The Stagecoach festival has long been regarded as one of the nation’s premiere country music festivals. But in recent years, the event has mixed in more and more rock acts. The recently-revealed lineup for 2026 seems to have a bigger rock presence than ever before, so we can’t help asking: Has Stagecoach gone rock?
Looking at the 2026 lineup, a few things stand out. Headliners Lainey Wilson and Cody Johnson are unquestionably country. Post Malone appeals to just about every genre out there, with material that fits in rock, hip-hop, pop and country. But get into the slightly smaller print and you find an array of ’90s rock acts, including Bush, Counting Crows, Third Eye Blind, Hootie and the Blowfish, and The Wallflowers. Then there’s Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Journey, an act that previously would have been unfathomable to consider for Stagecoach.
Compare this to the inaugural Stagecoach lineup in 2007 and the difference is obvious. That year featured country stalwarts like Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, Jason Aldean, and Willie Nelson. A rock band wasn’t anywhere to be found. The transition has been gradual, with acts like Nickelback, Mumford & Sons, Sammy Hagar and Goo Goo Dolls performing in recent years. Still, next year’s lineup seems to take things a step further.
Interestingly, Goldenvoice — the promoter behind Stagecoach — has also been bringing rock acts back into their other major SoCal festival, Coachella. After starting out as a decidedly alt-rock event, Coachella turned heavily towards pop, hip-hop and EDM roughly a decade ago. More recently, however, acts like Sublime, Blink 182 and Deftones have returned to Coachella, signaling that the fest hasn’t totally abandoned its roots.
So maybe Stagecoach’s 2026 lineup is less about the event’s evolution and more about Goldenvoice — and likeminded festival organizers — recognizing that rock is far from dead. Whatever the reason, it’s cool to see so many acts we love garnering broader attention. Look for us in the front row at Stagecoach 2026. We’ll be the ones without cowboy hats on.
