On A High Note: Trump’s inauguration lineup leaves much to be desired

Have you ever called everyone of substance and been shunned by all of them? Donald Trump has. The result? The pathetic inauguration lineup.

Most big names in the music industry endorsed either Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton during last year’s presidential campaign, or at least refused to be associated with the then GOP candidate, Donald Trump.

Adele, The Rolling Stones, Steven Tyler, Elton John, Queen and R.E.M. have released statements asking Trump to refrain from playing their music at rallies or events affiliated with his campaign.

‘90s rockers Third Eye Blind performed at a Trump rally simply to trash him. In a similar fashion, British X-Factor winner, Rebecca Ferguson, responded to her inauguration invitation by stating she wished to play “Strange Fruit,” a 1939 Billy Holiday masterpiece about all of the racially charged hangings going on in the southern U.S. at the time.

Her nod to the violence that Trump encouraged at his rallies and his hearty white supremacist supporters was not appreciated. The Trump team declined her offer — I guess that capitalizing on hatred and racism is only good PR during the campaign.

So it came down to country star Toby Keith, who sings of things like the ever-so-important "Red Solo Cup," to headline. 

Washed-up rock band 3 Doors Down also played because “they are good Mississippi and Alabama boys” Angus Veil, the band's manager, said. Veil also commented that “there’s no such thing as bad publicity,” which is true, I suppose, for a band whose biggest hit was 17 years ago.

Beyonce, Bruce Springsteen, Mary J. Blige, Stevie Wonder, Usher, Shakira, John Legend, James Taylor, Josh Groban and Jon Bon Jovi were some of the names on the set list for Barack Obama’s inauguration. How’s that for juxtaposition?

Juxtaposition aside, it's important to consider that the mass of prominent people against Trump actually helped him with his false persona of the people’s person. The thought process being — of course the progressive, elite celebrities won’t rally behind a middle-class warrior. The problem with this theory is that it overlooks the fact that most musicians were not born into fortune and therefore have an understanding of the working class struggle, while Trump started his career with "a small loan of a million dollars."

Anyway, I wish Trump and his billionaire-filled cabinet the best in relating to the average American. I’ll be waiting four years until we can have an inauguration worth celebrating again.

Halle Weber is a freshman studying journalism with a focus in news and information at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What did you think of Trump's inauguration lineup? Let Halle know by emailing or tweeting her at hw422715@ohio.edu or @HalleWeber13, respectively.