Billy Ray Cyrus bashed for performing at Trump's inauguration despite him mocking singer's daughter Miley

WASHINGTON, DC: President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration is dominating the news cycle and shaping up to be a headline-grabbing event.

With January 20 fast approaching, all eyes are on the star-studded lineup of performers set to kick off the festivities. The selection of artists has tongues wagging, with 'Achy Breaky Heart' singer Billy Ray Cyrus, Kid Rock, Carrie Underwood, and the Village People topping the list.

Billy Ray Cyrus's inauguration day performance announcement raises eyebrows

According to Axios, President-elect Donald Trump is taking a hands-on approach to curating his inauguration’s musical acts, "personally picking his celebration's musical acts to represent his eclectic tastes.”

While Kid Rock and the Village People are no strangers to Trump events—YMCA has been a staple at Trump’s campaign rallies throughout 2024—Billy Ray Cyrus is the name catching the most attention.

Known for his 1992 hit 'Achy Breaky Heart', Cyrus has long been a household name in country music. But his inclusion in Trump’s celebration has left many scratching their heads, particularly given his family’s political leanings.

Billy and Miley Cyrus' contrasting politics

Billy Ray Cyrus and his daughter Miley Cyrus couldn’t be more different when it comes to their politics. Miley has been an outspoken supporter of Democratic candidates, throwing her weight behind Kamala Harris in the last election and celebrating Joe Biden’s victory in 2020.

She even campaigned for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and has openly criticized Trump, once calling him a “racist, sexist, hateful a**hole” in a 2019 interview.

Meanwhile, Billy Ray has seemingly aligned himself with Trump, even appearing at one of his campaign rallies in 2024.

Trump himself addressed the political divide between the father-daughter duo, jokingly asking at the event, “Billy Ray Cyrus is here. Where is Billy Ray? He’s around here someplace, and he’s great. He’s a conservative guy. I said, ‘How did you get such a liberal daughter? How had that happened, Billy Ray?’”

The apparent divide might be emblematic of a larger rift within the Cyrus family. Miley reportedly took her mother Tish’s side during her parents’ high-profile divorce, further straining her relationship with her father.

Things worsened after Billy married Australian singer Firerose, 25 years his junior—a marriage that ended in divorce just seven months later.

The fallout reached a boiling point when an audio recording surfaced, allegedly capturing Billy Ray yelling at Firerose and calling Miley a “devil” and a “skank.”

Miley reportedly cut ties with her father entirely following the incident, vowing never to speak to him again, according to the Daily Mirror.

Critics slam Billy Ray Cyrus for agreeing to inauguration gig

Billy Ray Cyrus' decision to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration hasn’t gone over well with people on the internet.

"I read Billy Ray Cyrus will also perform. I thought he hated Trump," one social media user posted on X.

"Billy Ray Cyrus is a NARCISSIST! This is such a sad lineup of washed-up performers," another fumed.

"Billy Ray Cyrus... Wow scraping the bottom there... Most nonperforming singer in four decades," a third user added.

"For real!!! I mean, Billy Ray Cyrus hasn't been relevant since he wanted his mullet back," someone else quipped.

"What, no Up with People? PS: Billy Ray Cyrus is very disappointing to me," a comment read.

"Billy Ray Cyrus and Kid Rock are merging into the same person," another joked.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.