Cardi B arrives during a campaign rally for Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris at the Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center on November 1, 2024 in West Allis, Wisconsin. With four days until election day, Vice President Kamala Harris is campaigning in Wisconsin. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Artists have always used their craft to speak about social and political issues. There’s Paul Revere’s 1770 engraving “The Bloody Massacre,” for instance, which rallied colonial opposition to Britain and Daniel Emmett’s 1870 confederate anthem “Dixie.” Billie Holiday’s haunting 1939 anti-lynching ballad “Strange Fruit” and Black Sabbath’s 1970 Vietnam War protest song,“War Pigs, are two more modern, iconic examples of how artists have fused music and messaging. It’s been a long time since musical performers, in particular, just shut up and sang. From the lyrics, to the music videos, to the album art, and concert sets, the artistry can represent a performer’s values. And what they can’t say in a catchy song, they can now say in interviews and over social media. Here are 13 unapologetically outspoken artists that will be performing in North Texas in 2026.
Los Tigres del Norte
Feb. 14 at the American Airlines Center
This Mexican norteña band has long advocated for Latino communities, addressing social issues and immigration rights, and even performing at rallies for immigration reform. The band also performed for Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign.
Nine Inch Nails
Mar. 3 at the American Airlines Center
The band’s leadman, Trent Reznor, said he once told Sen.Ted Cruz to “f**k off” when the politician tried to get on the guest list for a show. Reznor also endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential elections.
Cardi B
Mar. 6 at the American Airlines Center
The rapper has been vocal about political issues on her social media channels, encouraging voter turnout, supporting democratic candidates like Kamala Harris, and recently criticizing Trump’s move to cut SNAP benefits. She interviewed Joe Biden ahead of the 2020 election, but didn’t shy away from criticizing some of Biden’s decisions.
Maren Morris
May 3 at the Majestic Theater
The Arlington, TX native is very vocal about politics and social justice. She’s said country music has been used as a “toxic weapon in culture wars” and, despite losing fans as a result of her outspokenness, thinks using her platform is important. Morris has supported democratic candidates, performed at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, and publicly feuded with Jason Aldean’s wife over transphobic comments and Morgan Wallen over his use of racial slurs.
Sting
May 10 at Toyota Music Factory
Sting has been a vocal activist over the years, using his music as a way to express his values. He has focused on environmental and anti-war issues. In 1985, he pinned a song called “Russians, to warn against the threat of nuclear war. In 2018, he teamed up with reggae artist Shaggy for the song “Dreaming of the USA” where the duo sang about a dream for a better country for all. He sang his 1991 song “Fragile” at a 2025 concert in Poland to call for peace in Ukraine. Although nonpartisan, the musician once told the Paris press, “I think we’re in a very dangerous political climate at the moment where the working class have felt abandoned by what they call the elite.”
Pitbull ft. Lil Jon
May 23 at Dos Equis Pavilion
These two party music princes haven’t shied away from talking politics. Pitbull has stressed the importance of voting with fans and worked to humanize perceptions of immigrants and their critical role in the country’s success. In his 2019 appearance on “The View,” Pitbull discussed our shared humanity, and Lil Jon led the “Turn out for what” chant while introducing the state of Georgia at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
MGK
May 24 at Dos Equis Pavilion
Machine Gun Kelly (or MGK) shares ant-establishment views and considers himself an anarchist. While he avoids aligning with a particular party, he criticizes corruption in government.
Charlie Puth
Jun. 12 at the Toyota Music Factory
The singer-songwriter has used his social media platforms to support reproductive freedom and abortion rights. He’s also taken part in gun violence prevention efforts, performing at a March For Our Lives rally in 2018 and serving as a Global Citizen ambassador. While he’s shared opinions about several politically charged topics, he’s never specifically supported a political candidate.
Forrest Frank
Aug. 1 at Globe Life Field
The Christian singer lost nearly 30,000 followers in Sep. 2025 for a social media post lamenting the death of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk. Frank posted a clip of Kirk discussing renewed interest in Christianity and Christian music. Kirk even mentions Frank’s influence. In his caption, Frank said he was “praying and grieving for the Kirk family and their loss.”
BTS
Aug. 15 + 16 at the AT&T Stadium
In 2020, the K-Pop band expressed support of Black Lives Matter, condemning racial violence and donating $1 million to the organization, prompting fans to match their donation. In 2022, they traveled to the White House to speak with President Biden about the surge of anti-Asian hate crimes, promoting Asian American and Pacific Islander inclusion.
Zach Bryan
Aug. 22 at AT&T Stadium
The country music star identifies as a political centrist. While he praised Trump after his assassination attempt, he said he didn’t support Trump or Biden at the time. Bryan critiqued ICE in his 2025 song “Bad News.” The song received backlash from the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, who responded to the song by saying, “I hope he understands how completely disrespectful that song is not just to law enforcement, but to this country, to every single individual that has ever stood up and fought for our freedoms he just compromised it all by putting out a product such as that.” Bryan is the child of US Navy soldiers, prompting him to enlist at 17 and serve for eight years.
Guns N’ Roses
Sep. 9 at Globe Life Field
Lead singer Axl Rose has been a vocal critic of Donald Trump, calling out his response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In May 2020, Rose began selling “Live N’ Let Die With Covid 45” t-shirts, donating the proceeds to the MusicCares Covid-19 Relief Fund. The band has requested that Trump stop using their music at his rallies and held up a Palestinian flag with a GNR logo on it at an October show.
Doja Cat
Nov. 3 the American Airlines Center
This pop artist has never held back from sharing her opinions with her fans. She’s said she’s not a political person, but at the 2024 Global Citizen Festival she spoke about global conflict, mentioning Sudan, The Congo, Gaza, and Ukraine. She told the audience to use their voices to help those fleeing violence. “In times like this it is important to remember that together we have the power to bring change, love, light & hope to those who need it most,” she said.
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