Is Country music poised to steal pop music's crown?
If I told you that Post Malone, Diplo, The Chainsmokers, and Marshmello were all on the 2024 lineup for Stagecoach, a country music festival, you’d likely think I was referring to Lollapalooza or Coachella. However, this year's Stagecoach, the desert's glittering counterpart to Coachella, featured these artists. Forget Coachella's neon-drenched fields and celebrity-spotting frenzy; Stagecoach gave its big sister a serious run for its money.
So what are the reasons behind Stagecoach's success and the rise of country music? In this article, Hollywood Branded discusses why Stagecoach was the hottest ticket (or should we say wristband?) in the desert this year, and how country music is poised to steal the pop music crown.
Stagecoach: Where Country Goes Global (and a Little Bit Wild)
Coachella may boast headliners trending on a global scale, but Stagecoach offers something more potent: a genre that's experiencing a seismic shift. Country music ain't your grandpappy's playlist anymore. With main stage performances this year by stadium-filling superstars like Morgan Wallen, Miranda Lambert and Post Malone, the lines between pop and Americana are shifting and Stagecoach has become a melting pot of sound. This isn't just twang, it's a genre-bending revolution. I couldn’t have imagined just a few years ago that there would be a full DJ tent at Stagecoach that would have artists like Diplo, Marshmello, and The Chainsmokers all performing on it. Oh yeah, if that wasn’t enough, how about late-night performances by artists like Wiz Khalifa and Nickelback (yes, Nickelback). Yeehaw, indeed!
Photo Credit: LA Times
From Seasoned Festival Veterans to Wide-Eyed Newbies: A New Kind of Coachella Crowd
Country music is evolving, becoming more inclusive and diverse, mirroring the changing demographics of its audience. When comparing the Coachella and Stagecoach crowds, you used to generally say that Coachella was where you went to be “seen” and Stagecoach was where you went to “watch” in that it was about just hanging with your friends or family and enjoying the music. That Stagecoach mentality was still present this year but now there was more of those people trying to be “seen” that ever before. Influencers, celebrities, and reality stars were seen all over the Stagecoach grounds giving it extra caché to the social media crowd.
Stagecoach Brands: More Than Just Beer and Trucks
Don’t let that headline fool you. It felt like there were more brands on site this year than every before. Long-time festival sponsors Toyota, Bud Light, and Monster Energy were still very much present on the Stagecoach grounds but then, just like the shift in audience for country music, brands like Shein, E.L.F. Cosmetics, HeyDude shoes and Beis luggage all popped up on the grounds. Surely this was just carry over from Coachella right? Absolutely not! The lines for each of these brands were incredibly long all weekend and fans couldn’t get enough. What was important though was that each brand embraced the country music culture of Stagecoach and integrated their brand messaging into booths that had a modern country feel, the same vibes a large majority of the attendees also embrace. These brands were able to stay true to their values and identity while still embracing what could be seen as a new audience. As I’ve talked about before, it’s the authenticity to their identity that allow them to come across as an ally to the country music culture and not as a brand that is just capitalizing on a trend.
Stagecoach: The New Coachella, with a Country Twist
Stagecoach isn't trying to replace Coachella. The lineup is indicative of whats charting on pop music charts across the United States. The pop charts are currently filled with country superstars like Morgan Wallen, Kane Brown and Luke Combs, rising stars like Jelly Roll and Nate Smith, and viral sensations like Dasha and Shaboozey. We also can’t forget that even Beyonce embraced country music this year. The festival has always been ahead of the curve and now they are looking to offer a more inclusive and diverse festival experience. As mentioned above, its important for a brand to embrace authenticity and Stagecoach isn’t just a festival but a brand in it's own right. They’ve seen the shift in the country music fan since before the pandemic when they invited Diplo to perform late night in 2019.
Photo Credit: TimeOut
The Country Revolution
Stagecoach is a place where country music isn't just a genre, it's a cultural phenomenon, with the power to sell passes and provide a fully immersive experience. It’s a place where, in one day, you can experience Morgan Wallen, The Beach Boys, and Vanderpump Rules star/DJ James Kennedy all in one day. The rise in the popularity of country music has positioned Stagecoach to be the new Coachella, at least for a little while, so, the next time you're looking for a festival experience that's equal parts electrifying and heartwarming, consider ditching the flower crown for a Stetson and grabbing your boots. Stagecoach might just surprise you, and maybe even make you a convert to the new country revolution.
Eager To Learn More?
For more insights into the evolving landscape of music festivals and brand partnerships, check out these related articles:
- The Evolution of the Stagecoach Festival Lineup
- Unmissable Brand Events & Experiences For Music Festival Goers
- The Importance of Music Festivals For Brands
- Brands Win Big At The Coachella Music Festival
- 12 Examples Of How Brands Gain New Consumers From Cross-Genre Music Partnerships
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