Best concerts in Phoenix in August 2022: The Weeknd, Motley Crue

August brings two very different concert tours to State Farm Stadium.

One is the twice-delayed Stadium Tour, a field day for fans of the hair-metal '80s with Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Poison and an act that's sure to get a great reaction without necessarily having anything to do with that aesthetic: Joan Jett & the Blackhearts.

The other is the Weeknd's first appearance in the Valley since 2017.

You'll also find a lot of smaller shows to choose from in our monthly concert guide for metro Phoenix, from Teyana Taylor, Peter Hook and Shakey Graves at the Van Buren to George Clinton coming out of retirement, as expected, with Parliament-Funkadelic at the Marquee.

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David Gray

This tour was originally planned for 2020 — the 20th anniversary of "White Ladder" being picked up by Dave Matthews' label, ATO, and rereleased. It was originally released on Gray's own label two years earlier, so the album itself is 24 years old, but COVID-19 kept the English folk singer from celebrating the album that made him a global sensation until now. And "White Ladder" definitely earned itself a victory lap.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2. Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix. $55.50-$75.50. 800-282-4842, etix.com.

Thomas Rhett

Dubbed “the most reliable maker of No. 1 singles in country music” by Variety, Rhett has topped the Billboard country airplay charts no fewer than 17 times. His hits include multiplatinum "It Goes Like That," "Get Me Some of That," "Make Me Wanna," and "Look What God Gave Her." The Bring the Bar to You Tour features special guests Parker McCollum and Conner Smith.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $35.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

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Third Eye Blind

This is Third Eye Blind's first show in metro Phoenix since October 2020, when they headlined the opening night of a socially distanced drive-in concert series in the parking lot of the Arizona State Fairgrounds, the stage surrounded on all sides by rows of cars. That was a really fun night. They're joined at this more conventional venue by Taking Back Sunday and Hockey Dad on the latest installment of their Summer Gods Tour.

Details: 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 800-745-300, ticketmaster.com.

Halestorm

These Grammy-winning hard-rock veterans will be joined by special guests the Pretty Reckless, the Warning and Lilith Czar. Founded by siblings Lzzy and Arejay Hale in their teens, Halestorm have surpassed a billion streams and sold out shows around the globe with the San Jose Mercury News declaring them “the best hard rock band in the world” after a show last November.

Details: 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 800-745-300, ticketmaster.com.

Father John Misty

Josh Tillman is touring the States in support of "Chloë and the Next 20th Century," his fifth studio effort as Father John Misty. The album earned a perfect score at NME, whose critic weighed in: "Besides its flirtations with big band-style instrumentals, ‘Chloë and the Next 20th Century’ serves as a gorgeously crafted highlight reel of the singer’s many previous styles and guises, rather than a complete reinvention."

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $48; $45 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Teyana Taylor

This multi-faceted entertainer — singer, actor, dancer, choreographer — has sent two albums to the top of Billboard's R&B charts while pulling in raves from the critics. She's touring in support of "The Album," a soulful masterstroke Clash Music praised for its "profusion of standout tracks that invite you into Teyana’s world of emotions, sex and vulnerability," concluding "We have no choice but to stan."

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 8. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $34.50-$39.50. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Foxing

On "Draw Down the Moon," produced by Manchester Orchestra's Andy Hull, they continue the growth they displayed on the masterful "Nearer My God." Under the Radar called it Foxing's "most focused and accomplished album yet" while Paste noted that Foxing have long been on the shortlist of our most ambitious bands and that this album "confirms they’ll keep going for broke for the foreseeable future."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 9. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $18. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

Oliver Tree

The mullet-rocking singer arrives in support of "Cowboy Tears," a collection of songs he says are "cowboy emo," with support from singer-songwriter-producer Jawny and alternative viral sensation Huddy. In an interview with the Columbus Dispatch, Tree talked about what concertgoers can expect. "There's something for everybody," he said. "There's a lot of theatrics. You'll find anything from scooter tricks to belly dancing to WWF wrestling." He's kind of a goof that way.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 800-745-300, ticketmaster.com.

George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic

After announcing his retirement in 2018, George Clinton assembled the latest edition of Parliament Funkadelic and hit the very funky road on the One Nation Under a Groove Tour in 2019, playing sold-out gigs across the country. As our headline noted when that tour played Phoenix, "George Clinton doesn't seem ready to give up the funk on Parliament-Funkadelic farewell tour." And here we are. The last time was a blast. This should be every bit as entertaining.

Details: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11. Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe. $52-$70. 480-829-0607, luckymanonline.com.

Billy Idol

The most important question here is obviously, "Is Steve Stevens in the band?" He is, so that's a "buy your ticket now" for anyone who grew up on those Billy Idol records in the '80s. He's touring in support of last year’s Butch Walker-produced "The Roadside" EP, Idol’s first release in seven years, which USA Today described as “instilled with renewed vigor.” And for those of you who may be thinking you'd just rather hear "White Wedding," "Rebel Yell" and "Dancing with Myself?" Those were among his most-played songs on last year's set lists.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Aug. 12. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. Sold out. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

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Big Time Rush

Big Time Rush became an overnight sensation in 2009 with the launch of the Nickelodeon TV series "Big Time Rush." The show was a huge success that made the members of the made-for-TV band actual pop stars, much like the Monkees before them, as they went on to release three albums and perform across the globe. They've reunited for their first headlining tour in more than a decade.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $35 and up. 800-745-300, ticketmaster.com.

Larry Hernandez

This Mexican-American singer-songwriter and TV personality is known for his work in the regional Mexican music genre, especially banda, norteño and norteño-nanda. Hernandez released his first solo album, "Contella Norteña," in 1998, breaking through in 2009 with the release of "16 Narco Corridos," which took the singer one day to record and peaked at No. 4 on Billboard's Latin albums chart.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $35-$100. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

Cuco

This unassuming bedroom pop sensation just released his anticipated follow-up to 2019's "Pari Mi." Recorded in Mexico City, "Fantasy Gateway" was inspired by the singer's psychedelic experiences and a desire to go deeper and explore the good, the bad and the ugly of the person he's becoming. In a press release, he said, "This album is a culmination of my growth process over the last few years, I'm excited for everyone to experience it."

Details: 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $35; $32.50 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

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Little Feat

This is a tour celebrating the 45th anniversary of "Waiting for Columbus" on which they plan to replicate the track list of their first live album, including such Little Feat staples as “Dixie Chicken,” “Sailin’ Shoes” and “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now.” They're joined by Hot Tuna Acoustic.

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 15. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $30-$97. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

Banks

The alternative R&B singer arrives in support of "Serpentina," an album hailed as nothing less than a "creative masterpiece" by Clash Music, whose critic said it "bursts with character, her true persona visible as she sheds off her skin like a true serpent." She's joined by Lauren Jauregui and Samoht.

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 15. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $35. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Odesza

The Last Goodbye Tour is named for an album called "The Last Goodbye." These guys are way too young to stage a farewell tour. In scaling up to rooms with capacities surpassing 20,000, they're among the first electronica acts to play an amphitheater run of this stature. They'll be joined by Sylvan Esso, San Holo and Gilligan Moss on a tour designed to be carbon negative through a partnership with environmental nonprofit REVERB.

Details: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

Chase Atlantic

Christian Anthony and Mitchel Cave first got together in 2012 as members of What About Tonight, which they assembled to compete on Season 4 of the Australian version of "The X Factor." They're joined in Chase Atlantic by Cave's older brother, Clinton. They made the cover of last year's edition of Alternative Press' 100 Bands You Need to Know. The magazine praised them for having "found their corner of the alternative genre and ... marked it with their names."

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $35 and up. 800-745-300, ticketmaster.com.

Shakey Graves

Alejandro Rose-Garcia had one decidedly unusual goal going into the making of the latest Shakey Graves release, the weirdly wonderful "Can't Wake Up." "I wanted it to be vaguely 'Wizard of Oz'-themed, and I wanted it to be hectic and a little uncomfortable, like what I refer to as the Big Five Disney cartoons: 'Pinocchio,' 'Fantasia,' 'Snow White,' 'Dumbo' and 'Bambi,'" the singer explained in a press release. "All those movies are terrifying — some of the most stressful movies I've ever seen." The end result is, not surprisingly, one very trippy ride through Rose-Garcia's rich imagination.

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $32-$37. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Elder

These Massachusetts metalheads approach their brand of stoner rock with a heavy side of psychedelic prog. And they've done so to brilliant effect on "Omens," an album Sputnikmusic praised as an excellent next step in Elder’s "sonic evolution," adding "All the noodling and meticulous structure developments paid off, since all songs flow impressively smooth."

Details: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $16. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats

The Night Sweats are touring in support of "The Future." Uncut hailed their latest effort as "an instant classic," Mojo declared it "a giant leap forward" and Rolling Stone said the title track "kicks off sounding like the Bob Dylan of 'Desire' if he’d recorded that album at Muscle Shoals."

Details: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $49.50 and up. 800-745-300, ticketmaster.com.

Chris Brown and Lil Baby

Chris Brown is among the most successful R&B stars of his generation, with three chart-topping albums and a steady stream of multi-platinum singles. His biggest hits include "Run It," "Kiss Kiss" and "Go Crazy." Lil Baby broke through in 2017 with the platinum "My Dawg," going on to multi-platinum success with "Freestyle," "Yes Indeed," "Drip Too Hard" and "On Me."

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $29.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

OneRepublic

The Never Ending Summer Tour finds OneRepublic joined by NEEDTOBREATHE. Led by Ryan Tedder, OneRepublic hit the mainstream in 2007 with "Apologize," a quadruple-platinum smash that briefly held the record for most airplay in a single week. Their other hits include the multi-platinum "Good Life," and their biggest hit to date, 2013's 10-times-platinum "Counting Stars."

Details: 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $30.50 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

Incubus

In the 27 years since their first album, "Fungus Amongus," Incubus have sent four singles to the top of the Billboard alternative-songs chart: "Drive" (2000), "Megalomaniac" (2003), "Anna Molly" (2006) and "Love Hurts" (2008). Other hits include "Pardon Me," "Stellar," "Wish You Were Here" and "Adolescents." They're joined by special guests Sublime with Rome and the Aquadolls.

Details: 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 22. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $25 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

Echo & the Bunnymen

They emerged from Liverpool in 1980 with a debut titled "Crocodiles" that placed them squarely at the forefront of the neo-psychedelic movement. Rolling Stone responded with a four-star rave that noted, "Singer-guitarist Ian McCulloch specializes in a sort of apocalyptic brooding, combining Jim Morrison-style psychosexual yells, a flair for David Bowie-like vocal inflections and the nihilistic bark of his punk peers into a disturbing portrait of the singer as a young neurotic."

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $44.50-50. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Jimmie Vaughan

This Texas blues guitarist arrives in continued support of a great new album, "Baby, Please Come Home," on which he leaves a very soulful mark on classic songs from a variety of genres, including Memphis soul, country, blues and R&B. He's a crowd-pleasing bandleader, playing guitar behind his head while fronting a stage full of stellar musicians, including organ, upright bass, trombone and sax.

Details: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24. MIM Music Theater, Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. $54.50-$80.50. 480-478-6000, mim.org.

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The noise-rock veterans arrive in support of "Disco 4: Part II," an album of collaborations ranging from old tourmates Nine Inch Nails to tracks with Lamb of God, the Neighbourhood and Poppy. It made Revolver’s list of 2022's best albums (so far) and DIY Magazine raved "While these tracks are testament to how well the LA trio can build an astronomical sense of atmosphere, they can create icy harshness with equal brilliance."

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24. Crescent Ballroom, 308 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. $25; $23 in advance. 602-716-2222, crescentphx.com.

Wavves

These San Diego rockers earned raves in 2010 for an album called "King of the Beach," the title of which did a brilliant of capturing the essence of their charm. Twelve years later, they're still going strong, as evidenced by the infectious songcraft at the heart of last year's "Hideaway," produced by TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek, which DIY Magazine praised as "their most varied collection so far."

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24. Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. $20. 602-296-7013, therebellounge.com.

The Stadium Tour

Motley Crue will make their first appearance in the Valley since 2015, when the Final Tour, for which they famously signed a "cessation of touring agreement," made its second stop in Phoenix. It's good to have them back, especially after a year and a half of "cessation of touring" for the world at large. They're joined by two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers — Def Leppard and a group whose love of rock 'n' roll is a matter of record, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts — as well as Poison, who somehow haven't done a Valley concert since the Glam-a-Geddon Tour (with Motley Crue and New York Dolls) in 2011.

Details: 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25. State Farm Stadium, 1 Cardinals Way, Glendale. $99.50 and up. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

Kid Cudi

The rapper who managed to launch a career after sharing his music on MySpace back when that was still a thing arrives on the eve of releasing an animated music series called “Entergalactic" on Netflix. A studio album also titled “Entergalactic” will accompany the series. The first single “Do What I Want” was released on all platforms in June. That song he shared on MySpace, by the way, was "Day 'n' Nite," a five-times-platinum smash that peaked at No. 3 on Billboard's Hot 100 and caught the ear of soon-to-be collaborator, label chief and mentor Kanye West.

Details: 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25. Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. $64.50 and up. 602-379-7800, ticketmaster.com.

Five Finger Death Punch

Having taken one of modern metal’s greatest band names from a fatal blow in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill: Vol. 2,” Five Finger Death Punch have sent 12 singles to the top of Billboard's Mainstream Rock charts, from "Coming Down" to the title track of this year's "AfterLife," their ninth studio album. They're joined by Megadeth, the HU and Fire From The Gods.

Details: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26. Ak-Chin Pavilion, 2121 N. 83rd Ave., Phoenix. $25 and up. 602-254-7200, livenation.com.

Kevin Gates

This Baton Rouge rapper followed through on a string of career-building mixtapes by hitting the charts at No. 2 with his first proper studio album, 2016's double-platinum "Islah." That album spawned his first Top 40 entry on the Billboard Hot 100, the quadruple-platinum "2 Phones." Other hits include "I Don't Get Tired," "Really Really," "Time For That" and "Me Too." He arrives on the Big Lyfe Tour, in support of "Khaza," his third studio release.

Details: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26. Arizona Financial Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix. $39.50 and up. 800-745-300, ticketmaster.com.

The Get Up Kids

The Kansas City rockers who gave the emo kids "Something to Write Home About" are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their first release, "Four Minute Mile," which they'll perform in its entirety as well as dusting off the "Woodson" EP. They're joined by kindred spirits Sparta.

Details: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26. The Nile, 105 W. Main St., Mesa. $25. 480-559-5859, eventbrite.com.

Joyce Manor

These California punks brought home raves in 2012 for a spirited nine-song blast of old-school pop-punk songcraft called “Of All Things I Will Soon Grow Tired,” seven songs of which they managed to bring in under the two-minute mark. A decade later, it's pretty clear that what that album title really needed was a parenthetical "(Except This Kind of Music)" — if "40 oz. to Fresno," the 17-minute whirlwind of catchy caffeinated punk songs they released in June, is any indication.

Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $30- $35 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Steve Earle

As a young man, Steve Earle was famously mentored by three songwriting giants — Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and Jerry Jeff Walker. In 2009, he returned the favor to Van Zandt, releasing a heartfelt tribute album titled "Townes." A decade later, he turned his attentions to Clark on the equally touching tribute album "Guy." Now, he's touring the States in support of an album titled "Jerry Jeff" honoring Walker, who died in 2021.

Details: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27. Talking Stick Resort, Loop 101 and Pima Road, Salt River Reservation. $30 and up. 480-850-7734, talkingstickresort.com.

The Killers

This is the Killers' first Valley appearance since 2017, when they headlined Lost Lake Music Festival — where, as we noted at the time, they were received like proper rock gods. They're joined by Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, who was supposed to have opened the tour the Killers had to cancel due to COVID-19 (so, you know, don't be late). They're touring on "Pressure Machine," their seventh straight release to top the U.K. charts. It peaked at No. 9 here; still a long way off from shabby for a seventh album.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28. Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale. $59.50 and up. 623-772-3800, ticketmaster.com.

Rick Springfield

The former Dr. Noah Drake will celebrate the 40th anniversary of "Working Class Dog," the breakthrough album that gave the world "Jessie's Girl," on a tour billed as the '80s Tour of the Year with Men At Work and John Waite. "Jessie's Girl" picked up a Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance and spent two weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100. I could tell you that I love it, but the point is probably moot.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29. Celebrity Theatre, 440 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $57-$125. 602-267-1600, celebritytheatre.com.

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Peter Hook

Peter Hook launched the Light in 2010 to celebrate the life of former bandmate Ian Curtis with a live performance of "Unknown Pleasures" in full on the 30th anniversary of the Joy Division singer's death. Since then, he's expanded the scope of his tribute to include his other former band, New Order. This time out, he's playing Joy Division's "Unknown Pleasures" and "Closer" albums with an opening set of New Order material.

Details: 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 29. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $35; $32.50 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

The Weeknd

This is the Weeknd's first stadium tour. It's also his first Valley concert since 2017. He's released two albums since his last tour — 2020's double-platinum "After Hours," which topped the U.S. charts and sent three singles to the top of Billboard's Hot 100, and this year's "Dawn FM." Between those two releases, he headlined the Super Bowl LV halftime show in Tampa. The After Hours Til Dawn Tour, named for both those recent albums, includes Doja Cat, who topped the Billboard Hot 100 with the five-times-platinum "Say So."

Details: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30. State Farm Stadium, 1 Cardinals Way, Glendale. Resale ticket prices vary and tend to fluctuate. 800-745-3000, ticketmaster.com.

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Idles

The sound of classic British post-punk is alive and well on Idles' latest livewire of an album, "Crawler." After easing you into the chaos with the sleepy atmosphere and pouted vocals of a leadoff track that simmers for a full four minutes without boiling over the way you thought it would, it moves from strength to strength. Every track is a highlight, from the menacing swagger of "The Wheel" to the throbbing bass and skronking sax of "Meds." The Observer says the best tracks "offer thrills that can’t be denied, a preposterously exciting scrapyard soul."

Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $30-$35. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Jungle

A modern soul collective formed by childhood friends Tom McFarland and Josh Lloyd-Watson in London, they were shortlisted for the prestigious Mercury Prize in 2014 on the strength of a very funky self-titled debut. Mojo praised them for skillfully replicating "the sexy patinas of their varied influences" while DIY magazine proclaimed them "a spectacular live band." Last year's "Loving in Stereo" made year-end critics' lists at Mojo, Far Out Magazine and AV Club (and deservedly so).

Details: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31. The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St., Phoenix. $38; $35 in advance. 866-468-3399, thevanburenphx.com.

Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.

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Super Bowl 2022: Everything to know about the halftime show and ...

The Super Bowl is more than just the biggest football game of the year.

While the annually televised event may be the crown jewel in the pantheon of American sports, it’s also a showcase for iconic musical performances. From the halftime show to “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Super Bowl performances serve as major benchmarks for the artists tapped to perform.

Whether you root for the Los Angeles Rams or the Cincinnati Bengals (or neither), this year's Super Bowl is aiming to win in the music department, with Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige and more icons set to take the stage.

Here's everything you need to know about the performances happening at Super Bowl 56.

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Who is performing at the halftime show?

A lineup of hip-hop heavyweights, led by N.W.A rapper and producer Dr. Dre, is filling the slot at this year’s halftime show.

Rappers Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar and Eminem, along with the “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul” Mary J. Blige, are joining Dre for the performance, as teased in a nearly 4-minute trailer that dropped last month.

“The opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime show, and to do it in my own backyard, will be one of the biggest thrills of my career,” Dr. Dre, who grew up in Compton, said in a statement when the headliners were first announced. It will be an “unforgettable cultural moment,” he added.

Dre emerged from the West Coast gangster rap scene alongside Eazy-E and Ice Cube to form the group N.W.A., which made a major mark in hip-hop culture and the music industry with controversial lyrics in the late 1980s. Dre is responsible for bringing forth rap stars such as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent and Lamar. Dre also produced Blige's No. 1 hit song “Family Affair.”

Snoop Dogg said in an interview with The Associated Press that the opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl is important for the legacy of hip-hop culture.

"I’m still thinking I’m in a dream because I can’t believe that they will let a real hip-hop artist grace the stage in an NFL Super Bowl,” he said. “We’re just going to wait for that moment and put something together that’s spectacular, and do what we’re known for doing and add on to the legacy."

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The "Gin and Juice" emcee said stage fright won't be an issue for him come game-time.

"I’m not going to understand it until it happens,” Snoop Dogg said. “While it’s happening, I’m in the zone. I’m stuck to the script, laser focused, being on point, sounding good, looking good and feeling good.

"I want to give off a great presentation. After the fact, it’s when I’ll be nervous about watching it to see what the reaction is. But while I’m going through it, it’s nothing."

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Who are the other performers?

The halftime show is not the only musical action happening at the Super Bowl.

Grammy-nominated country superstar Mickey Guyton is also taking her talent to the football field, where she will be performing the national anthem.

“Look at God. I am shook, I am grateful, I am praise dancing,” Guyton tweeted upon revealing the news of her upcoming performance.

R&B singer Jhené Aiko will be performing the patriotic number “America The Beautiful.” Performing at Super Bowl 56 holds extra significance for Aiko, as her parents’ hometowns are both represented by the teams playing this year: the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals.

“my Daddy’s from Cincinnati… Mom is from L.A,” Aiko wrote. “SEE YOU THERE!”

Gospel duo Mary Mary will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing," accompanied by the LA Phil’s YOLA — which stands for Youth Orchestra Los Angeles. The song will be conducted by Thomas Wilkins, the principal conductor of the LA Phil’s Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.

“We’re so excited to represent INGLEWOOD at #SBLVI with our performance of Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the duo wrote in an Instagram post. “Tune in. You won’t want to miss it!”

Grammy-winning producer Zedd will serve as the pregame DJ during player warmups.

“Super proud to announce that I’ll be performing a pregame show at the Super Bowl this year!!” Zedd wrote in an Instagram post.

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When does the game start?

Kickoff is Sunday, Feb. 13, at 6:30 p.m. ET from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

How can I watch?

The game will be shown nationally on NBC, with Al Michaels (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analysis) and Michele Tafoya (sideline) on the call. Telemundo will be the first-ever Spanish-language broadcast network to air the game.

But if you’ve cut the cord on cable, no worries: You can also view the game with a subscription to Paramount+ or stream it on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. The game can also be streamed live via FuboTV.

Contributing: Elise Brisco, Lorenzo Reyes, USA TODAY; Marcus K. Dowling, Nashville Tennessean; Christine Persaud, Reviewed; Jonathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press

Drake at Apollo recap: Teases tour at concert with 21 Savage, Dipset

NEW YORK – Drake is entering the new year with gratitude. His way of showing it is just slightly different from the average person.

The Canadian rapper returned to the stage Saturday night for the first time in years, making his debut at the Apollo Theater – and thanking everyone who got him there.

The concert was a victory lap for Drake, who looked entirely in his element as he banged out hits and teased a summer tour and the possibility of new music.

He crafted the show to create vignettes that reflect his beginnings acting in "Degrassi" and writing rhymes in his bedroom; his rise in the face of record label rejection; and his influences and collaborators, many of whom he brought to the historic venue in Harlem.

"I wanted to make this a show about gratitude. This was a little story that we put together, my deep love for my family, for my dear friends and for each and every one of you that have been supporting me for a long time," he said. "We don't need to say how long, it's gonna make it sound like we're all getting old."

Celebrities in attendance included Justin and Hailey Bieber, A$AP Ferg, Kevin Durant, Ice Spice, Odell Beckham Jr., Richie Akiva, Michael Rubin, Will Makris, as well as his mom Sandi and producer Noah "40" Shebib. Appearances from Dipset and 21 Savage capped off the show, the first of a two-night concert for Sirius XM's Sound 42, full of the rapper’s biggest and newest songs.

"I wanted to express how deeply grateful we are to be in this position," Drake said. "I've done a lot of reflecting the last few years, really realizing the type of lightning strike that this run has been. And it's really got kind of something to do with me, but it's got everything to do with us because I just feel like we've been relating to each other for so long."

The three-level venue, where Black legends ranging from James Brown and Billie Holiday to Stevie Wonder and Patti LaBelle have left their marks, served as a striking contrast to Drake's arena shows, channeling an intimate moment for the 36-year-old's first concert since becoming a father.

Drake highlighted the various eras of his career, performing "Marvin's Room," "Best I Ever Had," "Hold On, We're Going Home," "One Dance," "God's Plan" and more.

He also teased the possibility of new projects in 2023.

"I've thought about a bunch of things in life, but at this moment in time, none of those things are stopping making music for you, so I'll be here for you for a little bit at least," Drake said. "I hope I can strike up some more emotions for you – maybe this year, I might get bored and make another one, who knows?"

He also playfully switched up the lyrics for “Started From the Bottom,” rapping, “This summer, man, I’m back on the road, $100 million for some shows.”

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Drake performs with Dipset, wears Cam’ron’s original pink fur jacket

The Dipset crew – Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Cam'ron and Freekey Zekey – sauntered out of a replica of Harlem bodega with their enviable New York swagger.

Amid "I Really Mean It," "Dipset Anthem" and Jones' "We Fly High," Drake revealed his outfit change from a Jimmy Brooks "Degrassi" jersey to a pink fur jacket and matching headband was not just paying homage to Cam'ron's iconic look – it was the same pink mink Cam'ron famously wore.

Before exiting the stage, the Dipset crew presented Drake with a custom diamond-encrusted bracelet to mark the evening.

21 Savage joins Drake on stage for 'Jimmy Cooks,' 'Rich Flex,' more live

Turns out, 21 can do something for Drake, popping up to perform alongside him during the concert's final segment.

The cameo didn't even scratch the surface of the duo's biggest hits, which have spanned years and recently culminated in their 2022 joint album, "Her Loss." The crowd raged to "Rich Flex," "Jimmy Cooks," "Privileged Rappers," "Spin Bout U" and "Knife Talk."

Drake admitted being a little behind on learning his new material, joking, "I don’t know how to perform this yet, but I know the hook, though" (which is really all that matters).

21 Savage praised his collaborator for being there.

"Since the first day I met this (man in) 2015, every week at least I heard from him," 21 Savage said of Drake. Not about rap or music, just "'I'm checking on you, seeing how you doing, bro.' And he helped me every step of my career behind the scenes."

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Drake ends Apollo Theater concert with 'a little old-fashioned New York sing-along,' gratitude

"Thank you for an incredible evening, I couldn't have asked for a better first show back. I'll be out and about on the road this year, so I hope to see a lot of the same faces," Drake said before closing the show with an oldie but goodie, "Legend," off his 2015 mixtape "If You're Reading This It's Too Late."

"I love you so much, and I appreciate you," Drake said. "I know it's cliché to say, but I would actually be absolutely nothing, face down in the mud, if it wasn't for each and every one of you, so thank you. It's been a lot of years, it's been a long time. Thank you so much, I love you. My name is Drake, I'm from Toronto, I don't know how the (expletive) I made it here, but we did, so thank you."

The show marked four years since his last tour, 2019's Assassination Vacation.

Drake's Apollo setlist

"Over My Dead Body"

"Wu-Tang Forever"

"Trust Issues"

"Marvin's Room"

"Say Something"

"Feel No Ways"

"Practice"

"Jaded"

"Jungle"

"Karaoke"

"Best I Ever Had"

"Over"

"Headlines"

"HYFR"

"Started From the Bottom"

"I'm on One"

"No New Friends"

"Energy"

"Know Yourself"

"Nonstop"

"God's Plan"

"Laugh Now Cry Later"

"Hold On, We're Going Home"

"Controlla"

"One Dance"

"In My Feelings"

"Passionfruit"

"Way 2 Sexy"

"Wait For U"

"Massive"

"Calling My Name"

"Sticky"

"I Really Mean It"

"Dipset Anthem"

"We Fly High"

"Rich Flex"

"Privileged Rappers"

"Spin Bout U"

"Jimmy Cooks"

"Knife Talk"

"Legend"

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DaBaby to Sarah McLachlan: Beale Street Music Fest's Friday ...

From staff reports

Beale Street Music Festival made its big comeback Friday.

The three-day festival kicked off at the Fairgrounds in Liberty Park, with performances from Three 6 Mafia, Van Morrison, DaBaby and many more.

Here's a look at Friday's highlights.

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Three 6 Mafia

Memphis’ most iconic rap act and the city’s most iconic music event made a triumphant return on Friday night as Three 6 Mafia headlined Beale Street Music Festival.

The opening night of music fest — back for the first time since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic — was capped by a performance by Three 6.

Led by Juicy J and DJ Paul, the concert captured the comeback spirit of the evening, with a set that electrified an enthusiastic crowd and delivered 30-plus years worth of crunk classics — all of it backdropped by a playoff series victory by the Memphis Grizzlies that ended just as the group's set began.

Read Bob Mehr's full review from Three 6 Mafia's performance here.

— Bob Mehr

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Van Morrison

Friday night, Van Morrison was the bandleader of a show that was a crowd-pleaser — and that pulled material from throughout his career and the careers of his influences. Wearing a blue suit and his signature dark glasses and fedora, and sometimes performing on saxophone and harmonica, Morrison led the band through 20 songs — more, if you subdivide the medleys.

He and his veteran nine-member band delivered 90 minutes of largely classic and expertly if un-urgently performed Van Morrison material.

Morrison sang "Precious Time," from 1999. He sang "And It Stoned Me," his masterpiece William Blake-meets-Ma Rainey masterpiece from 1970. He did "Wild Night," from 1971. He dug deep into that alternative Great American Songbook that consists of blues and soul classics rather than pop standards: He covered "Help Me" by Sonny Boy Williamson (the one who died in Helena), and Don Gibson's "I Can't Stop Loving You," immortalized by Ray Charles; and he did a blues medley that blended "Baby Please Don't Go" with "Parchman Farm" and "Got My Mojo Working."

Read John Beifuss' full review from Van Morrison's performance here.

— John Beifuss

Sarah McLachlan

"I've been living under a rock for two years," Sarah McLachlan said at the start of her set. "This is way more people than I've hung out with in a long time. You look good!"

It was McLachlan's first festival performance post-COVID-19. Singing a mix of popular songs, such as “I Will Remember You" and some deeper cuts such as "Elsewhere,” McLachlan kept the crowd mesmerized for the entirety of her 20-song set, proving she hadn't missed a beat during the break.

McLachlan debuted two new songs, during the performance, "Reminds Me" and an unnamed tune that tackled what she saw as a need in the world to come together. The second song followed a well-worn pattern of McLachlan's to toe the line of politics without getting explicitly political. Both songs had more hopeful tones than her normally sorrowful songs.

"I'm up here singing my sad little songs, but honestly the sadder the song the more joy I get out of singing," McLachlan said.

Her encore? "Angel."

— Gina Butkovich

Sammy Hagar & The Circle

As the stereo music died out, cueing live music from Sammy Hagar & The Circle, the crowd broke out into cheers for the group that filled in for the Foo Fighters.

With two former Van Halen members, Sammy Hagar as a lead vocalist and Michael Anthony as a bassist, the show was packed with Van Halen music along with Sammy Hagar originals. The group also featured New Orleans trombonist Trombone Shorty for two songs.

Leading off with “There’s Only One Way to Rock,” the crowd grew louder as news of the Memphis Grizzlies win spread from person to person — followed shortly with Hagar donning a Grizzlies shirt and saying, “Damn the Grizzlies, these f****** better be good. If my friends in San Francisco saw me wearing this, they’d go crazy.”

As the booze began to flow on stage and into the crowd — where Hagar sporadically tossed cans, the lead singer gave Anthony center stage to perform Van Halen’s “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘bout Love.”

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As the show began to wind down, Hagar launched into a short explanation about how the group came to fill in for the Foo Fighters, who canceled all upcoming tour dates in the wake of drummer Taylor Hawkins' death.

“We were asked on a personal level, from promoters and the Foo Fighters themselves,” he said. “Please bear with me while I try to perform this. I’ve never played this song before.”

The group then launched into a rendition of the Foo Fighters’ “My Hero” as a montage of the Foo Fighters with Hawkins played on the big screen.

— Lucas Finton

DaBaby

After a series of festival cancellations following his homophobic comments at Rolling Loud Miami, DaBaby returned to the festival circuit at Beale Street Music Festival. Despite the controversy preceding the Charlotte rapper’s performance, DaBaby was undeterred as he flashed his grin Friday night.

Donning a furry pink Prada hat and fitted green top, he performed his own hits including “Suge,” “BOP” and ”Masterpiece," along with guest verses on songs by Saturday headliner Megan Thee Stallion.

The “VIBEZ” rapper said it was his first time in Memphis and got a feel for the audience. “I need y’all to show me how y’all get down," he said.

“We need a Memphis moment,” he said and got the crowd to yell “Free Shiesty” before launching into Pooh Shiesty’s song "Back in Blood." (Memphis rapper Pooh Shiesty was recently sentenced in a federal firearms case in Florida.)

By his fifth song, DaBaby’s sweat was glistening as much as his diamond-encrusted chain and watch.

Also during his set, he invited a fan up on stage to give him a lap dance on a prop bed and had fans take turns dancing on a stripper pole to his song “Ball If I Want To."

To close, he brought a young fan up to perform “Rockstar” with him.

— Astrid Kayembe

Al Kapone

Memphis rapper Al Kapone helped inaugurate the return of Beale Street Music Festival with a high-energy, early-evening performance on the Bud Light Stage at the Fairgrounds in Liberty Park.

One of the more adventurous local purveyors of rap over the course of his career, Kapone has done everything from teaming up with the Memphis Symphony to celebrating the city’s R&B legacy with his most recent LP, “Hip Hop Blues.”

Kapone's music fest set — which saw him performing with a live band and backdropped by the Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium — mixed some of his newer material with a selection of Bluff City classics like “M's Up," "Get it On The Flo" and "Get Crunk, Get Buck."

Kapone, best known for writing and producing the classic “Hustle & Flow” track “Whoop That Trick,” has seen the song evolve into anthem for the city and the Memphis Grizzlies in particular.

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Dressed up in Grizzlies gear — including a white Ja Morant jersey — Kapone delivered the song ahead of the team's Game 6 playoff contest against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“Once the Grizz fans got hold to it's been a problem," said Kapone of "Whoop That Trick," shouting out the team. "Y'all make some noise for our Grizz."

— Bob Mehr

CMA recap: Dierks Bentley, with a nod to the past, closes out the ...

After a two-year hiatus, the CMA Music Festival drew thousands of country music fans and they wasted no time getting right back to business.

The Tennessean was on the ground all weekend. Read on for highlights from inside Nissan Stadium, at the Riverfront Stage and more.

Highlights:CMA Fest's third day delivered these unforgettable moments

Dierks Bentley celebrates four decades of chart-topping country excellence

The 2003-released "What Was I Thinking's" bluegrass banjos and rock guitar licks welcomed Dierks Bentley to the stage for the 49th CMA Fest's final headlining set of the weekend.

The stadium event's co-host featured Billy Ray Cyrus on a cover of the latter's three-decade-old, platinum-selling single. Fans met 90s country's pop-cultural moment being feted with joyous revelry -- and a fair bit of pre-TikTok-era line dance-style party steps from the throng in attendance.

The August 3 CMA Fest ABC special host then noted that he drove the 28-year-old truck he owned when he arrived in Nashville in 1994 to Nissan Stadium to play at the festival. This banter logically led to a spirited and crowd assistance-aided "I Hold On."

The tail end of his set included a duet cover of The Charlie Daniels Band's "Devil Went Down To Georgia" with TV event co-host Elle King, followed by their newly released duet "Worth A Shot." Then, following a successful marriage proposal n the front row, he launched into his 2012-released rocker, "5-1-5-0," to close the night.

Dierks Bentley has nearly 20 country radio No. 1 singles that feature drums and every manner of guitar and guitar-style instrument. Notably, in an era where country music has graciously embraced every sonic and social inspiration, it is notable to hear the genre celebrate its hard rock core on its most celebrated commercial stage.

Yet, for as much as country music welcomes difference, it will honor the best of what it was and what it is before it embraces and evolves into what it is to become.

Old Dominion deliver jam-band country entertainment

Old Dominion recently played Nissan Stadium as an opener for Kenny Chesney. It's playing with the perennial country chart-topper that informs their ability to craft hook-driven hits like their 2019-released CMA Fest set opener "Make It Sweet."

"Nights like this are what country music is made for" screamed the band's lead vocalist Matthew Ramsey prior to launching into the five-year-old countrified soul groove "No Such Thing as a Broken Heart."

Old Dominion's subtle evolution from country rockers to a heavyweight jam band has become stronger in recent years. Their 2021 album title track "Time, Tequila and Therapy" offers "no hard feelings and no bad vibes," and locks into very particular energy directly between Chesney and Bobby McFerrin 1989 hit "Don't Worry Be Happy"-style vibes -- in the most crowd-moving and enjoyable way possible.

"Song For Another Time" is well regarded in Old Dominion fan circles as a tune comprised of lyrics that are actually 20 other song titles. The skill in taking the irony out of a song written with such a peculiar level of high-grade music adoration is hard. However, as previously noted, the group's hard embrace of being down with earnest fun allows for performances like these to honestly connect.

Prior to closing their set, Ramsey noted that Old Dominion was a late addition, replacing Alan Jackson -- who was a last-second lineup scratch. Then, in a kind gesture, the band performed a cover of his 30-year-old classic, "Chattahoochee." As one would expect, it was met with hollering, whooping, and a boogie-woogie party in the Nissan Stadium floor seats.

Gary Glitter's four-decade-old "Rock and Roll (Part II)" as a lead into "I Was On A Boat That Day" is unlikely but comes from the two songs sharing similar bass drum kicks. However, as a lead-in to their finale -- one of CMA Fest 2022's expected, epic sing-alongs, it made sense. Nearly 70,000 country music fans have been "drunk as a skunk eating lunch with a cross-eyed bear" and were proud to proclaim this fact at extraordinary decibels.

Elle King's arrival as a country star gets an assist from Ashley McBryde

Elle King's adaptation of her brash demeanor and 70s rock-star attitude to modern country music is the most delightful, yet unlikely peanut butter and banana-style combination in country music since the last sandwich Elvis Presley ever ate.

"Drunk (And I Wanna Go Home)" features Miranda Lambert, but as a solo King performance, it hits like a harder-edged 80s country-rock anthem. Its excellence in that realm was apparent at Nissan Stadium. This performance was followed by Ashley McBryde joining a banjo-picking King for her 2015 breakout hit "Ex's And Oh's" it was much more the final part of King being officially claimed as a country-first artist than it was anything else.

"Country's where it's at," King noted to The Tennessean on Saturday evening. The country music industry agrees with the Ohio native's statement.

Following King, Parker McCollum took the stage. The "Gold Chain Cowboy's" rise from Conroe, Texas, to being the Academy of Country Music's Best New Artist of the Year in 2022 was unexpected. However, in the singles "Pretty Heart" and "To Be Loved By You" being directly impacted by him being a recently married man, the 29-year-old vocalist has found a way for his lovestruck anthems to resonate more directly.

Russell Dickerson told The Tennessean he was excited to host "the largest RD Party yet" at Nissan Stadium. Fellow Nashville crooner Jake Scott joined Dickerson for "She Likes It," his hit 2021 single. For as much as his single "Love You Like I Used To" is a well-written and performed ballad when Dickerson sings, "When I go get groceries, and I bring back flowers / And I rub her back for like half an hour" in the former song, he's clearly in his artistic wheelhouse. His glee in being there gives fans vibes similar to Luke Bryan, and the "country girls" in attendance love it, as expected.

Lady A deliver new song, crowd-rousing excellence

Hillary Scott's renowned lead vocal kicked off Lady A's 2014 single "Bartender" at the start of their Nissan Stadium set. Sunday n, the crowd -- as opposed to the other three nights -- arrived ready for a singing and dancing party. Scott's sultry, soulful performance got the venue's highly packed lower bowl and field levels to their feet.

"We Own The Night" followed the opener. At Charles Kelley's urging, the crowd waved their hands in time with the chorus. "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" was met with Kelley noting, after a stirring performance, "we had to have one tender moment, tonight." Ironically, the band followed with the emotive ballad "What A Song Can Do," their latest album's title track (which advises that songs can inspire "starting a band" or "kissing a girl"). Many in the crowd held their flashlight-lit cell phones up in the air in appreciation.

Lady A wrote their new single "Summer State of Mind" mere months ago. They told The Tennessean they wanted to get a jump on viral popularity by releasing it without an album. "You're the ice; I'm the Yeti," they sang.

Two months ago, Charles Kelley appeared at BRELAND's "Breland and Friends" event at the Ryman Auditorium. During their mini-set, their duet on Lady A's signature power-pop ballad "Need You Now" was an unlikely, almost show-stealer. During Nissan Stadium's fourth night, the tandem reprised the duet, but BRELAND joined Kelley, Hillary Scott, and Dave Haywood onstage.

In exclusive news, Lady A noted they have a collaboration with BRELAND planned for an album BRELAND says is coming "in the fall," they told The Tennessean in a press room interview.

Hillary Scott's been at it as a top-tier vocalist in Nashville for two decades. Hearing her work -- alongside the stellar work horn section -- on tracks like reggae-tinged "Champagne," raucous party elevator "You Look Good," and the previously-mentioned "Need You Now" really highlighted the breadth of her talent.

It was one of the weekend's most comprehensively excellent outings as a start-to-finish performance.

Sara Evans kicks off a dance party at Nissan Stadium

8:30 p.m.: Sara Evans took the stage to a trilling organ and tambourines playing chords from Joe Cocker's "With A Little Help From My Friends." For any other artist, this would be audacious. However, Sara Evans is inarguable country music royalty.

Her live band kicked into her 2005 hit "A Real Fine Place to Start." It was readily apparent that her legendary voice was still more than capable of delivering a dynamic, entertaining performance.

"My vocal cords are like leather because my parents raised me and trained me like one of those tennis prodigies," Evans told The Tennessean before hitting the stage. But, similar to what Randy Houser noted on Saturday night, whether she's in front of 30 or 30,000 people, her voice is still a soulful siren in either situation.

As she broke into her decade-old heartbreak survival anthem, "A Little Bit Stronger," she held her hands out to the crowd as if offering them a hug. From a less experienced artist, the temerity to believe that you could heal 70,000 hearts with two hands is a lot. But as Evans offered in her interview, she developed her skill by listening to artists, including Mariah Carey.

The level of soul diva self-assurance that comes from knowing that you can harness and weaponize vocal power to overwhelm an audience emotionally is rare in both country and R & B's modern age. However, in 90s and 2000s pop and country, this skill was far more commonplace. The moment served as a reminder of the timeless importance of watching great artists perform their craft in a superstar manner.

Evans settled the evening into a party-ready groove upon launching into her final performance -- the two-decade-old No. 1 hit "Suds In The Bucket." The song's fiddle and guitar-driven honky-tonk vibes inspired an early-evening dance party in the seats. Though the humidity in Nissan Stadium is currently peanut butter levels of sticky and thick, the growing crowd peeled themselves out of their chairs and held their evening's first beers aloft.

8:00 p.m.: El Salvador-born Angie K, a former The Voice contestant co-signed by the likes of Blake Shelton, Thomas Rhett, and Jake Owen, took to the stage at a late filling and smotheringly humid Nissan Stadium. CMA Fest 2022 has settled into its final evening.

"Real Talk" is her recently-released breakout single. It's a co-write that features Rhett, his frequent collaborator Jesse Frasure and venerable songwriter Ashley Gorley. It was met with a pleasant response.

"I'm on cloud nine," exclaimed the rising performer when she chatted with The Tennessean before hitting the stage. Her previous largest stadium gig was playing in a building that held roughly half of Nissan's capacity. Regarding what she looked forward to the most, with a focused, but nervous tone, she replied, "when I get off the stage, I'm going to do a tequila shot."

Her grooving track "Country Is As Country Does" bore the same jangling melody and rhythmic groove as a legendary country favorite: John Denver's half-century-old, iconic favorite, "Take me Home, Country Roads." The TikTok favorite knows her way around how to inform a song with uniquely personal energy and make it her own. Achieving that goal here, she received a warm ovation. And then, as promised, she had her tequila shot.

3:15 p.m.: Vanderbilt Event Medicine had taken 25 people to the hospital as of Saturday afternoon.

"Most of those were issues that were made worse by the heat," spokesperson Jerry Jones said.

He said most people have come to them for blisters and to find a place to cool down. He urged people to take advantage of the free water stations that are scattered throughout the festival grounds.

1:45 p.m. Parmalee kicked off a Riverfront Stage set with their 2013 single "Already Callin' You Mine." They had all of the appearances of a 90s rock act playing power pop with effervescent energy.

Blanco Brown returned to the stage to perform his No. 1 hit Parmalee duet "Just The Way." If you are ever looking for a romantic, modern-era Christian rock ballad, this easily fulfills that expectation.

One of the fascinating things about Parmalee is that their sound smacks of all the pieces of three decades of commercially successful pop, rock, country and Christian music. As other genres have evolved and styles have drastically changed over the years, this set of sounds -- four that the quartet is solidly gifted in crafting -- have remained mainly the same.

The band's current single "Take My Name" followed, their second chart-topper in a row on country radio. It's a wedding song, "take my name and make it yours," the sing-along adored part of the track at the Riverfront Stage -- which gratefully receives a blast of breeze from the Cumberland River every ten minutes or so on a loop.

This is notable because it makes Parmalee's sound, on this day, extraordinarily more relaxing than usual.

1:15 p.m.: Brittney Spencer took to the Amp Stage as a few passing clouds and a slight breeze gave the crowd small breaks from the heat.

Hips were swaying as she covered Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” near the top of her set. Spencer said she was happy to be part of CMA Fest’s return.

“It’s such an incredible honor,” Spencer said, before kicking off “Sober & Skinny.”

Blanco Brown's dance party brings it all together

1 p.m.: Blanco Brown doesn't perform "country music." He empathetically performs essential American classics with the unique ability to make Sam Cooke and George Jones feel related by how their catalogs are universally beloved.

To wit, he opened his CMA Fest set with "A Change Is Gonna Come" blending into "Tennessee Whiskey." Following it up with trap-country ballad "Georgia Power" drives home the point even further.

Clad in a combination of classic mid-80s throwback Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros jerseys, he gives off the vibe of "cool pre-teen prayer camp counselor DJing the the all-camp dance party" more than "soulful hip-hop performer."

This is the first set in CMA Fest history to take 60 seconds to seamlessly blend in sounds by hip-hop legends Fatman Scoop (via a sample of his club-familiar track "Be Faithful"), Chubb Rock (via his 1990 rap classic "Treat Em Right" and Kid-N-Play (via their kick-step dance with his DJ).

Then, as the DJ dropped Johnny Cash's "Walk The Line" and followed it with "9 to 5," the crowd felt comfortable. Then, Outkast's "Ms. Jackson" was played, and alchemy occurred. The crowd paused, curiously seemed to scratch their heads in unison, shrugged, then exalted. A full crowd singalong of Outkast's 2003 single "Hey Ya" followed.

"You're a glass of champagne, but I'm Tennessee Whiskey," Brown crooned. Shouting out Lee Brice, the DJ dropped his collaboration with EDM producer R3HAB for a remix of Brice's "Soul." At this point, the heat was as onerous as the pace was frenetic.

He then broke into his anthemic 2021 single "Nobody's More Country."

He found no disagreement as the crowd double-time clapped while sweating ever more profusely than ever.

A full wedding type party then ensued. as he then got them to dance the "Cupid Shuffle" and "Wobble" and mimic Will Smith and Alfonso Ribiero's dance routine to "Apache" by the Sugar Hill Gang." This preceded his TikTok dance sensation breakout, "The Git Up."

Blend Brown's artistic intentions erring towards "purpose over prosperity" with a peak-hour hip-hop DJ's desire to play the hottest 90 seconds of a track. The 45 minute, 18-song set he helmed at the CMA Fest's Riverside Stage was astonishing, unprecedented and fun.

Meghan Patrick and Shy Carter rally on Sunday morning

An originally modest crowd swelled as people gravitated towards the Amp Stage during Shy Carter’s 12:30 p.m. set.

Fans sang along and tapped their feet to “Beer With My Friends.” Many were eating blue popsicles and waved cold bandanas.

“What y’all sipping on?” Carter asked the crowd. A chorus of replies included shouts of “tequila,” “beer” and “water.”

“You’re smart, man,” Carter replied before launching into “Stuck Like Glue,” cowritten with musical duo Sugarland.

Carter jumped off the stage to sing and dance with fans during “Good As You” and “Good Love.” The crowd created a circle around him and held up their phones to take selfies as he sang.

“What’s your name?” he asked a fan wearing heart-shaped sunglasses.

“Ashton,” she said into the microphone.

“I’m Shy,” he said to the crowd with a grin.

Carter finished his set with “One Call Away.” Fans reached out their hands and shouted the lyrics along with him.

A crowd of about 100 were on their feet for Meghan Patrick at 11 a.m. Sunday.

“Who had a little hair of the dog this morning?” Patrick asked the crowd at the top of her set. “Man, I could use one I think.”

“I know you guys have been sweating and walking all weekend,” Patrick said. “It means a lot that you guys are here bright and early this morning.”

People raised their drinks and swayed to “Goes Good With Beer.” Patrick followed with a new song. She wrote “She’s No Good For Me” for “everyone who’s had a breakup with an old version of themselves.

Carrie Underwood closes Saturday night, with a Louisville Slugger

12:30 a.m.: As a live performer, Carrie Underwood has nothing to prove.

However, as she noted to the Tennessean before her night three headlining set at CMA Fest, she feels dutifully tied to upholding the "hustling" legacies of prior top-tier iconic country stars like Barbara Mandrell and Dolly Parton. Thus, she slung an electric guitar over her left shoulder, wore enough bejeweled red and black stagewear to be seen in Nissan Stadium's nosebleed seats, and rocked out to a defiant, solid version of her 2016 single "Church Bells."

Of late, Underwood has become a touring juggernaut -- Vegas to Stagecoach Festival to the stage of Nashville's Bell Tower for Amazon Music's debut concert for her ninth studio album, "Denim and Rhinestones." However, she showed neither exhaustion nor disengagement from her material. On the contrary, the excitement of the job -- being radio-ready country music's most instantaneously recognizable female name, felt like her call to arms to slay a live crowd already blown away by Luke Combs' phenomenal set just 90 minutes prior.

From her new album, she first performed the banjo-aided power-pop lead single "Ghost Story." As she noted to The Tennessean, the song has just enough country blended with pop to highlight her desire to make music that is more broadly genre non-specific. However, she keeps country music's traditions at the core.

2005-era Underwood track, "Wasted," featured Underwood's work as an inspirational Christian rocker blasting to the forefront. Yes, the more traditional "My Savior" reflects where her current interests lie in that realm, but her fiddle-backed torch-song exhortations left Nissan Stadium enraptured. Following that performance with "Jesus, Take The Wheel," another religious pop number from the same era of her career, followed by a stentorian take on the gospel hymn "How Great Thou Art," cemented her excellence in this country-adjacent lane.

The jazzy, 80s, R & B radio synth-pop that underpins her latest album's title track opens a new lane for her career that should prove creatively fruitful. It received the least overwhelming response of the evening, but it's a lane that aligns well with sonic and cultural shifts in the genre.

Underwood's soul-pop skills were highlighted via her 2007 single "Last Night," a track where she sings, "Last night, I did things I'm not proud of and I got a little crazy / Last night, I met a guy on the dance floor and I let him call me 'baby.'"

Masterfully, it set up the set's expected closer -- her smash hit debut single, 2005's "Before He Cheats." if there's a 21st century American Songbook, Underwood promising to commit felonies against a cheating lover is likely on the first page.

Hearing an entire venue sing the song cemented the song's -- and her -- undeniable excellence.

Luke Bryan celebrates country's fans 'shaking it'

The entirety of Nissan Stadium rose to its feet as booming stadium rock drums and heavy, riffing guitars filled the atmosphere. Even though Luke Bryan was starting his 45-minute set, he already "didn't want this night to end." His decade-old No. 1 single was still beloved by nearly 70,000 people from 33 nations worldwide.

His performance of another 2012 favorite, "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye," saw Bryan smile slyly when singing the lyric "All we do right is make love / And we both know now that ain't enough." There are live moments in country music when you realize that the best songs come from fondly remembered moments.

This felt like one of those times.

Bryan appeared resolute and impassioned as cell phone flashlights brightly shone throughout Nissan Stadium while he sang the 2013-released Jim Beavers and Chris Stapleton-written ballad "Drink A Beer." It was one of the very few times in under an hour the set approached anything less than a countrified party for the grill, Yeti cooler, and mud-truck trip to backwoods clearing set.

This was a night where the fact that Luke Bryan unironically elevates the concept of unhinged partying to the highest art was remembered. There were corn field parties ("Kick The Dust Up"), margarita-fueled parties ("One Margarita), deer-hunting and fishing parties ("Huntin' Fshin' and Lovin' Everyday"), crashed parties ("Crash My Party") and more.

By the time he sang the 11-year-old single "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)," the same women who were canoodling during Thomas Rhett's set on Friday night were following the instructions offered by the hook of the near 30-time country radio No. 1 hitmaker's anthemic song.

Luke Combs makes his case for being music's sincerest and greatest current star

10:00 p.m.: In 2016, before his star-making single, "Hurricane" was released, Luke Combs sold 83 tickets for a show in Athens, Georgia. On Saturday night, he played a stellar main stage set at CMA Fest in front of roughly 81,000 percent (or a crowd he placed at 67,000) more people.

In under a decade, Luke Combs' rise to superstardom is so profound that it needs such an astounding number to encapsulate its greatness.

Night three co-host and Apple Music Radio country host Nada Taha introduced Luke Combs in glowing terms. Then, with nary an ounce of fanfare in response, he ripped into an energetic take of his 2017 No. 1 single, "When It Rains It Pours." He then turned the singing duties for half a verse over to an excited crowd. When the spotlight hit their faces, it illuminated a building prepared for 45 minutes of rocking to anthemic country radio hits.

As he noted to The Tennessean before appearing on stage, this was, indeed, the last live show he'd be playing before his wife, Nicole, is due to give birth to their first child (he adds he's well aware he's going to be responsible for changing diapers most of the time). He then, apropos of the conversation, sang his romantic fan favorite, "The Kind of Love We Make."

Combs rasping with his trademark rough, assured voice through his single "Doin' This" kicked off an epic run of song performances highlighting why he's the CMA's reigning Entertainer of the Year.

"Beautiful Crazy" involved Combs elevating the art of honest, earnest stage banter to near soliloquy levels in describing how he wrote the track for his wife and how much it would mean for her to hear the live crowd sing along. "Best Of Me," "Lovin' On You" and "Forever After All" were also particularly spirited performances.

It takes an exceptionally high level of believability in a star's connectivity for "Forever After All's" opening lines "A cold beer's got 12 ounces / A good truck's got maybe three hundred thousand / You only get so much until it's gone" to feel sincere and not ironically wryly hilarious.

Combs is that believably sincere.

Moreover, when 67,000 people euphorically agree via screaming that an "ice-cold long-neck beer never broke their hearts," that level of sincerity is doubled down upon.

Luke Combs isn't just a country star. In one awe-inspiring, 45-minute set, he made an excellent case for being a top-tier pop star, regardless of genre.

Brothers Osborne's rip-roaring set takes the party to another level

8:40 p.m. With the last of Saturday's daylight gone, Brothers Osborne dove into a typically raucous set. If the party was not already underway at Nissan Stadium, it certainly was after John Osborne launched into the first of several guitar solos showing his skills are up there with just about anyone in country music.

Meanwhile, TJ Osborne, the other half of the sibling duo, led the crowd in tour through several of Brothers' biggest hits, as a pair of puppeteer-controlled 20-foot-tall skeletons danced behind them.

The set ended with an extended version of the duo's "It ain't my fault," which left few of the tens of thousands of fans now backed into the stadium in their seats,

Randy Houser's bombastic performance makes Nissan Stadium feel 'Like A Cowboy'

8:00 p.m.: Before hitting the CMA Fest's main stage, Randy Houser told The Tennessean that, regardless of singing in front of 500 or 50,000 people, he sang with equal levels of bravado.

Fifteen minutes into his CMA Fest set, his big voice was on display.

As a late-arriving night crowd reached their field seats at Nissan Stadium, the performer welcomed the "cowboys and cowgirls" to the venue. Then, he sang with a blustery baritone about how every time he falls down he gets back up again "like a cowboy," via his decade-old hit.

For those who are fans of restoring some manner of four-decade-old neotraditional and more rough-hewn pop-country vibes, Houser's set awoke echoes of everyone from George Strait to Jamey Johnson and Cody Johnson, too. As a live band kicked into honky-tonk rhythms, Houser exited the stage to warm, deserved cheer

Warehouse fire sends plumes of smoke over CMA Fest

Smoke from a warehouse fire was seen rising over the CMA Fest crowd in downtown Nashville on Saturday afternoon, but was not on the festival grounds.

The fire was reported around 3:30 p.m. in the 100 block of North 1st Street, near Nissan Stadium. The building was "fully involved" as crews arrived, the Nashville Fire Department said.

North 1st Street is blocked as multiple crews worked to contain the blaze. No injuries had been reported as of 4:45 p.m., according to NFD.

NFD tweeted that crews had contained the fire and were focusing on "hot spots" around 5:15 p.m. Read more.

Ryan Hurd, Hailey Whitters get the crowd involved

Hailey Whitters got the crowd stomping, clapping and swaying at the Amp Stage at 2:45 p.m. with songs like “Fillin’ My Cup.”

She showed off her trademark bloomers under her yellow-and-white checkered dress before she played “Plain Jane.”

A fan lifted two beers high in the air and let out a hardy “Yee haw!” during “The Neon.”

1:45 p.m. An afternoon breeze offered a small measure of relief from the heat as Ryan Hurd took the Riverfront Stage. The crowd spilled into the walkways behind the terraces as Hurd sang “June, July, August.” The singer-songwriter also sang “Waves,” which he co-wrote with Luke Bryan.

“Ladies, I’m going to need your help on this next one,” Hurd said before launching into “Chasing After You,” a song he co-wrote with his wife, Maren Morris.

Boats, kayaks and jet skis dotted the Cumberland River behind the stage as the heat index stayed in the 90s.

Health and safety tips: Seek out shade, drink water and leave your boots behind

Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Event Medical teams are on site at CMA this weekend. VUMC's Jerry Jones says they've treated "the regular medical issues you’d see at a large event," including sunburn, heat exhaustion and blisters.

As of Saturday morning, they've made 13 transports to the hospital, "with mostly medical conditions that were made worse by the heat."

As the fest reaches its halfway point, the Event Medical Teams are stressing heat safety. Attendees should avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight, drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids (there are free water stations through the festival site) and dress to keep cool and in the shade.

Also, since blisters are a minor but widespread issue: "We would stress to avoid blisters and wear comfortable shoes. Wait until you get home to wear those newly purchased cowboy boots."

Saturday heats up with Lauren Alaina, BRELAND

12:45 p.m.: 2022 at the Riverfront Stage found Lauren Alaina as well known as a CBS reality TV star and Maurices' clothier pitchwoman as she is a pop-country star on the rise.

However, those laurels were achieved because the Rossville, Georgia native is human, relatable, and generally — as is ideally the case for a festival attended by thousands of people — a rising country queen of fun vibes.

Her just-released cover of King Harvest's 1973 AM radio hit "Dancing in the Moonlight" fit in nicely alongside her ex-lover revenge bar-hopping anthem "Getting Over Him" in a fun, arena-style rocker of a set. As well, her solo take on her No. 1 hit Kane Brown duet "What Ifs" was met with an ovation.

Notably, her ovation bled from "What Ifs" into her solo take on her HARDY and Devin Dawson collaboration "One Beer."

Alaina's voice sounds like small-town Baptist gospel. Blend that with inherently honest songs ("One Beer" is already arguably in the canon of great songs about accidental teenage pregnancy), and her growth from least-anticipated to most-wanted Music City fave makes sense.

Alaina closed with her 2017 hit "Road Less Traveled." Indeed, she took the road less traveled, but this set showed her likely on her way across the Seigenthaler Bridge (Nissan Stadium's main stage is there) to potentially more significant acclaim.

12 p.m.: 26-year-old BRELAND's mid-day Riverfront Stage set at CMA Fest showcased his preternatural level of polish as a country music neophyte that has led him to explode out of quarantine with a No. 1 single, peak-hour festival gigs, and the respect of literally all of your favorite country artists of the past three decades.

When he performed his viral TikTok breakout "My Truck" at the Ryman for April's BRELAND and Friends concert, it was at a seated venue, so it was met with polite excitement. Here at Riverfront, the heat index read 93 degrees at noon. Instead of turning up with the chart-topper, cell phones swayed aloft.

If you were looking for a moment at CMA Fest wherein the entire crowd was well aware that they were in the presence of a soon (quite literally, Sunday night) Nissan Stadium main stage artist — but were too overheated to go over the top in their actually present excitement — this was it.

10 a.m.: The line snaked all the way down the block along 6th Avenue outside Music City Center as people waited to enter Fan Fair X. The line began moving steadily around 10 am.

Drake White kicked off his set at 10:45 a.m. with “Heartbeat,” as the crowd got to its feet and sang along.

“Welcome to church, everybody,” White said.

Some ducked under trees behind the terraces along the crowded Riverfront Stage as temperatures climbed into the mid-80s. Others wiped sweat from their brows and cooled themselves by waving paper fans.

White talked about suffering a hemorrhagic stroke he suffered on stage in 2019 and credited his recovery to his wife, family, God and his doctors.

He sang “Hurts the Healing” and “Livin’ the Dream,” among others.

Kane Brown's CMA Fest set: A superstar victory lap at a comfortable pace

Kane Brown closed the second night of CMA Fest in front of a crowd responding to material that has yet to powerfully impact country's radio and marketing circles.

The Chattanooga native is in the midst of time off prior to restarting his 2022 Drunk or Dreaming tour on September 17 with dates in Australia. He's also celebrated yet another No. 1 single ("One Mississippi"), as well as a homecoming performance. This, after a grueling 35-date tour including 29 NBA arenas. Brown was more subdued than expected, onstage.

He also showed himself accepting his place as a genre-fluid "different" artist, as comfortable with rousting the echoes of Alan Jackson's 90s heyday on "Like I Love Country Music," sonorously performing power-ballad "Homesick" (an homage to the military, he noted "I love the USA"), or pushing into EDM via his marshmello duet "One Thing Right."

"Like I Love Country Music" should likely be somewhere near peaking at the top of country's sales and/or radio charts by August 3. Thus, it necessitates a performance that may not strike wild adulation at this moment, but by the time this set hits television, one should expect it -- for the millions watching not present in Music City -- to be seen as "uniquely intimate" and warmly received.

Brown's die-hard fans head-banging to an elongated guitar solo for his first No. 1 single "What Ifs" as fireworks exploded over the Cumberland River closed an emotional night at the 49th CMA Fest.

Carly Pearce pays tribute to The Judds with Wynonna

10:50 p.m.: Since the last CMA Fest in 2019, arguably no artist in country music experienced a momentum shift (or expanded trophy case) quite like Carly Pearce.

She graduated to performing Friday at Nissan Stadium after becoming a Grand Ole Opry member and earning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year honors – both achievements backed by her cathartic and critically-praised divorce album “29: Written In Stone.”

CMA Fest:Wynonna Judd joins Carly Pearce onstage for CMA Fest surprise performance

But instead of a riding a victory lap of the best “29” offers, Pearce spent her time on stage honoring a pair of fellow Kentuckians who came before her: The Judds. Weeks after Naomi Judd’s death, Pearce invited Wynonna Judd to celebrate the late Country Music Hall of Famer with a rendition of Judds song “Why Not Me.”

“As a girl growing up in Kentucky, yes, I idolized The Judds and wanted to be like them,” Pearce said after performing her radio single “What He Didn’t Do” during the two-song appearance. My first concert was to see Wynonna. And I’ve always loved all of the music that The Judds made and just feel like it is such a representation of the best of country music.”

Cole Swindell continues his improbable 2022 surge

10:45 p.m.: The 2022 CMA Fest is also a special being recorded for airing on ABC on August 3. Thus, in the decades-long tradition of country music as a variety-show medley format, Carly Pearce introduced Cole Swindell, who performed his recent Lainey Wilson duet and chart-topping hit "Never Say Never." Moreover, he performed his critically-beloved new single on country radio -- and Jo Dee Messina-sampling single "She Had Me At (Heads Carolina)."

In two months, one could expect that the latter -- possibly the best of the lot of 90s country heir apparent expected to dominate country fans' summer and fall months -- should be well along the path to being Swindell's somewhat improbable second number-one single in 2022.

Just as can be noted with ERNEST's George Jones-style "Flower Shops" -- another throwback-sounding single that wowed fans earlier in the day -- the classics never die.

Gabby Barrett goes from seats to stage

10:30 p.m.: The last time CMA Fest took over Nashville, Gabby Barrett's monster debut single "I Hope" hadn't reached the country charts.

Fast forward three years and she smiled as the stadium screamed along to the inescapable chorus, "... and then I hope he cheeeeats."

Barrett made a two-song main stage debut at CMA Fest, opening with 2020 song "Pick Me Up" before dipping into the five-time Platinum-selling single that launched her from sitting in the stands for CMA Fest 2019 to singing on stage.

Thomas Rhett slows down summer while evolving into a CMA Fest staple

9:30 p.m.: Thomas Rhett was once a Nissan Stadium nosebleed seat dweller at CMA Fest. Now, he's something of a main stage regular.

His 2022 appearance included playing recent favorites like "Country Again" and "Slow Down Summer," entertaining a blissed-out crowd during night two of 2022's CMA Fest headlining entertainment.

"I used to bug my dad for free tickets [to this event] when it was called Fan Fair at the Nashville Fairgrounds," Rhett told the Tennessean before hitting the stage. Rhett's father, Rhett Akins — much like the current 18-time country radio chart-topper — was a fixture at Fan Fair as the architect behind many hits during his son's suburban Nashville childhood.

As Rhett's 45-minute set weaved its way through his collection of soulful ballads like 2015's "Die A Happy Man," the number of girlfriends comfortably canoodling and singing aloud in Nissan Stadium appeared to double. As he grows into being both a parent and a husband ("my favorite show is Moana," the father of four noted in the press room), his live performance slides into the realm of comfortable, approachable middle-age joy.

"My ultimate goal is to just write great songs that reveal 150,000% of who I am. I've re-lit the creative fire in myself to be the best overall artist I can be," Rhett told The Tennessean in April 2022. Two months later, he's started along his path to achieving his career goals in the next chapter of his career.

Highlights: See what happened Thursday

Kelsea Ballerini calls ‘Dibs’ with sparking pop-country

8:35 p.m.: Days after she shared the Nissan Stadium stage with Kenny Chesney during his Nashville tour stop, Kelsea Ballerini returned to the towering venue for a pop-country revue that was undoubtedly all hers.

Ballerini – covered in glitter and wearing a sparking head-to-toe outfit (plus a matching sparkled pink guitar) – wasted little time in covering her catalog of contagious songs: A revamped rendition of 2017’s “Miss Me More,” pop-tinged piano ballad “I Quit Drinking” new single “Heartfirst” and a solo take on award-winning Chesney duet “Half of My Hometown” all made the cut.

She gave a one-two-three punch with a lightning-paced medley of “Love Me Like You Mean It,” “Dibs” and “Yeah Boy.” Still, no moment hit quite like an unvarnished solo rendition of “Homecoming Queen?,” prefaced by Ballerini asking fans to pull down life’s emotional filter and be “together in this room right now.”

“Since I’ve seen you, there’s been a lot that’s happened in the world,” Ballerini said on stage. “Going into it’s been hard, but coming out of it’s been equally hard or harder and I’ve been struggling with major anxiety.

She continued, “I go back to this song that I wrote before the shutdown about giving myself permission to feel my feelings because we're all human and no one’s perfect.”

And, of course, she brought a little white wine with her, sipping from a red Solo cup between songs before ending “with a bang” – drinking anthem “Hole In The Bottle.”

“I just kinda feel like the luckiest girl in the world,” Ballerini said.

Nissan opens with 'Strawberry Wine'

7:55 p.m.: Like “Two Dozen Roses” band Shenandoah a night ago, Nissan Stadium kicked off Friday with a shot of ‘90s country – this time from hometown singer Deana Carter.

Carter didn’t waste time giving audiences what they hoped to hear: A run of throwback country favorites. She opened the set with “How Did I Get There” before singing “Did I Shave My Legs For This?” and “Count Me In,” each singles off Carter’s celebrated 1996 debut album also named “Did I Shave My Legs For This?”

“How many ‘90s country fans did we got out here?” Carter said on stage. “We are celebrating the 25th anniversary of ‘Did I Shave My Legs For This?,’ my very first record. Some of you weren’t born, I know, but you heard it, right?”

As the sun set on Nissan Stadium, Carter closed her 30-minute set (after teasing a a surprise appearance from Wynonna Judd later in the night) with signature hit “Strawberry Wine” and a “thank you” to fans for coming out early.

“God bless you,” she said after the set. “Thank y’all.”

ERNEST blends pop and country, a 'Flower Shops' performance blooms

5 p.m.: Big Loud Records artist ERNEST has already achieved five No. 1 hits as a songwriter on the road to headlining on the Cumberland River on Friday afternoon at the Riverfront Stage. As the sweaty, blissful crowd eagerly awaited receiving the weekend's first performance of 2022 pop-country's favorite throwback anthem, "Flower Shops," the star who frequently attended CMA Fest in his Nashville-based youth called his day-ending positioning a "bucket list moment."

However, as could be expected when he was announced as an artist inspired by "everyone from Eminem to George Jones," he delivered a performance that expressed a breadth and depth of mainstream pop-friendly styles and influences. If -- as many were as the clock struck 4:30 on a delightfully balmy afternoon -- you were waiting to hear the previously-mentioned zooming to top-10 status country radio single, the broad scope of the Nashville native's impressive influences made waiting an unexpectedly enjoyable time.

He's a twanging, rock-adjacent crooner with an evident love of R & B. Thus, for as much as his 90s tastes err towards artists like Alan Jackson, listen closely and crossover soul crooners with flair like Babyface feel crucial to his sound, too. Dig deeper into his album cuts as live performances and vibes reminiscent of The Eagles' mid-70s work seep into "Feet Wanna Run."

If thinking that ERNEST's artistry limited him to being a trucker-hat wearing everyman turned sepia-tinged jukebox, you discovered at the Riverfront Stage today that you're half right. In taking a longer listen to his "Flower Shops" The Album" work like "Comfortable When I'm Crazy," or songs like "Wasted On You" that he's penned for Morgan Wallen's record-setting streaming champion "Dangerous: The Album," he's a pop-adoring songsmith still growing into his soon expected stardom

For the sun-kissed throng waiting for him to plug in his electronic acoustic guitar and sing about sad lovers' tear-filled blue and bloodshot-sad eyes, ERNEST emerged as a country performer worthy of keener attention.

Powerful moments with country's next female stars

2:30 p.m.:Here's a Friday afternoon report from Tennessean country music reporter Marcus K. Dowling.

For the past five hours at the 2022 CMA Fest, we've shared stories and incredible, transformative moments with a sextet of country music's next wave of female stars: Ingrid Andress, Priscilla Block, Ashland Craft, Miko Marks, Lily Rose and Hailey Whitters.

With three-time Grammy-nominated artist Andress, we conducted an in-depth interview for a forthcoming feature related to her new album.

Having taken a preview listen to the album, the track "Yearbook" (featuring the takeaway lyric that "the pages only turn one way," a favorite for both the artist and reporter) took the early lead for the likely radio single-to-watch.

Currently, Andress has the Sam Hunt duet "Wishful Drinking" on country radio, and it's clear that she has more hyper-personal, open and aware songs to come.

She confronted a "broken" brain while writing her COVID-era breakout hit "More Hearts Than Mine." Her desire to deny boredom in her songwriting led to a song that reflects people's ability to be more capable thinkers than they believe themselves to be.

CMA Fest updates:The party rolls on Friday with Ingrid Andress, Miko Marks, boots and beers

As for Marks, her journey back to Nashville after dealing with racist slights by country's mainstream is a remarkable story (one we'll be telling soon). She joined the non-Andress quintet of previously mentioned artists at CMT's Next Women of Country songwriting round at the Country Music Hall of Fame's CMA Theater.

The last time many were present in the theater was when another influential female country artist — Naomi Judd — as posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Marks was wistful when asked about being in a place where Wynonna feted Naomi.

However, the power of being in the Hall of Fame in a moment wherein, like herself, more African-American female vocalists are being featured than ever (namely, Brittney Spencer, Mickey Guyton, Allison Russell and Rissi Palmer in the museum's American Currents exhibition in the past two years) was palpable.

Upon being in space she's now shared with her sister artists, Marks was nearly overcome.

Fast-forward 90 minutes and while "taking the CMA Theater to church" (as event host and CMT Senior Vice President Leslie Fram noted) in front of a fan who saw her first at Fan Fair in 2005, Marks finally stood from her chair. Onstage, while singing an unreleased track, she loosed her throaty, gospel-tinged contralto to the world. And then, she cried tears of joy that left a room awestruck and similarly tear-jerked.

There may be no more heart-wrenching story, at least today, at CMA Fest.

Regarding Whitters, Craft, Block and Rose, there may be no more rock-solid quartet of singer-songwriters (female or otherwise) currently set to impact country radio.

Grammy-nominee Whitters performed "Everything She Ain't from her 2022 star-making album "Raised." Rose played her TikTok sensation "Villain" and followed it up with her single "Stronger Than I Am," as two die-hard fans sang every word of both while sitting front-row center.

Block sang a stirring rendition of her 2020 hit "Just About Over You." Her overwhelming, still-present humility and joy in the face of her rising stardom was noteworthy.

Craft's "Make It Past Georgia" combines the one-time dive bar vocalist's vocal similarity to Janis Joplin with a song that compares heartbreak to exceptional weariness from life on the road. It'll be a slow-burning hit akin to Lainey Wilson's "Things A Man Oughta Know," but it's a hit.

A 'damn good time' with Willie Jones and more

2 p.m.: Gabe Lee’s set had an intimate feel at the CMA Spotlight Stage starting at 2 p.m. in Fan Fair X. A crowd of around 50 sat, captivated by soulful “Susannah” in the middle of Lee’s acoustic set.

Lee’s honey-rich voice thanked the crowd and said CMA Fest has been an all-around pleasure this year. He finished his set with “Ol’ Smokey” from his 2019 album “farmland.”

Joy and Allison Berringer were front-row for Lee’s set. They said they hadn’t heard him sing before but said they are big fans after seeing him sing live.

The couple is on their honeymoon from Nova Scotia, Canada. They are spending two weeks in Nashville, and Fan Fair X at CMA Fest has been their favorite event so far.

“It’s great to see the newcomers perform,” Joy Berringer said. “We have our favorite stars, but then you come to this stage and say ‘okay they are getting big next.’”

Allison Berringer scrolled through photos on his phone while he waited for the next artist to come onstage. He was particularly proud of the shots he took of Carrie Underwood on Thursday at her Amazon Prime concert.

Joy looked on. “He’s the better photographer of the two of us,” she said.

Abi and Candace Stoltzfus walked briskly into the Amp Stage around 12:15, weaving around the crowds of people heading out towards First Avenue. They had driven to Nashville from Pennsylvania on Wednesday.

The sisters hurried all the way to the barricade to be as close as possible before Willie Jones took the stage. Abi sported brown and white cow-print pants and Candance had suede cowboy boots to match her woven hat.

Crowds cheered and fans stood up from their picnic blankets as Jones ran onstage and opened his set with “Slow Cookin.’”

“We’re just gonna rock out and have a damn good time out here” Jones said before singing “Down For It.”

Jones followed “Back Porch” with an unreleased song he said would be out later this summer. He dedicated it to “all the pretty girls” in the crowd. Fans swayed and waved their arms to the music.

CMA Fest for free:No tickets required for these concerts

Five unforgettable moments:CMA Fest makes triumphant return

Shocker: Boots are flying off the shelves

1 p.m.: A fleet of emergency vehicles lined 1st Avenue South, in between the Riverfront Stage and Amp Stage. The fleet included everything from a Vanderbilt Life Flight ambulance to an “ambubus” — a retrofitted school bus —that belongs to the Nashville Fire Department.

12:30 p.m. Plenty of freebies were available at the Busch stand at the Amp Stage. Staffers were handing out custom coozies, cooling bandanas, CMA Fest posters and popsicles.

Fans were relaxing at the Busch bar, where a line-up of guest bartenders included Ashley Cooke and Breland Friday.

12: p.m. Customers were nearly shoulder-to-shoulder inside Boot Country on Lower Broadway. The store is known for its “buy one, get two” deals on boots.

Marketing coordinator Jessica Spencer said business has picked up overall in Nashville recently.

“CMA has definitely picked us up,” she said. “It’s like having 3-4 Saturdays in a row.”

Deb Wing was mulling over a choice between white and gray ankle boots. She was in from La Crosse, Wisconsin, with friends.

“I’m gonna wear them around right now shopping to break them in for tomorrow,” Wing said.

Her friend Lainee Nummerdor sprang for a pair of tall brown boots studded with rhinestones and sparkly stitching.

Their group was off for more shopping, with plans to grab drinks and catch some music inside Ole Red a few doors down later.

A cloudy morning

11 a.m.: A large crowd bobbed their heads and held phones high as Larry Fleet played the Riverfront Stage. Families, groups of friends and people of all ages gathered to listen to Fleet.

“This is the first song I ever recorded. Sing along if you know it,” Fleet said as he kicked off “Where I Find God.”

The crowd didn’t disappoint, with many joining in as the chorus rang out.

Day 2 was off to slower start under cloudy skies, but the crowd was steadily growing downtown by 10:45 a.m. Music was blaring from a few honky tonks and exhibits. A lone party bus with a few dancing patrons meandered down 4th Avenue as festival-goers waited to cross.

The temperatures hovered in the the mid-70s for the morning, but forecast calls for a high in the mid-80s and chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms later in the day.

Day one highlights

Read on for a look back at moments from Thursday, opening day of CMA Fest in Nashville.

Keith Urban: 'You guys might’ve missed this whole thing as much as we did'

11:45 p.m.: Keith Urban described in two words what those who trekked cross-country — or further — likely felt when gates finally opened and music began pouring out of CMA Fest.

"We're back," Urban said during his night-closing set at Nissan Stadium.

He added, "I had the feeling you guys might’ve missed this whole thing as much as we did."

And much like those who traveled a far distance to fill the stadium seats, Urban spent his time on stage covering as much ground as possible from a career rooted in six-string exploration. He opened with extended guitar ripper "Days Go By" before soulful fan-favorite "Blue Ain't Your Color," dream-chasing anthem "Wild Hearts" and an unrestrained solo take on "You'll Think of Me."

On returning to CMA Fest, Urban told The Tennessean backstage before his performance: "The energy of this crowd is unlike anywhere. It's such a unique moment. This week in Nashville, period, is unlike any other time in the city. This year especially, [after] having a two-year, pent-up absence. I can already feel it – everybody's ready to make up for lost time."

"You guys are making up for lost time tonight," Urban said. "This is insane."

Jason Aldean returns to 'his kinda party'

2022's Academy of Country Music, iHeartRadio, and CMT Song of the Year award winner (with Carrie Underwood for the duet "If I Didn't Love You") Jason Aldean's solo CMA Fest performance showed he is engrossed by the third and wildly successful era of his two-decade-long country career.

Earlier, he remarked that "Trouble With A Heartbreak's" current three-week run atop Billboard's Country Airplay chart was doubly important. Foremost, it's the first time he's had the No. 1 song in the genre during CMA Fest. It also continues a run of success that compares to the success achieved by his 2009 hit "Big Green Tractor."

"If you expected me to bring out guests, you're gonna be sad tonight," he offered as he swaggered into the Tennessee Titans' press room earlier Thursday evening. To that end, his live set was highlighted by solid takes on his 2010 hits "My Kinda Party" and "Dirt Road Anthem."

Physically, it appears he's decided to double down in the gym to elevate his delivery as a live performer. Since telling the Tennessean in April 2022 that he didn't expect to be here "in a trillion years," he's clearly making an effort to be ready to fulfill the expectations of continued unprecedented acclaim.

Aldean's looking at spending much of the rest of 2022 on the road. Thus, his 45-minute set at Nissan Stadium was a rocking dress rehearsal of what will likely transpire over two hours on stage in venues across America.

Notable also was the quality of his vocal performance. New single "That's What Tequila Does" (from the "Macon" half of now fully-released double-album "Macon, Georgia"), plus a solo, live piano-driven take of the previously-mentioned "If I Didn't Love You," sans Carrie Underwood (a 2021 Aldean live tour staple) were strong, comfortable, and in line with expecting album-quality work from the superstar.

Zac Brown Band awes Nissan Stadium by 'Taking It To The Limit' (one more time)

9:30 p.m.: In an interview before hitting the stage at Nissan Stadium, Zac Brown told The Tennessean that he has played 5500 shows in the past 22 years. The reason?

"I still feel like I'm winning over live crowds, man," he said. "We don't get to open for acts too much anymore, so festivals like these let us connect with people who may only stream us, or aren't too familiar with our live show."

Country music's beloved traveling troubadours maintained that status with tracks like 2006's "Toes," causing -- as expected -- the 50,000-plus in attendance to break out in impromptu stadium seat dance parties.

However, most impressive was his cover of "Take It To The Limit," The Eagles' 1975 smash. His vocal performance both pleased and stunned a crowd not entirely sure of what to make of a current superstar making a play for a larger stake as a genre-shaping icon. When the set airs as part of ABC's August 3 "CMA Fest" special, it's worth watching.

Brown's desire to mimic the likes of Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley as a mentor for younger country acts showcased itself on the big stage at Nissan as Nashville favorites King Calaway played their latest single, "See You When I Get Home," alongside Brown. In addition, he's helmed the writing and production of their forthcoming album project.

The juxtaposition of the fresh-faced quartet of Chris Deaton, Simon Dumas, Chad Michael Jervis and Caleb Miller alongside Brown's much rougher presentation highlighted his ear and eye for talent supersedes stereotypical expectations.

Also, in a continuing trend after Billy Strings' appearance at Marty Stuart's Wednesday evening Late Night Jam at the Ryman Auditorium, breakout guitarist Marcus King joined Brown to perform their 2021-released track "Stubborn Pride." King's blistering solo floored an audience seemingly largely unaware of his road-developed instrumental prowess.

And yes, the set was bookended by his ever-reliable hits separated by just over a decade, 2008's "Chicken Fried" and 2021's "Same Boat."

Darius Rucker: 'I love this Weekend'

8:30 p.m.: The sun set on Nissan Stadium, and everything's 'Alright' with Darius Rucker.

The Grammy Award-winning star took the stage in a throwback Rolling Stones tour t-shirt, singing his 2009 chart-topper "Alright" before reminding onlookers of his one-of-a-kind croon with the mandolin-backed "Come Back Song."

"Ain't it great to be back in Nashville — in-person — seeing a show?" Rucker said on stage. "Man, I love this weekend."

The performance capped a day-long victory lap for Rucker, who kicked off performances at the Spotify House inside Ole Red on Lower Broadway Thursday morning and stopped by the Gibson Garage hours before his stadium set for an acoustic performance.

"I've been playing the CMA Fest since 2009 and it's awesome to see you guys come together to have this party in this beautiful building," Rucker said, adding: "That's awesome to me."

And it wouldn't be a Rucker show without a little Hootie & The Blowfish (or a lot of "Wagon Wheel"). He delivered on both, performing 1990s rock staple "I Only Wanna Be With You" before later closing with his award-winning Old Crow Medicine Show cover.

Returning to Nissan Stadium

7:55 p.m.: CMA Fest returned to Nissan Stadium with a taste of throwback country courtesy of 1980s and '90s hitmaking group Shenandoah.

The band revved up early showgoers with renditions of nostalgic '90s foot-stompers "Next To You, Next To Me" and "If Bubba Can Dance (I Can Too)" before cutting into tender ballad "I Want To Be Loved Like That" — the night's first stadium singalong — and signature song "Two Dozen Roses."

"Let's throw a little gas on the fire," frontman Marty Raybon said to muchb approval as the band kicked into "If Bubba Can Dance."

Prior to Shenandoah, rising country singer Brittney Spencer took the stage for a stirring take on the "Star-Spangled Banner."

Fans seek out shade (and go for a swim?)

4:30 p.m. The crowds had thinned considerably downtown by 4 p.m. Sun-wearied festival-goers took advantage of the shade as the sun dropped lower into the sky and ducked into honky tonks and enclosed exhibits around downtown.

A modest crowd gathered for Tenille Arts, signing along with arms waving.

"This is a bucket-list stage for me," she said at the top of the set.

Behind her, boats floated on the river in the afternoon heat and a few jumped in for a swim.

A religious experience on opening day

3 p.m.: One word describes the first five hours on Lower Broadway: religious.

Jimmie Allen's opening stage banter at the Chevy Riverfront Stage at 10:45 AM included the 2021 CMA New Artist of the Year, noting that he believes in God and "God's not a loser."

Two hours later, country hitmaker Hardy was leading the stage's capacity-packed, booze-filled and heartily-entertained crowd on a tour through "God's Country."

At CMA Fest, it's readily apparent that country music's Mother Church is up the street. However, country music's time-worn Christian values are among the vibes governing day one of the 49th CMA Fest.

Regarding all things timelessly country, the genre's close affiliation with easy-listening rock and roll was spotlighted as Darius Rucker opened Spotify House at Blake Shelton's Ole Red bar.

Hearing Rucker lament his emotional reaction to watching his beloved Miami Dolphins lose football games in 1994 Hootie and the Blowfish hit "Only Wanna Be With You" ("Sometimes you're crazy then you wonder why / I'm such a baby 'cause the Dolphins make me cry") is a heartwarming hallmark of his songwriting.

That same lyric sung by a bar crowd at a mega-massive festival sounds like a Catholic choir uttering a responsorial psalm.

Even deeper, the day's sermon was delivered by 2022 Academy of Country Music Song of the Year award-winner Lainey Wilson.

In front of a crowd whipped into a Godfearing, devil-may-care, redneck country frenzy by Hardy, the Baskin, Louisiana native sang sweetly about maintaining self-respect while expecting a mate to show kindness via her singles "Heart Like A Truck" and "Things A Man Oughta Know."

As brother-tandem LOCASH's new single "Beach Boys" sounded like timelessly-adored songs by the band sharing the track's title, a sweltering yet fun afternoon on the banks of the Cumberland River sweatily sauntered on.

In short, CMA Fest 2022, so far, has been highlighted by country music being in the throes of unearthing its core values and celebrating its most warmly beloved sounds.

Hardy rocks the Riverfront

12:30 p.m.: The banks of the Cumberland were packed as Hardy got underway at noon, drawing loud cheers as he sang "Boots" before he launched into "Give Heaven Some Hell."

Lainey Wilson joined him and handed him a beer as he kicked off "One Beer." He encouraged the crowd to raise their respective drinks as they sang along.

"No more love songs, no more sad songs, we're just gonna play some country sh— and rock your face off for the rest of the set," he said before belting out "Rednecker" while the crowd roared.

Other highlights from the artist and songwriter included the Blake Shelton hit "God's Country," which Hardy said was one of the songs he's most proud of co-writing.

He closed the tight 30-minute set with "Unapologetically Country as Hell."

11 a.m. : The morning continued to warm up with Rita Wilson opening the Chevy Vibes stage at 11 a.m. A crowd of a little more than 150 reclined on picnic blankets and swayed to the music against the backdrop of Bridgestone Arena.

Music from honky tonks spilled onto the street nearby as crowds ambled in and out of line for concession stands and merchandise booths.

A line of people stretched to more than 100 a few blocks down Broadway at the entrance of the Spotify House. People waved paper fans and squinted against the summer sun.

Ticket troubles, patriotic overalls and country's 'family'

Back on Lower Broadway, Jolynn Grashorn and her sister-in-law Jenny McCloy ducked into a food tent along Broadway to get a slice of pizza around 11:30 a.m.

Grashorn said she flew in from Omaha and met McCloy Tuesday, who had driven in from Marion, Iowa.

The two are spending time with family in town and had plans to catch the next acts on the Chevy Vibes stage at noon.

They said they're happy to be back at the festival after the two-year hiatus but were frustrated that everything is digitized — from tickets to festival maps and guides.

"I wasn't impressed with all that," Grashorn said.

They said they saw an older woman crying at the Fan Fair X area because she didn't have internet on her phone and no way to access her ticket. They also said they had trouble transferring tickets via Ticketmaster but eventually found a way.

Fans missed the fest the past two years and were thrilled to see it return. Abbey Tozzi was an intern for CMA in 2019 and was helping to plan the 2020 festival before it was cancelled.

"It was heartbreaking," she said of the cancellation.

Tozzi has been planning this weekend for a year, and waited in the Spotify House line for two hours with her friend Mary Putko, a 3rd grade teacher from Florida.

"It's the best lineup" Putko said. "I'm like, hello, we need to get in there."

Tozzi said her favorite part about seeing CMA fest return is the community of fans.

"Community is really important, and the country music community is like a family," Tozzi said. "It's unlike any other genre."

Rodney Walls was clad head-to-toe in American flag overalls as he headed to see Hardy at the Riverfront Stage just before noon.

He said he hails from Capshaw, Alabama and has added his own flares to the overalls, including a few stars stitched onto the pockets.

He's been coming to CMA Fest since 2012 and said he's especially looking forward to seeing Mark Wills.

"I'm kinda old school — like Joe Nichols and all that," he said.

He was visiting with his friend, David Ellis, who's a Nashville resident. Walls said he drew looks and sparked conversation when he donned some "Yee Haw" overalls a few years back.

A busy, beautiful morning

10 a.m.: Crowds were already filling in along Lower Broadway under sunny skies and 75 degree weather. Music from a few honky tonks punctuated lines of food trucks downtown, featuring everything from beignets to gyros.

Crowds were concentrated around the Fan Fair X at Music City Center and the Riverfront Stage, where Jimmie Allen was playing.

MNPD officers were on hand directing traffic while security workers guided people to stages and checked bags.

CMA has turned Fort Nashborough — which sits next to the Riverfront Stage — into the "Riverside Retreat." Mist blowers, premium drinks, the whole nine yards. AND a lovely view of the Riverside barge.

Jay-Z to perform at newly renovated Webster Hall re-opening in NYC

Associated Press

NEW YORK — Jay-Z will help re-open the newly renovated Webster Hall concert venue in New York City with a performance next week.

Tickets for the April 26 show go on sale Friday. It will be Jay-Z’s first time performing at the venue located in Manhattan’s East Village.

Webster Hall has operated as a venue since 1886. Others set to perform there include Patti Smith and Her Band, Rosalia, MGMT, Empire of the Sun, Old Dominion and Chromeo.

The concert hall says in a press release that the recent renovation “aims to preserve the iconic features of the venue, while modernizing it to meet today’s entertainment and guest experience standards.”

Taylor Swift? Drake? Super Bowl halftime show picks for 2023 in ...

Now that the Super Bowl is over, we can safely shift our focus to important issues of the day — like next year's Super Bowl, which as it happens, brings the NFL to State Farm Stadium in Glendale.

As you may recall, the last time we hosted a Super Bowl, football fans famously witnessed the birth of an NFL legend — Left Shark! — during Katy Perry's performance (the most-viewed halftime show in broadcast history).

How can the NFL hope to compete with a memory so vividly etched in the public imagination as that?

As it turns out, we've given the matter some thought (so you don't have to). And we've come up with a shortlist of potential halftime entertainers.

The suspense is over:Rihanna to headline 2023 Super Bowl halftime show in Phoenix

As to whether they can rise to the occasion with a Left Shark of their own? That remains to be seen.

In the meantime, if you know someone who chooses halftime entertainers for the Super Bowl, it would awesome if you shared a link to our suggestions.

Will she or won't she? Did Taylor Swift turn down the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show in Arizona?

Taylor Swift

It could be argued that she doesn't need the Super Bowl. In fact, it would be kind of weird to argue that she does.

But if she did agree to play the world's most coveted exposure gig? We'd get one of the biggest pop stars on the planet while still in her prime.

She's 32 and shows no sign of slowing down.

Her latest studio release of new material, 2020's "Evermore," became the singer's eighth consecutive release to top the Billboard album charts. She's sent two re-recorded albums to the top since then.

And she's still adding major pop hits to the list of songs that could be turned into a massive halftime hit parade, including two chart-topping songs released in 2020 ("Cardigan" and "Willow").

Plus, she has a history at State Farm Stadium, having launched her first stadium tour there in support of "Reputation" in 2018.

And that's not her only connection to the Valley of the Sun. She topped iTunes in 2012 with a heartbreaking tribute to a Phoenix boy named Ronan Thompson, who died of cancer three days shy of turning 4.

She could also invite Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World to the world's biggest stage to sing his biggest hit, "The Middle," like she did that time at an arena show in Glendale. That would bring some local flavor to the mix.

Is it too soon to do a full retreat from hip-hop after this year's halftime show? No problem. Kendrick Lamar could revisit his guest rap on "Bad Blood," a chart-topping smash from 2015.

Don't miss out! Your guide to all the biggest concerts playing Phoenix this July

Stevie Nicks or Alice Cooper?

It's been 12 years since a veteran rock act played the Super Bowl. I blame The Who, one of the greatest live acts in the history of the sport, for what we'll charitably call "an off night."

Is it still too soon to try again?

If not, here's hoping they'll consider two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers with deep local roots.

Stevie Nicks was born in Phoenix and built a home near her parents in Paradise Valley in 1981, the same year "Bella Donna," topped the Billboard album charts while spinning off a handful of her greatest hits, including "Edge of Seventeen" and "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around," a duet with Tom Petty.

In addition to her solo hits, a halftime show with Nicks could feature songs made popular by Fleetwood Mac, including her iconic contribution to the "Rumours" album, "Dreams."

That song gave Fleetwood Mac their first and only No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 and went viral much more recently on TikTok, thanks to Nathan Apodaca skateboarding to fame while chugging a bottle of Ocean Spray cranberry juice and listening to "Dreams."

She's the classic rocker most likely to have Harry Styles come out and join her on a song.

And "Rumours" is somehow still selling like hot cakes.

A history-making show:Eminem took a knee as hip-hop finally took center stage at Super Bowl halftime show

That gives Nicks a timeless and cross-generational appeal that few artists who launched their career in the '70s could hope to challenge.

Cooper made his first onstage appearance in the Cortez High School cafetorium, going on to become one of the biggest rock stars of the '70s with a band made up entirely of friends he'd made in Phoenix (two of whom were also on the stage that day at Cortez).

He also lives here now and operates two Alice Cooper Solid Rock Teen Centers, offering free music, dance and art programs to kids aged 12-20.

His habit of staging his own execution as part of his live show could be a bit of a flag on the play.

But by the time he brought his halftime show to a raucous conclusion with "School's Out," who among us would begrudge the man a quick beheading on the 50-yard line?

More Arizona classics:100 essential Arizona records, from Stevie Nicks to Alice Cooper

Rihanna

It's doubtful they'll give hip-hop center stage in 2023 so soon after finally allowing that to happen for the first time in NFL history just this year.

But having Rihanna do the honors would open the door to some intriguing hip-hop cameos, assuming Drake, Jay-Z, Eminem or Kanye West would agree to revisit their collaborations.

Named the wealthiest woman in music by Forbes magazine in 2021, Rihanna has sent 14 songs to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100, from 2006's "SOS" to 2016's "Work" (that Drake collaboration).

There is a fairly decent chance she wouldn't want to do it. She declined to perform in 2020 in support of Colin Kaepernick following the controversy surrounding his role in the national anthem protests.

But it's been a minute since she's hit us with new music and a halftime show would be the perfect way to let the spotlight see what it's been missing for the past few years.

Drake

Speaking of Drake, it's kind of crazy that the man has yet to play the Super Bowl.

At 35, he has the most Top 10 appearances of all time on the Billboard Hot 100 and the most chart-topping singles on the Rap Songs and R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.

It would mean hip-hop dominating halftime two years running but Drake is a much more pop-oriented performer than the stars of this year's show. He's also younger, so he hits a different demographic and cuts down on the memes about how old his fans must be.

Pink

She's one of the most successful touring artists of her generation for a reason.

And no one would turn in a more athletic halftime show than Pink, the singer most likely to bungee-jump into the stadium and spend the next 12 minutes soaring from one corner of the venue to another in an acrobatic rig.

She also has a ton of well-known pop hits and serious cross-generational appeal.

And has a history with the NFL, singing the National Anthem at Super Bowl LII in 2018.

Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

Here are the celebrity-favorite hotels in Phoenix, Scottsdale

Since Hollywood’s Golden Age, Phoenix has been a sanctuary for celebrities looking to temporarily get away from Southern California.

The Valley’s hotels and resorts catered to the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable well before stars such as Britney Spears, Beyoncé and Drake came decades later. Presidents also need a place to stay while they’re in town, and one historic hotel has proven to be a favorite, serving 13 of them.

From the Arizona Biltmore to the Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa, here are four resorts and hotels that have been favored by celebrities in and around Phoenix.

Arizona Biltmore:Iconic Arizona hotel spent $70M on renovations. Take a look

Arizona Biltmore

Since 1929, the Arizona Biltmore has been a point of pride for Valley residents. Really: The landmark, inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural style, was voted one of 31 official Points of Pride in Phoenix.

Among the Arizona Biltmore’s guests over nearly the last century are 13 U.S. presidents, spanning from Herbert Hoover to George W. Bush. Several of them also took advantage of the golf course there.

Ronald and Nancy Reagan as well as Clark Gable and Carole Lombard are among some big names that have honeymooned at the resort. Actor Jimmy Stewart and his wife, Gloria Hatrick McLean, had a Thanksgiving tradition of visiting the Biltmore.

Other celebrities said to have stayed are Gracie Allen, Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, Bob Hope and Ava Gardner. Marilyn Monroe was fond of the Art Deco-style Catalina pool. Irving Berlin was also a fan: Inspired by the Arizona sunshine, he penned several tunes, including “White Christmas,” by the pool.

"I practically opened the Arizona Biltmore Hotel — I was here before they were officially open, even," he told The Arizona Republic in November 1937.

Hotel Valley Ho

Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale “was a true Hollywood hideaway in its heyday” in the mid-century, according to the hotel’s website, and helped put Scottsdale on the map as a tourist destination. That is probably in no small part due to being the first hospitality venue to have central air conditioning in Scottsdale, allowing the hotel to remain open year-round.

Actors Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner held their wedding reception — their first of the couple’s two marriages — at the hotel in December 1957. The Valley Ho also hosted Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, Bing Crosby and Zsa Zsa Gabor.

Sixty-five years since its opening, Hotel Valley Ho continues to serve big-name guests, from rapper Bow Wow to actor Billy Bob Thornton. Britney Spears, Burt Reynolds, Colin Kaepernick, Drake, Gabrielle Union, Hugh Jackman, Jessica Chastain, Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry, Lenny Kravitz, Ryan Reynolds and Yo-Yo Ma are just a selection of the famous people the hotel claims to have hosted.

Hotel Valley Ho at 65:How sticking with its midcentury roots powered it into the future

Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa

In 2008, pop culture icons Beyoncé and Jay-Z reportedly jetted to Arizona for their honeymoon after an unpublicized wedding ceremony in New York. Their destination? The Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa in Paradise Valley. (They also appeared to have honeymooned in the Maldives.)

Singer Britney Spears has stayed at the Sanctuary multiple times, and actors Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn spent Thanksgiving weekend there in 2005 while they were dating.

Back when it was the prestigious Paradise Valley Racquet Club, Dean Martin was among the stars seen on the north slope of Camelback Mountain in the '50s. Elton John and Billie Jean King were among the big names that played at the resort in the ‘70s after it was renamed John Gardiner’s Tennis Ranch.

Elton John is said to have ordered an upright piano to be brought to center court during one visit and performed “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.”

San Carlos Hotel

Another destination that boasts a pool reportedly favored by Marilyn Monroe can be found in downtown Phoenix. The high-rise San Carlos Hotel opened in March 1928 and was marketed as a fire- and earthquake-proof building.

If you want to find out about some of its famous guests, their names — Jean Harlow, Marilyn Monroe, Mae West — and autographs can be found etched into gold stars on the sidewalk outside the hotel, at Central Avenue and Monroe Street. Suite 326, which is near the pool, is named for Monroe.

The nearly century-old hotel is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Phoenix's most notable ghost:The true story of Hotel San Carlos' 'woman in white'

Reach the reporter at kimi.robinson@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @kimirobin and Instagram @ReporterKiMi.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

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Kidz Bop should've never covered these inappropriate pop songs

"Kidz Bop" is one of pop music’s most inexplicably enduring franchises of the 21st century, beloved by kids and parents for the compilations’ family-friendly renditions of popular hits, and by everyone else for their unintentional hilarity.

And ever since the Kidz Bop Kids covered Britney Spears' "Oops!... I Did It Again” on the very first "Kidz Bop" release in 2001, the albums have periodically featured songs that, no matter how sanitized their rewritten lyrics may be, still were probably too questionable for a kids’ CD.

To celebrate the release of Kidz Bop 38 on July 13 – featuring cleaned-up versions of Drake’s “God’s Plan” and Bruno Mars and Cardi B’s “Finesse” – take a look back at the most amusingly inappropriate pop hits to get the "Kidz Bop" treatment, and the raunchiest lines they edited out.

"Love on the Brain," Rihanna

"Kidz Bop" covering Rihanna should be a crime in and of itself, but this song was a particularly questionable choice, with a line like "it beats me black and blue, but it (expletive) me so good" about the singer's troubled love. Yet, "Love on the Brain" was apparently still fair game for the Kidz Bop Kids, whose edited-in lyric "it makes me feel it's true, but it tricks me so good" is almost as egregious as their attempts to replicate Rih's vocals.

"Closer," The Chainsmokers

Instead of just choosing literally any other song, "Kidz Bop" rewrote the entire chorus of this Chainsmokers hit to make it family-friendly, giving the song one of the funniest facelifts in the Kidz Bop Kids' history: "So, baby, pull me closer as we stand against the Rover / That I know they can't afford / Brush that stress right off your shoulder / Pull the sheets right off the corner of that notebook that you stole / From your friend's room back in Boulder / We ain't ever getting older."

"Toxic," Britney Spears

Again, of all the pop songs "Kidz Bop" could've chosen for this collection, they just shrugged, chose "Toxic," and assigned a bunch of kids to sing the lyric "With a taste of your lips, I'm on a ride"?

"New Rules," Dua Lipa

Lipa's "new rules" for warding off her ex, most of which have to do with avoiding drunken hookups, get a squeaky-clean makeover courtesy of the Kidz Bop Kids, who transform her warning that "you know you're gonna wake up in his bed in the morning" to the cheerier "you know you're gonna meet up with your friends in the morning."

"Lose My Breath," Destiny’s Child

As much as the Kidz Bop Kids playfully huff and puff in the background of their "Lose My Breath" vocals, that doesn't change the explicit nature of the bedroom behavior that Beyonce, Kelly and Michelle were originally describing, with their version keeping original lyrics like "Need a lifeguard and I need protection / To put it on me deep in the right direction."

"That’s What I Like," Bruno Mars

Under the purview of the Kidz Bop Kids, Mars' condo in Manhattan is less a carnal kingdom and more like summer camp, with his plans for "sex by the fire at night" transforming into a "hang by the fire at night," and his "drop it for me" commands turning into "sing it with a friend."

"I'm the One," DJ Khaled

"Kidz Bop" nixed Quavo and Chance the Rapper's contributions to the song, deciding that Lil Wayne's verse would be the easiest to censor and keeping his "don't make me catch a body" line but wisely cutting his reference to a companion who "When she on the molly she a zombie," replacing it with "when she hear this song she dances crazy."

"California Gurls," Katy Perry

Katy Perry is a "Kidz Bop" staple, but her "California Gurls" wardrobe of "Daisy Dukes, bikinis on top," was too risque for the Kidz Bop Kids, and was edited into "fine, fresh, fierce, we got it on lock." Why "Kidz Bop" didn't change the next lyric, about being "so hot, we'll melt your Popsicle," is beyond us.

https://open.spotify.com/track/5xi3te9eB0LYfLRTmfl7Fa

"TiK ToK," Ke$ha

Obviously, Ke$ha brushing her teeth "with a bottle of Jack" didn't make it into the Kidz Bop Kids' "Tik Tok" — instead, when they leave, they "have to pack." And rather than editing down all the original song's other problematic references, the "Kidz Bop" version simply loops the chorus until the end of the song, which is one way to fix things.

https://open.spotify.com/track/3Dia3gymld9Jk3e0aXZu2P

"Lips of an Angel," Hinder

The title really says it all, and yet, "Kidz Bop" still included Hinder's growling power ballad, which is less notable for its openly explicit content than its double entendre.

"Paparazzi," Lady Gaga

The entire song is literally about stalking, but the lyrics are all SFW, as long as you don't actually listen to what Gaga is saying.