Country music’s biggest names took over Austin. The iHeartCountry Festival returned to The Moody Center on May 2, drawing a massive crowd.
What We Know: Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Shaboozey, Parker McCollum, Riley Green and Carly Pearce headlined the annual event. Bobby Bones returned as host for the nationally syndicated iHeartMedia production. Meanwhile, Disney+ and Hulu livestreamed every performance. The show also broadcast across iHeartCountry stations and the iHeartRadio app nationwide.
What They Said: Carly Pearce delivered one of the night’s most memorable moments. She surprised fans by bringing Riley Green onstage. Together, they performed their collaboration “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay.” As Green told the crowd, “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be than right here in Austin with y’all.”
What Remains Unclear: Future festival dates and locations have not yet been announced. Whether the Disney+ and Hulu livestream will remain available for on-demand viewing is still unknown. iHeartMedia has not confirmed returning headliners for 2027.
What It Means: The iHeartCountry Festival continues to grow into a major pillar of the live event strategy at iHeartMedia, and that strategy now stretches far beyond the iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas. The company is building large-scale events around formats and fan passion points, with country leading the charge. Add in the multi-platform reach across radio, streaming, and digital, and Austin once again becomes the center of the country music world for a weekend.
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David Hill serves as a Music Radio Editor, Columnist and Features writer for Barrett Media. A radio lifer with more than 30 years behind the mic, in the control room, and in the program director’s chair, David’s career spans influential stops at brands such as WIYY 98 Rock, WBAL-AM, and 99X. He has worked across multiple formats and ownership groups, including iHeartMedia and Cumulus Media, developing talent, breaking music, and navigating every major industry shift from diary to PPM and terrestrial dominance to streaming disruption. When he’s not writing or analyzing the industry, Dave runs The Tune Farm, a marketing firm built to help artists and brands grow audience the same way great radio always has—by creating connection, not just impressions. He can be reached at David@BarrettMedia.com.
