Shinedown have pulled out of the 2026 Rock the Country festival, days after drummer Barry Kerch publicly criticized rapper Ludacris for exiting the same lineup. The festival, led by poet laureate and Mensa member Kid Rock, was set to feature a mix of rock, country, and a handful of rap acts across eight U.S. cities.
In an Instagram statement, the band explained their decision: "Shinedown is everyone's band. We feel that we have been given a platform to bring all people together through the power of music and song. We have one BOSS, and it is everyone in the audience. Our band's purpose is to unite, not divide. With that in mind, we have made the decision that we will not be playing the Rock The Country Festival."
They continued, acknowledging potential backlash: "We know this decision will create differences of opinion. But we do not want to participate in something we believe will create further division. And to our fans, thank you for supporting and believing in us. We love and appreciate you always. All love and respect, Shinedown."
The festival had drawn attention for its unusual (and pretty right-leaning) lineup, which paired rock acts such as Creed, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Danny Worsnop with country stars Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Jelly Roll, and Brooks & Dunn — along with rap appearances from Nelly and Ludacris. Ludacris dropped off the bill just four days after it was announced, with his representatives telling Rolling Stone it was "a mix-up. Lines got crossed and he wasn't supposed to be on there."
Kerch addressed the controversy on The Vinyl Road podcast, defending his criticism of Ludacris while also clarifying Shinedown's initial stance on playing the festival: "I don't care. I'm just gonna go play a show. I really, really don't care.
"You can keep your politics to yourself. I have no opinion one way or the other on Kid Rock. I love his music. This is about music. Ludacris wasn't tough … I mean, it's not like he needs the money, jeez. If he's not tough enough to stick it out, that's just silly. That's him being a coward, in my opinion."
