This year, instead of hosting the typical concerts, parades, and balls, the Biden Inauguration Committee has prepared a star-studded lineup of musical performances to ring in the historic administration. Countless artists across all genres have come together to create a week of virtual and in-person events to celebrate this new era of American politics and unity. Most festivities are being held online due to COVID-19 restrictions, and all are subject to change due to uncertainty in D.C. following the riots at the US Capitol on January 6th.
The Biden inauguration celebration began this past Sunday with the We the People virtual concert. This event, which was hosted to raise money for the Biden Inauguration Committee, included performances from a variety of artists including Fall Out Boy, AJR, Carole King, Will.I.Am, James Taylor, and more. This concert was followed by the United We Serve celebration on Monday, January 18th, to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which featured musicians such as Aloe Blacc, Diane Warren, Andra Day, and Yo-Yo Ma. You can watch this event here.
The eve of Joe Biden’s inauguration will feature the We Are One YouTube event to celebrate black community and creatives, with appearances from Tobe Nwigwe, DJ D-Nice, Rapsody, and more. Tuesday will also host the Latino Inaugural Event, where musicians like Ivy Queen, Becky G, and Los Tigres del Norte will honor the Latino community’s involvement in Joe Biden’s historic election. You can watch these performances on Peacock, Telemundo’s app and website, and any Univision News digital platform.
The Biden administration announced on Thursday that Lady Gaga, who has been vocally supportive of the democratic party throughout the 2020 campaign, has been given the distinguished job of performing the national anthem at the Biden inauguration. This will be followed by musical performances from Jennifer Lopez and Garth Brooks, who is returning to the D.C. stage after Obama’s swearing-in in 2012. This ceremony will be live-streamed on the Biden Inauguration website, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Twitch on Wednesday, January 20th starting at 9am PST.
To close out the week’s celebrations and ring in the new administration, Tom Hanks will be hosting Celebrating America on Wednesday evening on ABC, CNN, NBC, CBS, and MSNBC. This event will feature performances from Demi Lovato, Bruce Springsteen, Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Jon Bon Jovi, the Foo Fighters, and more, and intends to “celebrate our country’s rich diversity and resilience,” according to Bruce Springsteen on Twitter.