Nashville summer concerts: Our picks, from Beyoncé to Blink-182 and more

Summer concerts can't come soon enough.

From sweaty festivals to sunset-soaked amphitheaters and every venue in-between, the upcoming concert season may be the most red-hot — pun intended — in Nashville to-date.

Which concert gets your sought-after ticket money this summer? We pooled Tennessean staffers — you know, everyday music lovers in Music City — to find out which one-night club show, arena spectacle or all-week festival they believe should be among the city's most buzzed-about in the coming months.

Some look forward to tried-and-true touring ear-busters, while others diverge from the beaten path at bluegrass jams, hardcore shows and all-star jams. Let's dig into this year's picks.

July 15: Beyoncé at Nissan Stadium

The songs. The spectacle. The stagecraft ... it's all on display when Beyoncé comes to town. What more does anyone need to say? The "Renaissance" tour rolls into town in three months, and it can't get here soon enough. — Leimkuehler

July 16: Blink-182 at Bridgestone Arena

Reunited punk trio Blink-182 made an electric — and expectedly crass — return to the stage last week at Southern California's much-hyped Coachella, giving a taste of the forthcoming summer tour — the first featuring marquee members Mark Hoppus, Travis Barker and Tom DeLong in nearly a decade. Bonus: Hardcore favorite Turnstile opens the gig, the band's second Bridgestone Arena appearance in as many years. — Leimkuehler

July 22: Ed Sheeran at Nissan Stadium

Ed Sheeran — an adopted Tennessee Titans fan who once briefly called Nashville "home" — returns to Music City nearly five years after his first Nissan Stadium headlining gig in 2018. At the time, the singer-songwriter toured solo in front of his stadium-sized audiences — a move unlike other large-scale pop shows typically anchored by backup players and flashy visuals. Now, with plenty of new music in his back pocket, we can only wonder what Sheeran's got planned for his new run of shows. — Leimkuehler

July 27: The Chicks at Bridgestone Arena

Last year’s Bonnaroo festival had Tool as one of its headliners – but I’m not sure anyone rocked harder on the grounds than The Chicks. It’s not every day the country trio formerly known as the Dixie Chicks return to Nashville – a town that largely turned its backs on the group after making a stance against the Iraq War in 2003. I’d urge even casual fans to secure a seat at Bridgestone Arena, and be reminded of how undeniable hits like “Wide Open Spaces” – and to discover that these players and vocalists can still blow the roof off an arena. — Dave Paulson, music reporter emeritus

July 28-29: George Strait at Nissan Stadium

Nashville scores two nights this year with the semi-retired country hitmaker — and he's bringing a who's-who of artists to sing with him. Chris Stapleton plays main support on the gig, while Little Big Town opens the show. — Leimkuehler

Aug. 14: Lyle Lovett and His Large Band at Ryman Auditorium

Lyle Lovett appears regularly in Nashville, and I’ve seen at least six of his shows here. His songs are smart, his banter is funny, and the music is never more entertaining than when he appears with his full band. — Heather Fritz Aronin, planning editor and resident Lyle Lovett expert

Sept. 8: Smashing Pumpkins with Interpol at FirstBank Ampitheater

While I enjoy Smashing Pumpkins, I'm going to this show to see Interpol. I remember hearing them for the first time on VH1 in 2008 after moving to a new town and subsequently hearing them in several skate videos after. The tension, sadness and ferocity in Paul Bank's voice is unmatched and continues to remain in my rotation to this day. — Liam Kennedy, visual journalist and reformed sad boy

Sept. 10: Tennessee is For Lovers at The Caverns

Emo kids, unite. The Caverns in rural Grundy County hosts this summer "Tennessee is For Lovers," a traveling festival of fan-favorite Warped Tour-era bands. Curated by "Ohio Is For Lovers" outfit Hawthorne Heights, the Volunteer State stop on this rolling fest features post-hardcore band Underoath, semi-local punk group Bayside, New Jersey favorite Thursday and more. — Leimkuehler

Sept. 12-13: Arctic Monkeys at Ascend Amphitheater

Rock 'n' roll fans have waited a half-decade for British torchbearer Arctic Monkeys to return to Music City. When the band finally steps foot on stage in Nashville this September, it'll be in support of a new album, "The Car." Let's just hope they don't cut any corners on the hits, because a Monkeys gig doesn't seem complete without "505," "I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor" and "R U Mine." — Leimkuehler

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville summer concerts: Beyoncé, Blink-182 and more of our picks