The 90s-country revival in one pompadour, with pure Keith Whitley-school neotraditionalism that made retro the hottest sound in Nashville.
Country
Rock the South 2026 Lineup
Four nights of arena country in north Alabama, the festival's first year at The Fields at Decatur after fifteen in Cullman, with a fair on the grounds.
Rock the South is expected back October 2027 (dates aren't announced yet). Until then, here's the full 2026 lineup and the acts you would have loved.
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About Rock the South 2026
Rock the South spent its first fifteen years in Cullman, and 2026 is its first at The Fields at Decatur. It was booked for June, but heavy rain on the new site pushed it to Thursday October 1 through Sunday October 4, and the move added a fourth night. It is all ages, and for the first time the grounds carry a fair with carnival rides and games.
Each night has one headliner: Zach Top on Thursday, Jason Aldean on Friday, Jessie Murph on Saturday and Alabama's own Riley Green closing Sunday. The second line is just as deliberate, with Craig Morgan, Kameron Marlowe, BigXthaPlug and Brantley Gilbert each taking the slot under a headliner.
Below that sits a deep bench of new Nashville names, from The Castellows' sister harmonies and The Band Perry's return to Graham Barham, Avery Anna, Lakeview and Stella Lefty. Saturday is the one night that crosses over, pairing Jessie Murph with the Dallas rapper BigXthaPlug.
Expect country, country-rock, country-pop and alt-pop across 33 acts.
At a glance
- Dates
- –Thursday to Sunday, four days
- Where
- The Fields at Decatur, Decatur, AL
- Lineup
- 33 acts
- Website
- Official site
Rock the South 2026 lineup & schedule: all 33 acts
Search it, filter by day, stage or genre.Browse all 33 acts
Search it, filter by day, stage or genre.
Rock-heavy country radio staple with big guitars and small towns, and one of the format's most reliable arena draws.
CountryCountry-rock
A rasp built for heartbreak, dragging country songwriting through trap drums and open-wound honesty, with genre lines treated as suggestions.
Country-popAlt-pop
Small-town Alabama traditionalist (hunting-camp country with a college-quarterback charm).
Country
Cole Goodwin
Singer-songwriter from Pooler, Georgia, just outside Savannah, bringing a coastal-Georgia home base to his country songs.
Country
Three sisters from south Georgia with banjo, guitar and the kind of sibling harmony no rehearsal can manufacture.
Country
Army veteran turned Grand Ole Opry member, behind 'That's What I Love About Sunday' and 'Redneck Yacht Club.' Sentimental ballads alongside rowdy lake-day anthems.
Country
Phil Kane
Country
The sibling trio behind "If I Die Young," offering harmony-forward country pop with a gothic streak.
CountryCountry pop
North Carolina singer with a deep, weathered baritone. First seen on The Voice before 'Giving You Up' and the We Were Cowboys album established him in Nashville.
Country
Lakeview
Country
Los Angeles songwriter pairing pop hooks with country storytelling, whose breakout 'Boston' spread from TikTok to the Billboard Hot 100.
Singer/songwriter
Dallas rapper with a booming, unhurried baritone over soul-sampled Texas production, and a heavyweight presence that made him one of the South's fastest risers.
Hip hopSouthern hip hop
Graham Barham
Louisiana-raised singer-songwriter working the rougher, rock-edged side of modern country, with a raspy voice suited to hard-luck songs.
Country
Arizona-raised songwriter who broke through online, singing heartbreak country with a crack left in it.
Country
Georgia country rocker who co-wrote Jason Aldean's 'Dirt Road Anthem' and 'My Kinda Party' before 'Bottoms Up' made him a headliner. Heavy guitars, small-town grit.
Country
Titus Thornton
Callie Prince
Country
Aniston Pate
Country
The Creekers
Country
Dee Jay Silver
Country
Cody Lohden
Former firefighter and paramedic from Garfield, Kentucky, writing small-town country in the line of Keith Whitley; he records for ERNEST's Cadillac Music.
Country
Ethan Garner
Country
Connor Hicks
Country
Myles Morgan
Alabama country singer-songwriter blending southern grit with guitar-driven melodies and modern storytelling, known for 'Nobody's Fault But Yours.'
Country
Ian Harrison
Ohio born, Nashville based singer-songwriter blending country and folk, who emerged on season 22 of 'The Voice' and released 'Ways To Get On Out'.
CountryFolk
Grace Tyler
Country
KG & The Bad Habits
Country
Jay Webb
Country
Country songwriter drawn to the genre's heavier edges, running rasp and distortion underneath the hooks.
Country
Emmy Moyen
Country
Ava Hall
Detroit-area songwriter and Belmont graduate, the first apprentice in Ashley Gorley's mentorship program; she wrote her debut single 'Georgia Heat' alone.
Country
Tyler Nance
Lamar, Missouri farm kid who taught himself guitar while working as a welder; his 2025 single 'Keeps Me Sane' reached the Hot Country Songs chart.
CountrySinger-songwriter
The headliners
Zach Top · The 90s-country revival in one pompadour, with pure Keith Whitley-school neotraditionalism that made retro the hottest sound in Nashville. Nineties neotraditional country, played straight, to open the weekend.
Jason Aldean · Rock-heavy country radio staple with big guitars and small towns, and one of the format's most reliable arena draws.
Jessie Murph · A rasp built for heartbreak, dragging country songwriting through trap drums and open-wound honesty, with genre lines treated as suggestions. The festival's newest headliner, added when the move made room for a fourth night.
Riley Green · Small-town Alabama traditionalist (hunting-camp country with a college-quarterback charm). An Alabama headliner closing an Alabama festival.
Up-and-comers to catch early
The Castellows · Three sisters from south Georgia whose harmonies carry the whole set.
Avery Anna · Heartbreak songs that found their audience online before radio caught up.
- Lakeview · A country band loud enough that Wacken booked them.
Stella Lefty · A pop hook inside a country song, early on Saturday.
Other acts worth planning around
BigXthaPlug · The one rapper on the bill, on the same night as Jessie Murph.
Craig Morgan · 'Redneck Yacht Club' and 'That's What I Love About Sunday' on the Thursday bill.
The lineup by day
Thursday lineup (October 1)
Zach Top, Craig Morgan, The Castellows, Cole Goodwin, The Creekers, Aniston Pate + 3 more
Thursday set times (8 sets)
- Titus Thornton · Main Stage
- Callie Prince · Raised Rowdy Stage
- Cole Goodwin · Main Stage
- Aniston Pate · Raised Rowdy Stage
- The Castellows · Main Stage
- The Creekers · Raised Rowdy Stage
- Craig Morgan · Main Stage
- Zach Top · Main Stage
Friday lineup (October 2)
Jason Aldean, Kameron Marlowe, The Band Perry, Phil Kane, Dee Jay Silver, Myles Morgan + 3 more
Friday set times (8 sets)
- Cody Lohden · Main Stage
- Ethan Garner · Raised Rowdy Stage
- Phil Kane · Main Stage
- Connor Hicks · Raised Rowdy Stage
- The Band Perry · Main Stage
- Myles Morgan · Raised Rowdy Stage
- Kameron Marlowe · Main Stage
- Jason Aldean · Main Stage
Saturday lineup (October 3)
Jessie Murph, BigXthaPlug, Stella Lefty, Lakeview, Jay Webb, Ian Harrison + 2 more
Saturday set times (8 sets)
- Ian Harrison · Main Stage
- Grace Tyler · Raised Rowdy Stage
- Lakeview · Main Stage
- KG & The Bad Habits · Raised Rowdy Stage
- Stella Lefty · Main Stage
- Jay Webb · Raised Rowdy Stage
- BigXthaPlug · Main Stage
- Jessie Murph · Main Stage
Sunday lineup (October 4)
Riley Green, Brantley Gilbert, Avery Anna, Graham Barham, Austin Snell, Tyler Nance + 2 more
Sunday set times (8 sets)
- Austin Snell · Main Stage
- Emmy Moyen · Raised Rowdy Stage
- Graham Barham · Main Stage
- Ava Hall · Raised Rowdy Stage
- Avery Anna · Main Stage
- Tyler Nance · Raised Rowdy Stage
- Brantley Gilbert · Main Stage
- Riley Green · Main Stage
Rock the South 2026 lineup FAQ
When is Rock the South 2026?
Thursday October 1 through Sunday October 4, 2026. It was first scheduled for June and moved to October after heavy rain on the new site.
Where is Rock the South 2026?
The Fields at Decatur, 3453 Gordon Terry Parkway, Decatur, Alabama. It is the festival's first year in Decatur after fifteen in Cullman.
Who is headlining Rock the South 2026?
Zach Top on Thursday, Jason Aldean on Friday, Jessie Murph on Saturday and Riley Green on Sunday.
When are the set times released?
The festival says door times and performance schedules come out one to two weeks before the event. They will show here as soon as they are published.
Is camping available?
Yes. RV and car camping passes cover Wednesday through Sunday nights and are sold separately from festival admission.
How do I find the acts I'd like?
Type a few artists you love into the finder at the top of this page. It matches them against this lineup and explains each pick.
When is Rock the South 2027?
Rock the South is expected back in October 2027; the festival has not announced the 2027 dates yet. The 2026 lineup stays on this page until it does.
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