Following Shinedown’s announcement that they would no longer perform on the Rock the Country Festival tour last week, organizers canceled the tour’s planned stop in Anderson, South Carolina.

Set for July 25 and 26, the weekend’s lineup was slated to include Kid Rock and Jason Aldean, along with Creed, Brantley Gilbert, Gretchen Wilson, and Parmalee. When the tour was initially announced in January, Ludacris and Morgan Wade were also on the bill for the South Carolina date but the rapper and country songwriter both pulled out of the tour.

On Monday, the Rock the Country Festival issued a statement to Rolling Stone about the cancellation of the Anderson date.

“Rock the Country was created to unite people together through music. Our lineups and our crowds reflect that sentiment — a wide range of voices, backgrounds, and stories that make up this country,” the festival said. “We’re truly disappointed we won’t be bringing the show to Anderson. Our fans work hard for their money, and we refuse to put on a show that doesn’t meet the standard they deserve.”

Rock the Country was originally scheduled to visit eight towns across the U.S., beginning May 1 and 2 in Belleville, Texas. With South Carolina scrapped, the tour will hit seven markets before ending Sept. 11 and 12 in Hamburg, New York.

“Our focus remains where it’s always been: Supporting our artists, honoring our fans, and delivering unforgettable nights throughout the country,” organizers said. “The shows ahead represent the heart of what Rock the Country stands for: music, community, and pride in where we come from.” 

Organizers added, “Loving America isn’t political; it’s who we are.”

First launched in 2024 by non-Super Bowl headliner Kid Rock, the Rock the Country Tour has stopped in Anderson, South Carolina, for the past two years. According to a statement by Anderson County’s administrator, Rusty Burns, “The event was a huge success drawing tens of thousands of visitors, making a multi-million-dollar economic impact on the Upstate… Of course, we are disappointed that Rock the Country will not return to Anderson this year.”

Along with Shinedown, Morgan Wade, and Ludacris, whose rep told Rolling Stone that the hip-hop star “wasn’t supposed to be on there,” country singer Carter Faith also dropped off the tour.

While the Rock the Country festival isn’t explicitly a political event, it has had its share of political statements since its inception and has ties to the MAGA movement.

One of heavy metal’s most iconic labels is roaring back. Combat Records, the legendary U.S. label behind Megadeth, Exodus, Helstar, Circle Jerks, Nuclear Assault, and countless other 1980s thrash and punk trailblazers, is set for a full-scale relaunch in 2026 under the leadership of Robert Dujmusic and Alex Stojak.

Combat’s storied history is steeped in metal lore. After launching some of the most influential acts of the 1980s and surviving a handful of ownership changes, the label went dormant in the mid-2000s, with its catalog eventually absorbed by Sony. In 2016, former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson and Thom Hazaert of EMP Label Group acquired the Combat brand and its intellectual property, safeguarding the label’s legacy.

As of January 2026, Combat Records is officially under the stewardship of independent film producers Alex Stojak and Robert Dujmusic, operating from their new office in Göttingen, Germany. The revived label has already expanded infrastructure to include distribution, PR, festival support, and touring, signaling a modern, full-service approach.

The first wave of confirmed releases will include projects from established artists as well as development opportunities for emerging bands, ensuring that Combat stays true to its history of championing underground heavy music. Key additions to the team include Nicole Wendeborn (former Eternal Sound partner) as A&R manager and Christian “Opus” Lawrence (ex-Cro-Mags) as U.S. manager.

“It is the honor of a lifetime to be able to continue the legacy of such an important part of heavy music history and I’m super excited for what we’ve got coming up,” said Dujmusic. “Combat is back!”

Ellefson added his endorsement: “It’s good to know that the Combat Records brand has landed into the right hands and will continue to thrive with Christian and Rob at the helm.”