Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs helping country music take over New Jersey this summer

There's going to be plenty of fans wearing cowboy hats and boots — and mud on the tires in the parking lot — this summer at MetLife Stadium.

Four big country music shows are coming to East Rutherford to play the state's largest concert venue: Morgan Wallen on Friday, May 17, and Saturday, May 18; George Strait with Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town on Saturday, June 8; Luke Combs on Friday, July 19, and Saturday, July 20; and Kenny Chesney on Saturday, Aug. 17.

Country music is making up two-thirds of the concerts at MetLife this year. The Rolling Stones play Thursday, May 23, and Sunday, May 26, and Pink closes out the announced season on Thursday, Oct. 3.

“Country has gotten bigger and bigger (in New Jersey) every year,” said DJ Big Country, aka Christopher Smith of Jersey City. “I'm glad it's getting to the bigger stadiums like MetLife and Lincoln Financial in Philly. PNC (Bank Arts Center in Holmdel) was always the spot, even the Stone Pony in Asbury Park. Now the bigger stadium is getting these acts, which is good.”

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There were no country shows at MetLife last year. Wallen kicks off the season with two nights of his “One Night at a Time” world tour. The shows were originally scheduled to take place this time last year, but were postponed as doctors ordered him to rest his vocal cords. Wallen has a freshly minted hit out now, a collab with emo rapper Post Malone called “I Had Some Help.”

The track is a melodic country stirrer.

“Wallen branches out and goes with other artists — Post Malone, hip-hop,” Big Country said. “He's branched out into other genres and he's good entertainer. He puts on a great show.”

Wallen's hip-hop connection include collabs with Lil Durk on “Broadway Girls” and “Stand by Me,” and an appearance in Drake's video for “You Broke My Heart.”

Wallen was criticized when, apparently intoxicated, he used a racial slur in public in 2021. He also recently got in trouble for throwing a chair off the roof a bar in Nashville and almost hitting two police officers. A court appearance is pending.

“He's a little crazy sometimes,” Big Country said.

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Rowdy behavior is often not a detriment to country music stardom. Wallen's “One Thing at a Time” album spent 19 nonconsecutive weeks on top of the Billboard 200 album chart —a record for a country music artists. He broke Garth Brooks’ 18 weeks for “Ropin’ the Wind.”

DJ Big Country will be at the shows this weekend, spinning the tailgating scene in Lot J at MetLife. Parker McCollum, Nate Smith and Lauren Watkins are opening acts.

Also among the new country music giants coming is Luke Combs, who brings his “Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour” show in with Cody Jinks, Charles Wesley Godwin, Hailey Whitters, and The Wilder Blue on July 19, and Jordan Davis, Mitchell Tenpenny, Drew Parker, and Colby Acuff on July 20 to the stadium.

Combs' hits include his breakout cover of Tracy Chapman's '80s song “Fast Car.”

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“I decided I wanted each show to have their own unique set up of openers, as well as my own unique setlist,” said Combs in a statement about the tour shows. “I thought this would give people an opportunity to come to both nights if they want, but see two completely different shows.”

Strait, 71, is called the King of Country, and he's just announced that a new album, “Cowboys and Dreamers,” is on the way.

“He's one of the greatest of all time,” said Big Country of Strait. “Him headlining MetLife is shocking, but it's great for country music, especially older country music. Then you have two opening acts that are just amazing. Chris Stapleton is one of the best country singers around, and Little Big town, they put on a good show as well.”

Chesney is bringing his “Sun Goes Down” tour with the Zac Brown Band to MetLife on Aug. 17. While the other country stars are making their stadium debuts this summer, Chesney has been playing MetLife since 2013. His shows have become a summer rite of passage for Jersey country fans.

“We all know, when the sun goes down, that’s when people really get loose and enjoy themselves,” said Chesney in a statement.

Go: Morgan Wallen with Parker McCollum, Nate Smith and Lauren Watkins, 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 17, and Saturday, May 18, MetLife Stadium, One MetLife Stadium Dr., East Rutherford, tickets start at $180; metlifestadium.com.

Metlife Stadium concert schedule

• Morgan Wallen, May 17, 18

• Rolling Stones, May 23, 26

• George Strait with Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town, June 8

• Luke Combs, July 19, 20

• Kenny Chesney with Zac Brown Band, Aug. 17

• Pink, Oct. 3

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs help country music take over NJ