UPDATE: On Election Day I wrote a story about Zohran Mamdani using a Bob Dylan song for one of his videos that morning. The song was “The Times They Are A-Changin'” and it made it seem like Dylan had endorsed the Democratic Socialist candidate for Mayor of New York.
Dylan did no such thing. As I wrote that morning, that would never happen.
The great music writer from the New York Times Ben Sisario got the answer.
Ben found out that the Mamdani campaign asked for permission to use the song, but were denied. Apparently they didn’t care.
But hey– if you’re a socialist, everything is yours. So they took it anyway.
The song was removed after Universal Music Publishing found out what they’d done.
In a statement to the Times, a spokesman for UMPG said: “As a longstanding policy, we do not license Bob Dylan compositions for projects involving political figures.”
What a way for the Mamdani era to begin! Look out, New York!
MY STORY FROM 11/3: Bob Dylan has not ever endorsed a political candidate.
But Zohran Mamdani has swiped Dylan’s song, “The Times They Are A-Changin'” for his Twitter feed.
It’s unclear if Mamdani secured permission or cleared the copyright. He probably didn’t. The only time Dylan has ever spoken about politics is some praise for Barack Obama.
Dylan is also Jewish, and a longtime supporter of Israel. I doubt he has a positive opinion of Mamdani. And Dylan certainly doesn’t need free bus rides.
I have a call in to Dylan’s management for a comment. Will update ASAP.
New York is a-changin’.
Our final ad just dropped. pic.twitter.com/G4pOWc4vx7
— Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@ZohranKMamdani) November 4, 2025
