I don’t believe that Oliver Anthony licensed his songs to anybody as he would not sign a contract.
His songs are in the catalogs. You can use them and pay a royalty which is how he makes money from the song.
Same with other musicians. You use the song you pay a fee you don’t ask up front.
During political season politicians start using songs and invariable an artist objects and tells them to stop using their song.
You don’t ask to use them they are published and are usable for a fee.. so they get used and some singer or band member doesn’t like your politics so they tell them to stop using it. No laws were broken by it being used.
This happens every cycle.
The funniest thing about this particular song is they both parties have tried using it pretending it’s about the “other side” when in fact it’s an indictment of all of them.
GOP used it leading into one of their clown show debates.. and I was laughing g my butt off… the song is an indictment of the entire political establishment…