27 Artists Who Sang For The Troops

Memorial Day offers the perfect opportunity to reflect on and remember the soldiers who have sacrificed and served to protect our country. So, in honor of the holiday, we decided to compile a list of artists who have shown their respect for the troops through their craft. From Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry’s live collaboration for 2010’s “VH1 Divas Salute the Troops” to the time stars like Luke Bryan and Kellie Pickler performed for “ACM Presents: An All Stars Salute to the Troops” and beyond, read on to find out which acts have performed for our soldiers in some capacity.

1. Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini and Scotty McCreery

Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini and Scotty McCreery performed during the 2019 iHeartCountry One Night For Our Military special concert. About 750+ attendees, including many from nearby military bases Fort Knox and Fort Campbell gathered at Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee for the show.

2. Nicki Minaj & Katy Perry

Nicki and Katy delivered a joint performance of the Cyndi Lauper hit “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” as part of the “VH1 Divas Salute the Troops” show back in 2010. It was taped at San Diego’s Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.

3. Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood debuted a new song, titled “Keep Us Safe,” during a performance for the 2014 ACM special ”An All-Star Salute to the Troops,” meant to honor the military.

4. Paramore

Paramore performed a cover of the Foo Fighters track “My Hero” at Kuwait’s Camp Arifjan in 2010, which was also recorded for “VH1 Divas Salute the Troops.”

5. Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston performed at the Naval Air Station in Norfolk, Virginia, back in 1991. The performance — which was Houston’s first ever solo televised concert — was meant to honor those who served in the Gulf War. It was later released on video as “Welcome Home Heroes With Whitney Houston.”

6. Toby Keith

Toby Keith has performed 11 USO tours since 2002.

7. Prince Royce

Prince Royce performed in front of 45,000 troops and their families during the 2016 concert event Rock The Troops, which took place at Hawaii’s Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

8. Nick Jonas

Nick Jonas also performed at the 2016 event Rock The Troops.

9. Blink-182

Blink-182 performed for the troops aboard the USS Nimitz in Kuwait Harbour, Kuwait in August 2003.

10. Metallica

Metallica performed a 22-minute set at the Concert for Valor, which took place on the National Mall in Washington D.C.

11. Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson brought her military-inspired “Rhythm Nation” choreography to a performance for “America United: In Support of Our Troops.”

12. The Ying Yang Twins

D-ROCK, of the Ying Yang Twins, performed for the Wolf Pack Airmen at the Kunsan Air Base in 2008.

13. Kid Rock

Kid Rock has performed for U.S. troops several times over the course of his career, notably playing alongside the Zac Brown Band and Kellie Pickler for the 2008 USO Christmas Concert in Iraq.

14. Hunter Hayes

Hunter Hayes performed at the “ACM Presents: An All Stars Salute to the Troops.”

15. Jennifer Nettles

Jennifer Nettles also appeared onstage at the “VH1 Divas Salute The Troops.”

16. Keith Urban

Keith Urban performed at the “ACM Presents: An All Stars Salute to the Troops.”

17. Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw performed at the “ACM Presents: An All Stars Salute to the Troops.”

18. Dierks Bentley

Dierks Bentley performed at the “ACM Presents: An All Stars Salute to the Troops.”

19. Luke Bryan

Luke Bryan performed at the “ACM Presents: An All Stars Salute to the Troops.”

20. Kellie Pickler

Kellie Pickler performed at the “ACM Presents: An All Stars Salute to the Troops.”

21. Train

Train performed for reunited military families at the Naval Station Norfolk as part of SC Johnson's Thanksgathering Celebration.

22. Tenacious D - Spike's Rock The Troops Show

23. Stephen Kellogg

Singer-songwriter Stephen Kellogg has performed for the troops more times than we can count.

24. Machine Gun Kelly, Bebe Rexha, & Sam Harris

MGK, Bebe Rexha, and Sam from X Ambassadors sang “Home” in a WWE Tribute to the Troops in 2017.

25. Mariah Carey

In December 2001, Mariah sang her hit "Hero" for U.S. peacekeepers at Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo.

26. Granger Smith

The country singer has performed several shows overseas for our troops. "I’ve done several tours in Iraq and Kuwait, and that’s because I feel, for lack of a better term, a little bit guilty that I get to play music and travel, living the dream, that is, in turn, paid for by a sacrifice of men and women my same age that go over and volunteer to work in a field that is much nobler than mine," Smith tells The Boot.

27. Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez carries the flag during 2001's "For the Troops: An MTV/USO Special" performance at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.