Move over Hollywood award shows! This year’s presidential inauguration delivered enough star power and drama to rival the Oscars. Donald J. Trump’s celebrations featured inauguration performances that could make even the most stone-faced political pundit tap their toes.
Carrie Underwood, The Village People, Jason Aldean, and Billy Ray Cyrus took center stage on January 20th to celebrate Trump’s return to the White House. The crowd, a mix of political heavyweights, nominees, billionaires, and celebrity supporters, eagerly gathered to watch these performers hit the right notes—or at least try.
Carrie Underwood inauguration save
Country Superstar Carrie Underwood, known for many songs, including “Before He Cheats,” was selected to perform “America the Beautiful” during the swearing-in ceremony. It was supposed to be a seamless moment of unity and patriotism. Instead, she got a high-stakes game of “Will the Music Work?”
As Carrie stood before a crowd a technical glitch left her stranded on stage with no music. For a full minute, she smiled patiently as the audience shifted uncomfortably. When the backing track finally started, it stopped again after only a few seconds. But she wasn’t about to let a little audio hiccup rain on her red-white-and-blue parade.
Taking a deep breath, Carrie addressed the crowd with a laugh. “If you know the words, help me out here!” What followed was an impromptu singalong with 600 patriotic attendees.
The Village People brought the party with the YMCA
The Village People’s “YMCA” has become an unofficial anthem for the former president and was included in the inauguration performances. The legendary group took to the stage to ensure the party met expectations.
Announcing their participation just a week prior, the group acknowledged that their performance might stir fan controversy, saying, “We believe music is to be performed without regard to politics.” And perform they did! Sandwiched between performances by Lee Greenwood and Kid Rock. The disco icons turned the event into a full-blown dance floor.
The American Disco band became famous in the late 1970s and was widely considered a “gay anthem.” Trump couldn’t resist joining in, busting out his signature shimmy and pumping his fists like he was leading the world’s most exclusive aerobics class. Somewhere, John Travolta was probably taking notes.
Billy Ray Cyrus takes the stage… but that’s it…
If you were a Billy Ray fan, your heart must be “achey breaky” after his Inaugural Ball performance. Carrie Underwood wasn’t the only one dealing with technical difficulties. Fans are still buzzing about Billy Ray’s experience, which turned into an epic meltdown.
Taking the stage with his signature cowboy cool, Cyrus quickly realized something was wrong. “Check. Is anybody awake?” he asked the crowd. “I don’t hear it. Do y’all hear this? Where’s everybody? Check. Is anyone back there? Can someone turn my guitar back on? We’re gonna sing a little bit more.”
After several more awkward attempts to get things sorted, Cyrus decided to make the best of a bad situation, turning to the crowd for help. That night, Carrie Underwood wasn’t the only one going acapella—Billy Ray led the audience in a snap-along rendition of “Achy Breaky Heart.” Unfortunately, the crowd showed little enthusiasm for this one, and the performance ended with an awkward shuffle as staff escorted Cyrus offstage.
While fans expressed concern over the debacle, Cyrus later assured everyone that the mishap was “all part of rock n’ roll.” But let’s say this inauguration performance might not make the highlight reel.
Other performances to note
The inauguration festivities featured plenty of star-studded performances, and some certainly hit all the right notes—literally. On Monday night, Parker McCollum brought a heartfelt tribute to the Commander-in-Chief Ball honoring country legend Toby Keith with a stirring performance of “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue.” If you listened closely, you could probably hear a few cowboy hats being tipped in approval nationwide.
Meanwhile, Italian opera singer Christopher Macchio decided to keep things classy yet casual at the main ceremony, striding in without a tie to deliver a powerful rendition of the national anthem. Suave? Yes. A bold fashion choice for such a formal occasion? Also yes. But when you’ve got pipes like his, who needs a tie?
Country music reigned supreme at the Inaugural Balls, with Gavin DeGraw, The Rascal Flatts, and Jason Aldean taking the stage to keep the party rolling well into the night.
A star-studded tradition
These Inaugural performances have been a key part of the celebration since 1805 when Thomas Jefferson got things rolling with a Marine Corps band. Since then, the stage has only gotten bigger and brighter. Over the years, these events have turned into full-blown star-studded spectacles.
While the 2025 inauguration performances may have leaned heavily into their country roots, they join a long tradition of unforgettable performances. Think Frank Sinatra crooning at JFK’s gala, Beyoncé belting out the national anthem for Obama, and Lady Gaga delivering a show-stopping moment for Biden.
These performances aren’t just patriotic, they’re iconic and this year was sure one to beat.
David
January 24, 2025 at 6:23 pm
This was great! I missed some of these performances but your article made me go and find them. My favorite though is still Carrie Underwood who I caught live. Brought tears to my eyes.
Look forward to more stuff like this.
Kate
January 24, 2025 at 6:36 pm
Great summary!
Cate
January 24, 2025 at 6:45 pm
Amelia—Loved your coverage of the Inauguration! You hit all the high notes!
Ann Sherrill
January 24, 2025 at 6:46 pm
Great article, Amelia. This truly was a noteworthy inaugural day and night in many ways. 🇺🇸