Pick a Day

Music History Events: Music and Politics

February 26, 1954 Responding to the rising popularity of black music, the United States congress proposes a bill forbidding distribution of "obscene, lewd, lascivious, or filthy publication, picture, disc, transcription, or other article capable of producing sound." The bill fails.

May 1, 1942 The US government halts production of jukeboxes so their factories can assist with the war effort. The Seeburg company produces electrical components for the armed forces; Wurlitzer makes communications systems for aircraft.

July 4, 1828 "Hail to the Chief" is performed by the United States Marine Band for President John Quincy Adams during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.

May 8, 2022 Bono and The Edge of U2 play an acoustic set at a subway station in Kyiv that has been converted into a bomb shelter. Their appearance is in support of Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia months earlier.

January 20, 2021 On his last day in office, President Donald Trump pardons Lil Wayne, who pleaded guilty to weapons charges. Days before the election, the rapper was photographed with Trump and tweeted his support.

January 20, 2021 At Joe Biden's inauguration, Lady Gaga sings the national anthem and Jennifer Lopez belts out "This Land Is Your Land" before he is sworn in. At night, Bruce Springsteen, John Legend, Demi Lovato, and Tim McGraw all perform on a socially distanced concert special capped by a massive fireworks display on the National Mall as Katy Perry sings, of course, "Firework."

January 20, 2021 Garth Brooks sings "Amazing Grace" at the inauguration of Joe Biden at the request of incoming First Lady Jill Biden. Brooks explains his performance is not a political statement, but "a statement of unity."

November 6, 2020 System Of A Down release two songs - "Protect The Land" and "Genocidal Humanoidz" - supporting their home country of Armenia in a war that has broken out in the region. It's the first new material from the band since their album Hypnotize in 2005.

September 25, 2020 Van Morrison releases the song "Born To Be Free" where he protests coronavirus lockdown measures. "Don't need the government cramping my style," he sings. He follows it up with two more lockdown-protest songs: "As I Walked Out" and "No More Lockdown."

July 4, 2020 On Twitter, Kanye West announces he's running for president. He forms his own political party, the "Birthday Party," telling supporters, "When we win, it's everybody's birthday."

May 5, 2020 The Guns N' Roses version of "Live And Let Die" blares as President Donald Trump tours a mask factory in Arizona during the coronavirus pandemic without wearing a mask. Intrigued by the irony, many news outlets show the footage. The band later sells T-shirts saying "Live N' Let Die With COVID 45."

February 10, 2020 While performing at the Get Out The Vote rally in New Hampshire in support of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, The Strokes debut the animated video for their new single "At The Door." They also perform the forthcoming followup single "Bad Decisions" for the first time.More

October 11, 2018 Kanye West, an ardent supporter of Donald Trump, visits the White House, where he delivers a rambling, 10-minute monologue as the President looks on.More

May 20, 2018 Hosting the Billboard Music Awards, Kelly Clarkson rejects the planned moment of silence in favor of a "moment of action" for the victims of a school shooting that took place two days earlier in her native Texas.More

April 25, 2018 Kanye West tweets his love for Donald Trump, earning him plaudits from the President but criticism from fans.More

December 31, 2017 Rabbi Shmuley Boteach places an ad in the Washington Post claiming that Lorde is an anti-Semite because she cancelled a concert in Israel in protest over the treatment of Palestinians.

July 27, 2017 Journey members Jonathan Cain, Arnel Pineda and Ross Valory get a tour of the White House and a photo with President Trump in the Oval Office thanks to Cain's wife, Paula, who is chairwoman of Trump's evangelical advisory board and delivered the invocation at his inauguration. The visit doesn't sit well with the band's guitarist, Neal Schon, who blasts Cain on social media and accuses him of using the band to promote his religious views.More

May 4, 2017 Implying that they will soon be voted out of office, Democrats sing "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" to taunt Republicans in the House of Representatives after a Republican-sponsored bill replacing the Affordable Care Act passes.

January 19, 2017 3 Doors Down, Toby Keith and Sam Moore are among the performers at President Donald Trump's inaugural concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

November 17, 2016 Peter Gabriel launches the "Imprisoned For Art" campaign, an effort to free prisoners around the world who have been sent to jail for opposing their governments. More

August 11, 2016 For the second year, President Obama releases two summer playlists on Spotify. It's his last year in office, which might be why "So Very Hard To Go" is on the list.More

July 28, 2016 Katy Perry performs her songs "Roar" and "Rise" on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Before she sings, she encourages voters to support Hillary Clinton.More

July 26, 2016 A group of 40 or so Broadway stars takes the stage on Day 2 of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia to sing "What the World Needs Now Is Love" in support of gun control legislation. These stars are part a group called Broadway For Orlando that was put together to record the song in honor of victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting on June 12, when 49 people were killed.More

June 8, 2016 Brian May of Queen posts a note on his website objecting to Donald Trump's use of "We Are The Champions" at campaign events. "Regardless of our views on Mr. Trump's platform, it has always been against our policy to allow Queen music to be used as a political campaigning tool," May writes. The following month, Trump uses the song as his entrance music when he makes his first appearance at the Republican convention.

April 15, 2016 J. Cole, Alicia Keys, Chance the Rapper, Ludacris, Nicki Minaj and Wale attend a White House sit down with President Obama to discuss criminal justice reform and the My Brother's Keeper Initiative.

April 8, 2016 The Baltimore Orioles play the Woody Guthrie song "This Land Is Your Land" during the seventh inning stretch in their game against the Rays, starting a tradition of playing the song at every Friday home game. It's part of their "Community Heroes" program to honor local citizens and an effort to diversify their musical selections to reflect progressive ideals. On Saturday nights they play "America The Beautiful," and on Sundays it's "God Bless America."

March 25, 2016 Two weeks after Major Lazer made history as the first US act to perform in Cuba since democratic relations eased between the two countries, The Rolling Stones play their first-ever Cuba gig, performing a free show for 1.2 million fans at Havana's Cuidad Deportiva. The Stones spend around $7 million to finance the trip, which follows President Obama's historic visit to the island.

November 7, 2015 Presidential candidate Donald Trump hosts Saturday Night Live, with musical guest Sia. He asks for a photo with the reclusive Australian songstress, but she declines, explaining that she doesn't want her gay and Mexican fans to think she supports him.

April 29, 2015 Cyndi Lauper testifies before the Senate Appropriations Committee, speaking on behalf of homeless LGBTQ youth, whom she says are often kicked out of shelters and denied services. Lauper co-founded the True Colors Fund in 2008 to advocate for the cause.

November 6, 2014 John Fogerty, Common, Mary J. Blige and Willie Nelson are among the performers at a concert that takes place on the South Lawn of the White House hosted by President and Mrs. Obama. Later broadcast as A Salute to the Troops: In Performance at the White House, a highlight is Fogerty's performance of "Fortunate Son" - an antiwar song, but one that resonates with those who served.