Zach Top, Keith Urban and Brooks & Dunn have been announced as the three headliners for the 2026 edition of C2C: Country to Country. The festival runs March 13 to 15 across London’s The O2, Glasgow’s OVO Hydro and Belfast’s SSE Arena, bringing some of the biggest names in country back to UK and Irish audiences.

For Zach Top, these shows will mark his UK debut. The Academy of Country Music’s reigning New Male Artist of the Year headlines The O2 on March 13, joined by Scotty McCreery, Waylon Wyatt and Noeline Hofmann. Top has been steadily gaining momentum in Nashville with a 1990s inspired, neo-traditional sound that sets him apart from the mainstream pop country trend. The track ‘I Never Lie’ first gained traction on TikTok, giving Top wider recognition and highlighting how digital platforms now circulate more traditional leaning country sounds.

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Keith Urban returns to C2C for the first time in seven years, beginning his run in Glasgow. Urban will be joined by Russell Dickerson, Tyler Braden, Alana Springsteen and Bayker Blankenship. Grammy award winning Urban has carved out a strong following in Europe with arena ready shows that mix country with crossover pop rock.

Brooks & Dunn will headline C2C for the first time, opening in Belfast before continuing to Glasgow and London. It will be their first UK appearance since 2010. The duo will be joined by Drake Milligan, Kameron Marlowe, Ashley Cooke and MacKenzie Carpenter.

Since its debut in 2013 with Tim McGraw and Carrie Underwood at The O2, C2C has grown into the largest country festival outside North America, drawing tens of thousands each year. Alongside its marquee names, the festival has consistently provided a platform for emerging acts from Nashville, the UK and Europe. BBC Radio 2 returns as broadcast partner, while the Country Music Association continues to back the Spotlight Stage and songwriter showcases. Sarah Trahern, chief executive officer of the Country Music Association, said: “Helping rising country artists take their music to international audiences and working alongside the industry that champions them worldwide remains central to our mission.”

C2C 2026 also arrives as the festival expands across Europe, with new editions in Rotterdam and Berlin earlier in March featuring Jordan Davis, Jackson Dean and other rising American artists. Tickets for the UK shows go on sale Friday September 26 at 10am local time. The thirteenth edition of C2C once again balances established stars with fresh voices, underlining its role as the key gateway for country music outside the United States.

The initial line-up for Country to Country 2019, Europe’s biggest country music festival, has been announced, with headlining roles for Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, Chris Stapleton, and they will be joined by a host of the genre’s biggest names. The seventh annual C2C Festival will once again be staged at The O2, in London, the 3Arena, in Dublin, and the SSE Hydro, in Glasgow, from Friday the 8th to Sunday the 10th of March 2019. Tickets go on general sale on Friday the 26th of October 2018, at 10am, and can be bought via the C2C website, which also has the artist line-ups for London, Glasgow and Dublin.

Bob Harris, BBC Radio 2 broadcaster, made the line-up announcement, at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire, during the second annual Country Music Week, C2C’s sister event. “I am so proud to have been involved with C2C from the beginning and to watch it grow to become one of the major global events in the country music calendar. I’m thrilled to once again be introducing all the amazing artists on the main stage and enjoying the fantastic atmosphere of C2C at The O2, London,” says Harris, speaking about the event.

Four-time Grammy winner Urban will be playing his first UK shows in more than ten years. Stapleton’s appearance marks his return to the event after a much talked about debut there in 2016. Lady Antebellum will be back in the UK, after their own O2 show last year, and their headline C2C spot in 2015. Lady Antebellum hit the road in 2017, in support of their seventh studio album ‘Heart Break’ – which was released in June 2017.

Speaking about the event, Urban, said: “I’m totally psyched to be getting back to the UK to play some shows. The last time we were there was a blast — and with the music I’ve made since then and the new album we’re gonna get to play to a lot of new people. Can’t wait!!!!!” The Australian star released his country chart-topping tenth studio album ‘Graffiti U’ in April 2018.

Chris York, C2C Festival promoter for SJM Concerts commented: “C2C Festival 2019 continues to build on the massive success of Country to Country in the U.K. and Ireland. We are proud to present one of our strongest line-ups and look forward to seeing all you passionate country fans in March once again.  We would like to thank our partners at BBC Radio 2 and The Country Music Association and as ever thank you for your support.”

The C2C 2019 boasts a stellar line-up with Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban, and Chris Stapleton headlining. They will be joined by Lyle Lovett, who will fill the same kind of heritage role that was graced by Emmylou Harris at this year’s event, Marty Stuart in 2017 and Dwight Yoakam in 2016. There will also be return visits to the festival by Cam, Hunter Hayes, Ashley McBryde, Drake White, and the Big Fire, including first-time visits to C2C by Brett Eldredge, Chase Rice, Dustin Lynch and Carly Pearce. The C2C Spotlight Stage will once again be a feature of the arena bill, with performers to be announced later.

Country Music Association’s, Sarah Trahern, added: “Since the beginning, C2C has been instrumental in growing the country fan base in the UK. The festival has helped develop superstars and also introduced hot new acts to legions of UK fans. CMA is delighted to be back here for our seventh year in partnership with the festival to continue to support great country music and our passionate UK fan base.”

On the serious side of the country music scene, artists like Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, and Kelly Clarkson enhanced the scene’s international popularity away from its centre in Nashville. Faith Hill’s ‘There You’ll Be’ still a huge hit today. Some may argue Shania Twain contributed to this – a sort of link between serious country music and the cheese of the UK scene.

Present day artists, Kacey Musgraves, and Carrie Underwood are album chart regulars. Both are headlining this year’s Country to Country (C2C) music festival – 11/3 – 13/3 performing across the simultaneous venues in London – 02, Dublin – 3Arena, and Glasgow – Clyde Auditorium.

Carrie Underwood promotes C2C Via the BBC saying:

“Country has always been really great at telling stories and talking about life,” she says, “but I do think it’s become a little more broad in its influence.

“Music right now – music of any genre – it’s all just so accessible. I don’t really think anybody really listens to just one genre of music any more.

“So we have country music artists that are a bit influenced by rock music, or R&B music – which I think is really cool, because that means there’s something for everybody.”

The popularity of country music in the UK continues. On the C2C Facebook page they have recently announced:

‪#‎C2C2016 hasn’t even kicked off yet and we’ve just announced another HUGE show! The Nashville tour will be coming over to the UK in June.

Ticket will be going on sale 9am on Friday 18th March

Gone have the days of the cheesy line dance numbers – in these modern times country music is evidently booming and strongly competing against other popular musical genres.