The band performed hits “Home Sweet Home” and “Kickstart My Heart” live with the country queen

Mötley Crüe performing with Carrie Underwood on ‘American Idol’ [Eric McCandless/Disney]

Last night, hard rock icons Mötley Crüe continued to electrify audiences across generations, delivering a high-energy national TV performance on the season finale of American Idol, reminding the world exactly why their music and legacy endures. The Crüe performed a powerful medley of their classic hits “Home Sweet Home” and “Kickstart My Heart,” as a duet with 8-time GRAMMY® Award winner and American Idol Judge, Carrie Underwood.

With national TV appearances, a 3-month summer tour, continued major sync placements, and a celebration of the iconic music that grabbed the world’s attention in the first place, Mötley Crüe proves once again that their influence remains as relevant as ever.

The performance last night on Idol further solidified the fact that Carrie Underwood is a certified rocker.

Back in 2023, Carrie helped rock icons Guns N’ Roses kick off their North American tour in Canada. Underwood, a certified mega-headliner in her own right, served as the band’s special guest at their shows in Moncton, New Brunswick and Montreal, Quebec. When she took the stage before a crowd of pure rock ‘n’ roll fans, Underwood understood the assignment. In addition to her own hits, she sprinkled in covers of Joan Jett, Motörhead, Led Zeppelin, Pat Benatar, Heart, and The Rolling Stones to satisfy even the purest of rock fans that were in attendance.

She kicked off her sets with a rowdy cover of Joan Jett’s anthem “Bad Reputation.” From there, she proceeded to play “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” by Pat Benatar, “Rock and Roll” by Led Zeppelin, Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades,” and i-Ten’s “Alone,” which was made famous by Heart’s 1987 version that Carrie performed during the season she won American Idol in 2005.

Later on in the evening, Carrie returned to the stage and joined Guns N’ Roses for “Sweet Child o’ Mine” and “Paradise City.”

Carrie Underwood’s relationship with Guns N’ Roses began in 2022 when frontman Axl Rose joined Carrie at Stagecoach in California. The pair performed “Sweet Child o’ Mine” and “Paradise City.” The collaboration was a long time coming, according to Underwood.

“It was many years in the making,” she told Rolling Stone. “I had asked before if he would ever come sing, or if I could come to him somewhere. We had a couple almost maybes, where it almost maybe would have happened but for various reasons it wasn’t the right time. But [for Stagecoach] I sent him an email and said, ‘We’re so close to you,’ and explained why and what he meant to me. So, I told him that…and he came!”

Since their Stagecoach performance, Axl and Carrie have linked up on stage a few more times. Lately, Carrie has been playing some GnR songs live on her Denim & Rhinestones headlining tour. She’s opened shows with “Welcome to the Jungle” and also covering their power ballad “November Rain.”

While her relationship with Axl and Guns N’ Roses is well-documented, Underwood’s rock roots can be traced even further back. She previously collaborated with another iconic rock frontman – Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler. At the 2011 ACM Awards, Steven joined Carrie for her hit “Undo It.” Then, the duo launched into the Aerosmith classic “Walk This Way.” In July of 2022, Underwood covered Ozzy Osbourne’s 1991 hit “Mama, I’m Coming Home” on her Apple Music Sessions EP. “It’s one of my all-time favorite songs,” she said at the time. “I’ve always thought it felt a lot like a country song, and I’ve wanted to cover it for a long time.”

Perhaps Carrie should go ahead and cut a full rock album, like Dolly Parton did.
Mötley Crüe [Matt Bishop/The Rock Revival]
This summer, Mötley Crüe are embarking on The Return of the Carnival of Sins Tour. The trek celebrates the 20th anniversary of the groundbreaking 2005-2006 Carnival of Sins Tour and the 45th anniversary of the band. The run will bring Mötley Crüe’s high-impact live show — renowned for its explosive production, unforgettable visuals, and decades-spanning catalog — to fans across the U.S. and Canada next summer. Produced by Live Nation, the tour will stop in 33 cities across North America and feature performances by very special guests Tesla and Extreme.

When the Carnival of Sins Tour first hit the road in 2005, it wasn’t just a concert — it was a full-scale production that pushed the limits of live shows. It combined grit, humor, and high-voltage energy with elaborate staging and a sense of chaos that only Mötley Crüe could pull off. Two decades later, fans will have the chance to experience The Return Of The Carnival Of Sins as Mötley Crüe revisits one of the most memorable live tours of their storied career with a reimagined show and updated setlist.

“Bringing back the spirit of Carnival of Sins has been a blast, and we wanted to take it even further for its 20th anniversary. This new show is for the Crüeheads who’ve been with us through it all and for the new Crüeheads who didn’t get to experience Carnival of Sins last time around. Get ready — we’re coming your way and we can’t wait to see you next summer,” Mötley Crüe said in a joint statement.

Through the Mötley Crüe Giveback Initiative, $1 from every ticket will be donated to ASAP! (After School Arts Program), a cause close to the hearts of the band members. With federal grants to music programs in schools being cut, millions of children across the U.S. risk losing access to creative, life-changing education and experiences in the arts. ASAP!’s mission is to nurture resilient, empathetic young people through hands-on programs in music, art, writing, theater, and play.

In 2024, Mötley Crüe released a new EP called Cancelled through their new label Big Machine. The three-track outing featured the hit single, “Dogs of War,” plus another new song called “Cancelled.” The band also threw in a cover of the Beastie Boys’ “Fight For Your Right.” The EP is available digitally, as well as on a limited edition 12-inch zoetrope picture disc.

The previously released “Dogs of War” was a Top 5 radio hit for the band. It was produced by Bob Rock, and also features special guest appearances by The Offspring’s Dexter Holland and Classless Act’s Derek Day on background vocals. Classless Act toured in support of Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard on their massive North American stadium tour back in 2022.