Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th US president next Monday —and speculation remains high over which music acts will perform at the high-profile ceremony. The shortlist is... well, short.
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In exactly a week’s time, it’s happening.
We’re not talking about Martin Luther King Jr Day, or Blue Monday, the most depressing day of the year, which - rather poetically for some – falls on the same date.
On Monday 20 January, Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th US president in Washington DC.
For the first time, the 78-year-old will become the first leader to be sworn in with all the American flags at half-mast, considering outgoing President Joe Biden announced 30 days of mourning in honour of former President Jimmy Carter.
Rather predictably, Trump is furious about this, ranting online about a Democrat conspiracy and the fact that “nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out."
Also new this year is that the outgoing president will be present. Indeed, Biden will be there to attend the inauguration, as it is tradition for the previous Commander in Chief to pass the torch. It’s considered new, as Trump petulantly skipped Biden’s inauguration in 2020, claiming that the election had been stolen from him.
We know that Trump has invited several world leaders and political personalities, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, and his Europe-pestering new bestie Elon Musk. On a surreal note, they’ll likely be joined by Trump supporters Hulk Hogan, Joe Rogan and Buzz Aldrin. Quite the motley crew.
All will be eager to catch the show, as inauguration day is usually filled with celebrity musical performances, a staple of the event. Which brings us to the question: Who will perform at Donald Trump’s big day?
It was a headache for him in the past, as he struggled to secure top-tier talent for his first inauguration. While his team has denied this, several artists have publicly stated that they were asked to perform in 2017 but declined. These included Elton John, 2Chainz, The Beach Boys, Charlotte Church and Céline Dion. Trump ended up getting a handful of has-beens and bands who peaked in the early 2000s, including country singer Toby Keith, rock band 3 Doors Down and the musical group The Piano Guys.
Considering past inaugurations featured the likes of Aretha Franklin, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Yo-Yo Ma, Stevie Wonder and John Legend, Trump’s line-up was hardly awe-inspiring. And he’ll be facing the same conundrum this year.
The A-listers would have been lining up to perform for Kamala Harris, considering the celebrity backing she had. But as we learned, celeb endorsements don’t win votes – even if those music legends include Bruce Springsteen, Eminem and Taylor Swift.
Regardless, it’s slim pickings for Trump’s team, which has yet to confirm which music acts will appear. They will most likely be trotting out the excuse that it’s about artists who resonate with the MAGA supporter base, rather than A-list performers who have threatened legal action for Trump’s use of their songs on the campaign trail.
With that in mind, here is a series of educated guesses on who will perform next Monday. Don’t worry if any these names inspire shrugs or blank stares.
Jackie Evancho
The classical singer and former America’s Got Talent contestant previously sang the national anthem at Trump’s first inauguration in 2017. While she could come back, she has said that she was “disappointed” by Trump’s stance on transgender rights – especially since Evancho has a transgender sister.
Verdict: Not Appearing.
Lee Greenwood
The country singer was a regular booking at Trump’s rallies last year and was at the centre of controversy when the 47th president promoted a new edition of Greenwood’s Gob Bless The USA Bible – which includes the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, the Pledge of Allegiance and the chorus of ‘God Bless the USA’ in Greenwood’s handwriting. The snag? The uber-patriotic merch was printed in China.
Verdict: Probable.
Kid Rock
The 53-year-old rocker has been a vocal Trump supporter and previously performed before Trump’s speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention last July. After November's election, Kid Rock stated: "God has blessed America, and together with President Trump, we will make America great again.”
Verdict: We’re betting he’ll be top billing.
Jason Aldean
The ‘Try That in a Small Town’ musician has dedicated songs to Trump at his concerts. And the soon-to-be president is susceptible to flattery...
Verdict: Very possible.
Mary Millben
Singer Mary Millben sang the national anthem at both Trump's controversial Madison Square Garden rally and the Republican National Convention back in July. She has publicly expressed her hope that she’ll perform at his inauguration this year.
Verdict: High chance.
50 Cent
Last year, rapper 50 Cent claimed that he was asked to perform as part of Trump’s presidential campaign – specifically for the Madison Square Garden Rally. He refused the offer to play his song ‘Many Men (Wish Death)’ at the RNC, but that hasn’t stopped Trump from asking...
Verdict: Very unlikely.
Kanye ‘Ye’ West
The once-great now infamously problematic rapper has backed Trump in the past, famously meeting him in the Oval Office in 2018. Asked last year if he would be voting for the Republican candidate, Ye replied: “Yeah, of course. It’s Trump all day.”
Verdict: A wildcard pick but we’ve seen stranger things happen...
