On Monday morning, President Donald Trump was sworn into office for his second presidential term. A variety of musical artists performed at his inauguration and the following celebrations, including country music stars Carrie Underwood and Lee Greenwood.
Underwood’s performance was announced Jan. 13 on X . The Grammy-winning artist performed “America the Beautiful” alongside the Armed Forces Chorus and the United States Naval Academy Glee Club.
Underwood won “American Idol” in 2005 and has been in the public eye since. She generally refrains from aligning herself politically and, despite her performance, has not publicly supported Trump or his policies.
“I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” Underwood said in a statement Monday. “I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”
Other artists performing at the ceremony included fellow country singer Lee Greenwood, who performed "God Bless the USA" before Trump took the Presidential Oath of Office, according to Fox News. Opera singer Christopher Macchio, who performed his rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” wrapped up the ceremony.
The inauguration took place inside of the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, due to inclement weather, and only about 600 people fit inside. Instead, the nearby Capital One Arena hosted a live viewing of the inauguration address and the presidential parade, Trump shared on Truth Social. Following his inauguration, Trump attended a “Victory Rally” in the same arena.
Other musical guests performed at a series of celebratory events surrounding the inauguration, including Snoop Dogg, Kid Rock and the Village People — to name a few.
The Village People announced their participation in the inauguration’s “various events” Jan. 13, though the band has not always been accepting of Trump’s use of their songs. In 2020, band member Victor Willis publicly requested that the Trump campaign no longer play “Y.M.C.A.” at rallies and events.
“We know this won't make some of you happy to hear, however we believe that music is to be performed without regard to politics,” Willis said in a Facebook post. “Our song Y.M.C.A. is a global anthem that hopefully helps bring the country together after a tumultuous and divided campaign where our preferred candidate lost. Therefore, we believe it's now time to bring the country together with music.”
The song “Y.M.C.A.” was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry in 2020. The song has since become synonymous with Trump’s campaign.
The Village People performed “Y.M.C.A” at a Trump rally the night before Inauguration Day.
Fans of the Village People have had mixed reactions to the band’s decision. Some users have gone as far to call the band “traitors” for their Inauguration Day performances. Snoop Dogg’s performance at the Inaugural Crypto Ball garnered similar reactions from the rapper's supporters.
The crossover of music and politics is at an all-time high. High profile musical performances continue to bring attention to the president and his policies. Though performers may refrain from sharing political views outright, many fans see performances as a form of support for the president.
On Inauguration Day, music was used as a form of celebration. Only time will tell how music will be used as the U.S. enters this new political atmosphere.
