, the incident has generated additional attention around Inferno, which marks one of the most anticipated electronic music releases of the year. The album ends a 13-year gap between studio releases and represents a major return for one of electronic music's most influential and enigmatic acts.

Whether the White House obtained a license for the recording remains unclear.

What is clear is that Boards of Canada and Warp Records wanted no confusion about where they stand.

Their message was brief, direct, and unmistakable: the music was not authorized for political messaging, and they do not support its use in that context.