Festival Fallout: Shinedown Abruptly Drops Off Kid Rock's Rock the Country Tour
In a surprise move, hard rock band Shinedown announced today that they would no longer be performing at this summer's Rock the Country festival. The decision comes after the band stated their intention to unite, not divide.
Shinedown joins other high-profile artists such as Ludacris, Morgan Wade, and Carter Faith in pulling out of the touring festival, which is headlined by Kid Rock - a key investor with ties to the MAGA movement. When asked about their decision, Shinedown explained that they did not want to participate in something that would create further division.
Other artists have also dropped off the lineup, including Creed, although representatives for the band claim to know nothing about the changes. The festival will now consist of two-night stands in cities across the country this spring and summer.
The Anderson, South Carolina date has been officially canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, according to local officials. Despite their departure from the lineup, Shinedown's name remains on the website, as does Faith's.
Rock the Country, billed as "A Festival for the People" and celebrating 250 years of Freedom, has faced criticism in the past for its ties to conservative politics. Last year's festival featured performances by artists with strong anti-establishment views.
Shinedown released their latest album, Planet Zero, in 2022, followed by a string of singles in 2023. The band is expected to make more music in the coming months.
In a surprise move, hard rock band Shinedown announced today that they would no longer be performing at this summer's Rock the Country festival. The decision comes after the band stated their intention to unite, not divide.
Shinedown joins other high-profile artists such as Ludacris, Morgan Wade, and Carter Faith in pulling out of the touring festival, which is headlined by Kid Rock - a key investor with ties to the MAGA movement. When asked about their decision, Shinedown explained that they did not want to participate in something that would create further division.
Other artists have also dropped off the lineup, including Creed, although representatives for the band claim to know nothing about the changes. The festival will now consist of two-night stands in cities across the country this spring and summer.
The Anderson, South Carolina date has been officially canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, according to local officials. Despite their departure from the lineup, Shinedown's name remains on the website, as does Faith's.
Rock the Country, billed as "A Festival for the People" and celebrating 250 years of Freedom, has faced criticism in the past for its ties to conservative politics. Last year's festival featured performances by artists with strong anti-establishment views.
Shinedown released their latest album, Planet Zero, in 2022, followed by a string of singles in 2023. The band is expected to make more music in the coming months.
I'm not surprised. Shinedown's values align with what I consider important, and I'd rather support artists who share those same morals 
. Kid Rock's involvement has always been a bit of a red flag for me... 
. Kid Rock's whole vibe just dont sit well with me, all that MAGA stuff... anyway, festival's still goin on, just in a different way 
. kinda bummed they cant even give 'em an official axe tho, just cancel their spot 
gotta say, this is a total bummer for anyone looking forward to Rock the Country festival. Shinedown's decision to bail on the tour just goes to show how easily you can get pulled into some pretty problematic ideologies 
. I mean, come on Kid Rock and all his MAGA buddies? That's not exactly what I'd call "diversity for the people" 
. And now they're gonna have a two-night stand in each city? Sounds like just another excuse to keep the cash flowing 
. Creed dropped off too, but at least that band's rep is intact... or so they claim 
. Guess you can't make this stuff up, folks 
. It's weird how some festivals just don't align with the values you want to promote. I get that Rock the Country wants to be inclusive and all that jazz, but having Kid Rock on board kinda throws a wrench in the whole vibe. I mean, can't we just agree to disagree without making it so public? Shinedown's decision makes sense though, unity over division is always the way to go 
.
just saw that Shinedown dropped off Kid Rock's Rock the Country tour! Like, I get it, they didn't want to be part of something that'd divide people... totally fair play 
I'm actually kinda bummed tho 
anyone know what's gonna happen next? Hope Shinedown gets back in the studio ASAP to drop some new heat 
so not surprised that Shinedown bailed on that whole MAGA festival thing... i mean, can't say I blame them for wanting to unite instead of divide 
their decision to drop out was pretty straightforward - no need to sugarcoat it 
at least they're making more music now, so we get to enjoy that 
about shinedown dropping off kid rock's tour 
shinedown's decision to drop off kid rock's tour was super inspiring tho! i mean, they said they didn't wanna be part of something that'd create more division 
. Don't get me wrong, I'm not gonna lie, I was looking forward to seeing them live at Rock the Country 
, but if they don't want to be part of it, then more power to 'em 
.
. And I'm sure their fans are gonna miss them on the tour stage 
. Maybe this is a good opportunity for them to focus on themselves and create some new, awesome music 
!