MacKaye is a member of The Evens, a two-piece indie rock group he formed with his wife Amy Farina in 2001.

[3] Along with his seminal band Minor Threat, he is credited with coining the term "straight edge"[2] a philosophy that promotes abstinence from alcohol and other drugs, though MacKaye has stated that he did not intend to turn it into a movement.

[4] In his capacities as a journalist in the White House Press Corps, MacKaye's father was in the presidential motorcade when John F. Kennedy was killed in 1963.

[8] MacKaye listened to many types of music, but was especially fond of mainstream hard rock such as Ted Nugent and Queen.

The Slinkees evolved into the Teen Idles, in which MacKaye played bass guitar and sang back up vocals.

MacKaye cited the dynamic performance of singer Joe Cocker in Woodstock as a major influence on his own animated stage persona.

[7] The Teen Idles and Minor Threat were modestly successful in and around Washington, D.C., but would later be cited as two of the earliest and most influential hardcore punk groups, and as pioneers of the straight edge philosophy that rejects use of drugs (including alcohol), tobacco, and sex.

After Minor Threat broke up, MacKaye was active with several relatively short-lived groups, including Embrace (1985–1986) and Egg Hunt (1986).

[20] In 1988, he recorded vocals with Ministry's Al Jourgensen, Paul Barker, and Bill Rieflin for the band Pailhead's EP titled "Trait".

In February 2004, MacKaye produced the recording sessions for John Frusciante's solo album titled DC EP.

After working with MacKaye, Frusciante states "Ian is one of the only living people who I really respect and look up to, so it was an honor and a pleasure as well as a great learning experience to hear his perspective.

As Seth Martin, MacKaye's financial adviser explained to the Washington Post in a 1993 interview: "protection from liability is the main reason to form a corporation, and for these guys it makes sense.

When audience members became belligerent or violent at a Fugazi show, the band would cease to play (sometimes right in the middle of a song) and MacKaye would tell them to stop.

[26][27] In 2007 MacKaye provided technical audio assistance to Alan Canfora, a former Kent State University student who, in 1970, was injured by a gunshot while protesting the U.S. invasion of Cambodia.

It was a song that described his personal life free of drugs, alcohol and "sex as a conquest", though claimed he was not attempting to force the lifestyle on others.

[29] The song came about through MacKaye moving away from DC as a teenager, briefly to Palo Alto, California, and returning to find friends addicted to alcohol & drugs.

[29] His decision to abstain from substances began to influence youth culture as Minor Threat gained popularity through numerous live shows and sales of their EP.

[31][32] In interviews especially in his later life, MacKaye has often become annoyed with questions about being the founding father of a movement he never intended to start: "I'm credited because I coined a phrase and wrote a song about it.

"[33]Although "Straight Edge" gets the most attention, MacKaye wrote other songs with Minor Threat describing his clean lifestyle as well, most notably "Out of Step (With the World)," in which he said "I don't smoke.

[36] In 2012, MacKaye's wife threw him a surprise 50th birthday party which included many guests from the late 1970s and early 1980s DC punk/hardcore scene, many of whom had not seen each other in 20 years.

[38] His musical collaborations with Ian are limited but he is known for appearing in the iconic photograph used for many Minor Threat releases including Complete Discography.

[42] When further probed for a summation of his political views, he explained: My rule of thumb in terms of voting for presidential elections always boils down to one thing.

[43]MacKaye was interviewed in the documentary films Roll Up Your Sleeves, DIY America, American Hardcore, 930 F, Another State of Mind, Instrument, Dogtown and Z-Boys, D.I.Y.

[44] In 2024 MacKaye was featured in the documentary Cover Your Ears produced by Prairie Coast Films and directed by Sean Patrick Shaul, discussing music censorship.

[45] MacKaye has contributed to several books, including The Idealist by Glen E. Friedman (Burning Flags Press, 1998, updated 2004, ISBN 0-9641916-5-2); a foreword to indie-punk band photographer Pat Graham's photobook Silent Pictures; an introduction to Susie Horgan's photobook Punk Love, Interrobang?!