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After Trump’s Inauguration, Is Politics Pulling Pop Music To the Right?

Donald Trump’s inauguration events included performances by Carrie Underwood, Snoop Dogg and the Village People. Things were different 8 years ago.

The problem is that the actual consequences rarely materialize — of all the artists who transgressed and faced online criticism, only R. Kelly saw his popularity plummet, and only after years of accusations, plus multiple convictions. After Morgan Wallen was seen on video using a racial slur in 2021, his radio play plummeted, he was dropped by his booking agent, and his recording contract was “suspended” — but his career recovered within a year. The idea of cancel culture was that the creative sector could pull politics to the left — that if artists and companies pursued more progressive policies, government would follow.

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