It’s often said that everything is political. There is truth to that—politics are fundamentally belief-based, and beliefs aren’t exclusive to people reduced to red hats or blue hair. The difference between a self-identified political person and an apolitical individual in America often comes down to a publicized affinity, or lack thereof, for one side of the country’s vast bipartisan divide. True, registered independents account for nearly one-third of US voters as of 2025, up nine per cent from the start of the century. However, as the independent voter base grows, so, too, does the chasm of tolerance and compassion between America’s Left and Right.
These days, it isn’t enough to be a good person. One must prove one’s virtue not through character and conscientious daily living but by subscribing to well-defined political factions and personalities. You are never just a conservative; you’re a “trad wife”, anti-wokist, or red pill-popper who must “own the libs” at every opportunity. If #Patriot and #ProudMAGA don’t accompany the “God first” and praying hands emojis in your X bio, does Jesus really know you? Your progressive claims are similarly ignored if you don’t “Vote blue, no matter who” and endorse every policy pushed by liberal lawmakers. Independents are gaining members, yes, but they’re still not the loudest voices in the room.
Enter Shinedown. Despite over 20 years of mainstream success, the relatively controversy-free quartet came under fire for withdrawing from Kid Rock’s 2026 Rock the Country concert. While fans have speculated for years about Shinedown‘s political leanings, supposing them to be conservative, Shinedown have maintained a position of neutrality and abstained from promoting any candidate or party.
“Shinedown is everyone’s band,” frontman Brent Smith told PEOPLE last year. “We just have one boss. It just happens to be everybody in the audience.” Shinedown reiterated this statement after sparking outrage from Rock the Country supporters, saying, “We feel that we have been given a platform to bring all people together through the power of music and song… Our band’s purpose is to unite, not divide… We do not want to participate in something we believe will create further division.”
Shinedown’s longtime code of personal conduct—stay out of direct politics and focus instead on the human experience—is now under intense scrutiny. Part of this is because drummer Barry Kerch criticized Ludacris for dropping off Rock the Country’s bill shortly before Shinedown decided to leave: an unfortunately timed glimpse into Shinedown’s democratic approach to conflicting interests. Brent Smith cited “infighting that we had never seen before” as one of the primary reasons Shinedown skipped Kid Rock’s show, and emphasized that America is the United States. “A lot of people right now don’t feel united,” he said.
Contrary to their intentions, Shinedown’s withdrawal has inflamed accusations that they are, in fact, deepening division by avoiding a concert that claims to be “more than just a festival, it’s a celebration of community, tradition, and the spirit that’s carried America through 250 years”. If this were all Rock the Country was, Shinedown probably would have played. They are not against patriotism or the class of unsung heroes, Kid Rock accurately pointed out, “makes this country run and loves America”. The issue lies in the concert’s political identity and how that clashes with Shinedown’s own, largely apolitical one.
Cowardice or Image-Consciousness?
It’s no secret that Rock the Country’s co-founder, Kid Rock, supports Donald Trump. In the 2025 Rock the Country Documentary, he called Make America Great Again “the greatest movement ever created”. Co-headliner Jason Aldean also endorses Trump. During the concert’s first iteration in 2024, as encouraged by Kid Rock, conservative commentator and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson delivered an introductory speech to the audience. Donald Trump also spoke via video message (see 1:25 mark on documentary timeline). When political figures and activists like these promote an artistic experience—especially from as far up as the White House—it becomes impossible to disentangle that experience from politics.
Artists are free to organize events that incorporate their political views. On the same token, other artists are free to disengage from such events if they do not align with their self-presentation or worldview. This is image consciousness. It becomes difficult to claim neutrality if one performs at a show that many attendees and journalists widely consider politically conservative. Shinedown’s departure, then, isn’t a middle finger to blue-collar America but a conscious choice to preserve goodwill across party lines within their audience. If unspoken motivations, such as financial, reputational, or fear-based decision-making, influenced the withdrawal, we may never know. The consistency of Shinedown’s welcoming messaging over the years merits the benefit of those doubts.
How Shinedown’s “Politics” Play Out in Music
During an interview with Grammy.com, Shinedown discussed the cultural concerns embedded in their 2022 album, Planet Zero. “We’re so intolerant of each other’s differing opinions. We’re not even having conversations, just having shouting matches about “I’m right and you’re wrong,” and shutting each other down under the guise of “hate speech” or “You’re a racist” or “You’re a misogynist” or whatever pejorative I can sling at you at the time to shut you up,” shared bassist Eric Bass.
“If we keep going in that direction, we end up in a place like Planet Zero, I believe. Where no one has a voice, at that point, except for the people in charge.” He added, “If I shut everybody down that I disagreed with and lived in my echo chamber, I would be beyond ignorant. I want to live in the real world, and I want to live in a place where I know as much about what’s actually going on as I can.”
Shinedown’s position doesn’t negate a concern for societal affairs. Truly neutral people don’t exist, but some of us (myself included) prefer to champion universal causes rather than strictly political ones. A life well-lived, in the flesh, on a daily basis, accounts for more than any post or protest ever could. It also preserves relationships with people who think differently from us, enabling basic respect and human dignity to thrive. Shinedown’s political moments in their music mirror this approach.
In 2008, “Devour” from The Sound of Madness (2008) criticized former President Bush for the war in Iraq. Shinedown wrote the song not out of hatred for their government but out of concern for American troops, who Shinedown believed were fighting an unnecessary war. Planet Zero lobbed blistering judgments at radical ideology and the US government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Your theory might be critical, but who’s in charge? / If victimhood is currency, then you won’t starve,” Smith declared in the record’s exasperated “America Burning”, along with “You might be woke but not awake.” Planet Zero‘s title track mocked cancel culture with lyrics like “They’re canceling your feelings,” “Better pray that you’re not erased,” and “All hail power to the people / Except you / You check the box we don’t like!”
Planet Zero alone might suggest that Shinedown is right-wing. Shinedown would beg to differ. “It’s not a record for the right, it’s not a record for the left… for black, white, Asian, Hispanic. It’s a record for all of us,” Eric Bass explained. Grammy.com summarized it best: “From cancel culture to Twitter addiction to divisive politics, Shinedown take shots at the forces that undermine our shared humanity.”
For liberal and discerning conservative listeners, Shinedown’s new single, “Safe and Sound”, seems pointed toward a particular right-wing figure: “Take me to your leader / I’ll show you a fraud / An ego unfiltered / Out here playing God.” Regardless of who claims our votes, we can be sure of one thing: the people who encourage our division do not want us feeling safe with one another, and they certainly don’t want us mentally sound. Division is currency for those who seek to become, or stay, powerful.
Building a New Movement
Following the passing of his mother in January 2026, Brent Smith shared a heartfelt post about how “All of the love I have in my heart came from my mother. All of my patience, my empathy, my kindness, and understanding came from her as well… she taught me that no matter what, none of us are perfect, but we must learn from each other, so that we can take care of each other.”
To the cynical who might call themselves “realists”, Shinedown’s talk of “everyone” and “empathy” may sound disingenuous. Perhaps that’s because we’ve been conditioned by a decade-plus of “Gotcha!” reporting, grandstanding, and catchy political put-downs to roll our eyes at anything simple and wholesome. We see a threat, or political kowtowing, where a public figure offers a gesture of uncomplicated sincerity and goodwill.
The truths of life may often require excavation and careful examination, if politics have taught us anything. However, years of kindness and calls for unity from a band whose very name implies radiant light warrant a thoughtful, rather than reactive, pause. If everything these days is political, maybe we ought to adopt compassion as our next movement.
