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Show moreKane Brown, Shaboozey, Riley Green to Perform at iHeartCountry Festival 2026
The iHeartCountry Festival 2026 will bring a powerhouse lineup to Austin's Moody Center on May 2, headlined by multi-genre superstar Kane Brown, genre-blending breakout Shaboozey, and acclaimed singer-songwriter Riley Green. They will be joined by a deep supporting cast featuring Parker McCollum, Dylan Scott, Russell Dickerson, country icon Gretchen Wilson, Chase Matthew, and Lauren Alaina, ensuring a comprehensive representation of today's country music landscape.
Industry observers note that such a carefully curated bill is a strategic move to capture the genre's diverse fanbase. The festival returns to the Moody Center, a premier 15,000-seat venue on the University of Texas campus that opened in 2022 and has quickly become a top destination for major touring acts. Guiding the evening will be returning emcee Bobby Bones, the influential iHeartRadio personality and host of *The Bobby Bones Show*. Rod Phillips, iHeartCountry's Executive Vice President of Programming, highlighted the event's mission, noting, "We aim to capture the very pulse of country music by uniting its most compelling new artists with respected trailblazers, creating an experience that fuels conversation for the entire year."
A tiered ticket sales process begins with an exclusive presale for Capital One cardholders starting January 20 at 8 a.m. PT. This presale includes access to a special Capital One Access Pass, which provides entry to a pre-show party featuring a curated performance by Parker McCollum. McCollum, a Texas native, saw his major-label debut 'Gold Chain Cowboy' top the Billboard Country Albums chart in 2021. General ticket sales open to the public on January 23 at 10 a.m. PT via Ticketmaster, with all details available at iHeartRadio.com/CapitalOne.
Extending its reach far beyond the Austin arena, the festival will be broadcast live nationwide on May 2, beginning at 5 p.m. PT. The full event can be heard across the extensive network of iHeartCountry radio stations and streamed live on the iHeartRadio app. This massive simulcast is a hallmark of iHeartMedia's strategy, effectively turning a local concert into a national listening event that offers unparalleled exposure for the featured artists.
This edition continues the proven format established by the successful 2025 festival, which also took place at the Moody Center and skillfully paired legacy duo Brooks & Dunn with contemporary hitmakers like Thomas Rhett and Bailey Zimmerman. This consistent approach of bridging country music's rich history with its dynamic present is designed for broad audience appeal. According to music analyst Sarah Chen of *Chartbeat Insights*, "In an era of algorithmic music discovery, these flagship radio festivals serve a crucial curatorial role. They provide a trusted, high-profile stage where emerging talent can be validated in front of a massive, dedicated audience, often accelerating their career trajectory overnight."
Category:SHOW BIZ NEWS