President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled to be sworn into office on Jan. 20 — and unlike his first inauguration in 2017, which reportedly struggled to book high-profile performers, several well-known artists will partake in this year’s inaugural events.
“The Trump Vance Inaugural Committee is proud to announce that some of our nation’s most iconic [musicians] will be participating in the inaugural celebrations,” said co-chairs Steve Witkoff and Kelly Loeffler in a statement provided to NPR. “This monumental weekend will commemorate President Trump’s historic victory and the 60th Presidential Inauguration with a celebration of music, unity, and patriotism, ushering in America’s new Golden Age.”
Below is a list of the artists scheduled to perform throughout inaugural events, not including a surprise musical guest set to appear at the Liberty Ball.
Carrie Underwood
Country star Carrie Underwood, who jump-started her career as the winner of American Idol two decades ago, is set to perform “America the Beautiful” during the swearing-in ceremony.
“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 provided to NPR. “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.”
Christopher Macchio
Classical tenor Christopher Macchio will perform the national anthem during the swearing-in ceremony. In a video posted to his YouTube page, Macchio stated that he first met Trump when Elton John dropped out of a New Year’s Eve performance at Mar-a-Lago and Macchio was hired to fill in.
Lee Greenwood
Lee Greenwood, whose song “I.O.U.” won a 1984 Grammy for best vocal country performance, will perform at the swearing-in ceremony and the Make America Great Again Victory Rally. Greenwood has received five additional Grammy nominations over the years and was heavily featured at last summer’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
“I am humbled and honored to be asked to perform for our 47th President Donald J. Trump during his inaugural events,” Greenwood said in a statement provided to NPR. “The President has been a friend of [my wife] Kim [Payne] and I’s for many years and this is one of the most historical moments in our lifetime. I look forward to celebrating this special day with proud Americans everywhere.”
Kid Rock
Kid Rock, who has been a vocal supporter of Trump since his first term and also performed at the Republican National Convention, is set to take the stage at the Make America Great Again Victory Rally. Last summer, the Michigan singer-songwriter headlined the touring festival Rock the Country, which celebrated a fusion of MAGA politics and country music.
Village People
The disco band Village People, led by surviving original member Victor Willis, will perform at two events: the Make America Great Again Victory Rally and the Liberty Ball. The group’s 1978 hit song “Y.M.C.A.” was a staple at Trump’s campaign rallies, even leading to a viraldance. In a Facebook post, Willis, who penned the song’s lyrics, wrote that the campaign’s use of the song had widely boosted its popularity, including landing it at the top of the Billboard dance digital song sales chart.
Willis went on to write that while Trump’s use of “Y.M.C.A.” had drawn controversy because the song has been widely adopted as an unofficial gay anthem, it is “a false assumption” that the song intentionally carries a queer subtext. In light of the announcement that Village People would partake in the presidential inauguration, Willis again took to Facebook.
“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,” a statement posted to both Willis’ and the group’s official pages reads. “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 which is why VILLAGE PEOPLE will be performing at various events as part of the 2025 Inauguration of Donald J. Trump.”
Billy Ray Cyrus
Billy Ray Cyrus, who shared his support for Trump on the campaign trail, will perform at the Make America Great Again Victory Rally. The “Achy Breaky Heart” singer most recently won two 2020 Grammys for his feature on a remix of Lil Nas X‘s country-crossover hit, “Old Town Road.” His daughter, pop star Miley Cyrus, has openly criticized Trump.
Liberty University’s Praise Choir
LU Praise is a gospel choir “dedicated to glorifying God through testimony, song, and worship,” according to Liberty University’s website. The group will perform during the Make America Great Again Victory Rally.
Jason Aldean
Country singer-songwriter Jason Aldean, who introduced Trump at a campaign rally in Georgia, will perform at the Liberty Ball. After the attempted assassination on Trump in Pennsylvania last summer, Aldean dedicated a performance of his song “Try That in a Small Town” to the then-candidate while on tour. On Election Day, he reaffirmed his support for Trump on Instagram.
“Over the past several years we have taken a lot of heat from the entertainment industry and the media for our support of @realdonaldtrump,” Aldean wrote. “As a father and an American citizen, I want to see our country get back to its values and principles that made us great to begin with.”
Rascal Flatts
Nashville country trio Rascal Flatts — which found commercial success with songs like “What Hurts the Most,” “Prayin’ for Daylight” and a cover of Tom Cochrane’s “Life is a Highway” — will perform at the Commander in Chief Ball. After a hiatus, the band recently reunited and announced its 2025 Life is a Highway Tour.
Parker McCollum
Country singer Parker McCollum, whose No. 1 songs on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart include “Burn It Down” and “Pretty Heart,” will perform at the Commander in Chief Ball.
Gavin DeGraw
Gavin DeGraw, the singer-songwriter who broke out onto the pop charts with his 2003 album, Chariot, will perform at the Starlight Ball. His song “I Don’t Want to Be,” which grew in popularity as the theme song for The CW’s teen drama One Tree Hill, was certified platinum in the U.S.
