Country music star Carrie Underwood saw her streaming numbers decline after performing at President Donald Trump's 2025 inauguration ceremony, according to new data from entertainment analysts.
Despite her high-profile rendition of "America the Beautiful" at the U.S. Capitol event, Underwood's music streams fell by 6% on Inauguration Day compared to the previous week. Data from Luminate shows her songs were streamed 1.46 million times on January 20, down from 1.55 million streams the Monday prior.
The American Idol winner wasn't alone in experiencing a post-inauguration dip. Rapper Nelly, who performed at Trump's Liberty Ball, also saw his streaming numbers decrease from 1.63 million to 1.54 million during the same period.
Both artists faced immediate backlash on social media when their inaugural performances were announced. Some fans called for boycotts, with one X user declaring they would block Underwood "on all apps" and stop listening to her music.
Before the event, Underwood defended her decision to perform, stating in a release: "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."
Nelly also addressed criticism of his appearance on the Willie D Live podcast, saying "This isn't politics...He's the president, he's the commander-in-chief." The rapper emphasized his respect for the office regardless of who holds it.
While both performers saw minor increases in digital download sales on Inauguration Day, neither artist reached 1,000 downloads, suggesting the high-profile appearances did little to boost their overall music consumption.