Las Vegas turned into the ultimate music playground this past weekend as the iHeartRadio Music Festival lit up the T-Mobile Arena. For two nights, fans were treated to everything from nostalgic throwbacks to fresh new anthems from some of the world’s biggest stars.
Jelly Roll’s Genre-Bending Medley: Jelly Roll shocked the audience by flipping through genres like a human jukebox. One moment he was belting Nickelback's “How You Remind Me” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s "Sweet Home Alabama,” the next they were running through the hits from DMX (”Party Up”), Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa (”Young, Wild & Free”), and even Miley Cyrus (”Flowers”). It wasn’t just a performance, it was a full-on ride through music history, Jelly Roll style.
Tim McGraw’s Family Tribute: Tim melted hearts when he dedicated a song, “One Bad Habit,” to his wife Faith Hill, calling himself “Faith’s husband” with a grin. He also invited his nephew Timothy Wayne onstage to collab on “Paper Umbrellas,” making for a sweet family moment. Between the tributes and his powerful vocals, his set felt personal and heartfelt.
Bailey Zimmerman Teams Up with BigXthaPlug: They made a splash with Big X festival debut, fresh off cutting his iconic dreads. He performed songs like “Change Me,” “Whip It," and "Levels.” Midway through, he surprised fans by bringing Bailey Zimmerman onstage for their rap-country collab “All The Way.” The duo’s high-energy performance closed out night one on a thrilling note.
John Fogerty Turns It Into a Family Jam: Fogerty gave fans a Creedence Clearwater Revival masterclass, running through his greatest hits including “Bad Moon Rising,” "Up Around The Bend,” "Fortunate Son," and “Down On The Corner.” He was joined onstage by his sons Shane and Tyler, while his wife Julie cheered from the sidelines. The performance felt like a family reunion wrapped in rock ‘n’ roll.
Maroon 5’s Sweet Surprise: After a set packed with hits like “Love Is Like,” “Animals,” and “This Love,” Adam Levine told the crowd he had “something special” in store. He and James Valentine stripped it down for an acoustic rendition of “She Will Be Loved,” turning the arena into a massive sing-along. The band rejoined for a final chorus, making the throwback moment unforgettable.
Bryan Adams Keeps It Classic: Bryan delivered a perfect mix of timeless hits like “Summer of ’69” with newer tracks like “Roll With the Punches.” His voice carried just as strong as it did decades ago.
Ed Sheeran’s One-Man Show: Armed only with his guitar and a loop pedal, Ed Sheeran built entire songs live before the audience’s eyes. Layer by layer, he turned simple chords into the anthems fans know and love. His stripped-down yet jaw-dropping set reminded everyone why he’s in a league of his own. He performed songs including “Shivers,” “Sapphire,” “Azizam,” “Perfect,” “Shape of You,” and “Bad Habits.”
The Offspring Throws a Beach Ball Party: The punk-rock legends brought their carefree energy with classics like “Pretty Fly” and “Why Don’t You Get a Job.” Oh and…the arena turned into a giant playground as beach balls bounced across the crowd. It was pure nostalgia mixed with pure fun.
Sammy Hagar Shows Why He’s a Rock God: Hagar ripped through fan favorites like “Right Now” and “Heavy Metal” with relentless energy. His guitar playing had the crowd going wild, proving that age hasn’t slowed him down one bit. By the end, it was clear: Sammy still owns the stage.
If you missed the madness, don’t worry…Hulu is airing a festival special on October 2nd so you can relive the magic.