Courtney Love Accuses 'Drivers License' Singer Olivia Rodrigo Of Stealing Hole's 'Live Through This' Cover Art

Move over, Billy Corgan and Dave Grohl – it seems yet another music icon has found themselves facing the wrath of Courtney Love, none other than the 18-year-old Disney staple who recently reached superstardom after singing about getting her driver's license, Olivia Rodrigo. 

Over the weekend, the musician accused the teenage artist of ripping off the artwork for Hole's sophomore album, Live Through This with the promotional pictures for her virtual Sour Prom concert film. “Since I never got to go to prom, I wanted to throw a little prom party with my fav ppl (you guys obvs),” the High School Musical: The Musical: The Series star wrote on Twitter last week announcing the concert, featuring a photo of herself crying while wearing a tiara and holding a bouquet of flowers. While in fairness the two images do look quite similar, some could argue that Rodrigo was simply playing off of the crying Prom queen trope in promoting her latest school-danced themed venture.

Yet even if such is the case, as well all know, Love singlehandedly invented the trope of beauty and/or prom queens crying amid their crowning with the release of Hole's 1994 album. Forget the fact that Miss America had existed since 1921 and that roughly six years earlier, Miss Thailand Bui Simon famously sobbed upon winning the title of 1988 Miss Universe, the notion that a beauty queen could even shed a tear amid one of the best moments of their lives is clearly the intellectual property of Courtney Michelle Love and Courtney Michelle Love alone.

“Spot the difference!” the ‘90s legend wrote adding that hashtag “#twinning” alongside a solo snap of the promo picture, in a post that has since garnered nearly 80,000 likes. 

Although Rodrigo replied with a comment expressing her admiration for the grunge legend, writing “love u and live through this sooooo much," the 56-year-old artist snapped back, demanding an apology in the form of … an international floral arrangement? “Olivia—you’re welcome. My favorite florist is in Notting Hill, London! Dm me for deets! I look forward to reading your note!” 

Although upon first read, it seems Love's retort was in jest, the Hole frontwoman later elaborated on these claims in a series of Facebook comments, clearly expressing her frustration with the similarities between Rodrigo's imagery and that of her own band nearly three decades earlier. “Stealing an original idea and not asking permission is rude,” Love wrote in a comment. “There’s no way to be elegant about it. I’m not angry. It happens all the time to me. But this was bad form. That’s not bullying or bomb throwing. This persons music has nothing to do with my life. Possibly never will. It was rude And I gave every right to stick up for my work. Don’t gatekeep me! I’m honorable as fuck to my fellow artists, and I expect the same.”

Love later doubled down on these sentiments, slamming teenage Rodrigo's Disney background. “I’ve informed her I await her flowers snd note [sic]," the artist replied to a commenter. “I sure hope it’s long . Does Disney teach kids reading and writing ? God knows. Let’s see . Yes this is rude. Rage inducing ? Honey if I had a dollar for everyone this happens ? I’d be real rich !”

So folks, although it may have been a … sour … move if Rodrigo referenced the Hole album without first contacting its creators, remember, imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, especially when it comes to inspiring the young generation of artists. Moral of the story? Let's refrain from personally insulting teenagers. 

For more internet nonsense, follow Carly on Instagram @HuntressThompson_ on TikTok as @HuntressThompson_, and on Twitter @TennesAnyone.