The Best Country Performances At The iHeart Radio Festival 2022
Fans of every music genre look forward to iHeart Radio's annual two-day music festival. Today's biggest artists, of course including some from country music, took the stage in Las Vegas last weekend.
One of the most beautiful aspects of this festival is watching music fans from all over the spectrum unite. Several people go specifically for one name or a few names on the lineup, and end up getting their introduction to new amazing artists in the process. Festivals like these turn many visitors into fans of new genres, and country is no exception.
With that said, here's a full list of country performances from the 2022 iHeart Radio Festival - complete with videos in case you missed the livestream!
FRIDAY NIGHT
Morgan Wallen
During the second-to-last slot on Friday night, Wallen delivered show-stopping performances of his timeless hit songs, such as "Wasted On You," "Sand In My Boots," and "Whiskey Glasses." But that's not all - Wallen's collaborator and fellow iHeart Festival performer, Diplo, brought him on stage during his own set. Pleasantly surprising fans, the DJ and country superstar performed "Heartless" together. This iconic moment will go down in the history of both country music and EDM music. Additionally, in an exclusive video, Wallen revealed that he listens to hip hop music to get himself pumped before a performance - can't blame him! Us too.
SATURDAY DAYTIME STAGE
Carly Pearce
2022 has already proved an eventful year for Pearce, with the iHeart performance being the latest in a series of breakthroughs for the star. Yesterday, Pearce stunned in every way possible. Her bold, effortlessly perfect vocals and infectious smile shined through, while her white, sparkle-embellished dress gracefully flowed in the wind. She truly poured her heart into this performance, especially standing out on the deeply emotional "Never Wanted To Be That Girl." All Country News is in love with "Every Little Thing" about this angel on earth.
Chase Rice
Safe to say that even the non-country music fans enjoyed Rice's performance, as the star took "Drinkin' Beer, Talkin' God, Amen" as an opportunity to throw beers into the audience. But anyways, Rice undoubtedly won festival-goers' hearts with stunning renditions of "Eyes On You" and "Ready Set Roll." Best of all, Rice surprised fans by performing Florida Georgia Line's hit, "Cruise," which he helped write. Anyone who was alive in 2013 would recognize and absolutely love that one.
Ryan Hurd
Right off the bat, Hurd made fans promise to drink lots of water - it was a hot Vegas afternoon! We love a king who cares about his fans' safety. His set included the sensational "Coast" and "Chasing After You." We loved every moment of it, and really wish it lasted for more than just four songs. Fortunately, that wasn't his only appearance at the iHeart festival... keep reading to see what we mean.
SATURDAY NIGHT
Luke Combs
Introduced by none other than his high school buddy and fellow country superstar, Chase Rice, Combs put on a spectacular performance. He sported a customized guitar strap - which we're in love with - when he strummed and sang hits such as "The Kind Of Love We Make" and "Forever After All." The crowd screamed along to every word of every tune, and you best believe we did too when watching the CW's livestream of the festival.
Maren Morris
Say no more, of course we're closing this list with the queen herself. Her presenters said it all - we admire her because her music crosses genre lines in the best ways, and she's never afraid to use her platform to stand up for others. The superstar sang "Circles Around This Town" and "Good Friends," fan-favorites off of Humble Quest (her newest album which celebrated its first half-birthday yesterday!), as well as the mainstream crossover "The Bones" and the EDM-infused "Make You Say." Adorably, her husband Ryan Hurd joined her for "I Can't Love You Anymore." She finished with a sensational performance of "My Church," which got the crowd on their feet. Her set was a true highlight of the iHeart festival; its only fault was that it didn't go on for longer.
Overall, the iHeart Radio festival was such an amazing time, both for the fans who attended in person and those who watched the livestream. We're so happy to see such talented performers representing country music at the event.