Rock the Country South Carolina Canceled Following Shinedown’s Departure

The Anderson, South Carolina, stop of the 2026 Rock the Country traveling festival has been officially canceled after co-headliners Shinedown withdrew from the lineup.

Originally scheduled for July 25th and 26th, the two-day event was set to feature Creed and Shinedown as the primary draws. The cancellation marks a major blow to the Anderson County community, which had hosted the festival for the past two years to significant economic success.
A Domino Effect of Departures

The cancellation follows a wave of artist exits from the festival tour. Just weeks ago, Ludacris and several other performers dropped out after social media scrutiny labeled the event a "MAGA" festival—a sentiment bolstered by face-of-the-festival Kid Rock, who described the tour as a "movement" for "God-fearing patriots."

The situation took an ironic turn on February 6th when Shinedown announced they would no longer be performing. The move came shortly after Shinedown drummer Barry Kerch publicly criticized Ludacris, calling him a "coward" for dropping off the bill. With Shinedown now also out, organizers made the decision to scrap the South Carolina date entirely.
Local Impact

Anderson County administrator Rusty Burns expressed disappointment over the news, highlighting the festival's previous contributions to the local economy.

"The event was a huge success drawing tens of thousands of visitors, making a multi-million-dollar economic impact on the Upstate," Burns said in a statement. "Of course, we are disappointed that Rock the Country will not return to Anderson this year. We are already planning additional major events and look forward to exciting announcements to come."
The Tour Continues

Despite the setback in South Carolina, the remaining seven stops of the Rock the Country tour are still scheduled to proceed as planned. Kid Rock remains the headliner for five of those cities. Individual lineups and ticket information for the surviving dates can be found on the festival's official website.

While the South Carolina leg has folded, the "movement" continues elsewhere, though the controversy surrounding the festival’s political branding remains a central theme of its 2026 run.