At the beginning of every summer, two morning talk shows from rival news networks announce their respective concert series lineups with the hope of entertaining and attracting more viewers — and while they’ve never acknowledged it, I’m sure there’s an element of healthy competition at play. NBC‘s Today Show and Fox News‘ Fox & Friends are on two very different broadcasting channels (one is a respected major broadcasting company; the other is, well, Fox News) and it would make sense that their concert lineups are intended to attract two different audiences; however, there is some overlap in viewers’ musical tastes between the two daytime television shows.
Both Fox & Friends Summer Concert Series and NBC’s Today Show Citi Music Series have been airing for years, and feature award-winning artists from different genres like rock, pop, country, hip hop, and gospel. Notably, NBC’s concert lineup has included popular artists like Rihanna, One Reupublic, and Harry Styles, while Fox & Friends lineup has included artists like Josh Turner, Donny Osmond, and Lifehouse. If you’re curious who’s playing this year’s concert series or wondering which one to watch, here are the details you need to know (and as a bonus, which one I’d actually consider going to).
Fox & Friends Summer Concert Series 2023
Fox & Friends summer concert series is hosted by the show’s co-hosts Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt, and Brian Kilmeade and like last year, will take place in the Fox Square right outside FNC’s New York City headquarters. Shows will take place throughout the summer starting May 26 until September 1, with the last two concert performers yet to be determined. This year, the concert series is sponsored by home improvement store Lowe’s, and will be available to stream through your cable provider or live on Fox Nation. Each concert is free of charge, and the Fox News website recommends traveling by subway if you plan on attending. The full lineup is:
- May 26, 2023: 3 Doors Down
- June 2, 2023: Parmalee with Blanco Brown
- June 9, 2023: Colbie Caillat
- June 16, 2023: Justin Moore with Riley Green
- June 23, 2023: Tyler Farr
- June 30, 2023: Skillet
- July 7, 2023: UB40
- July 14, 2023: Elevation Worship
- July 21, 2023: Gary Levox of Rascal Flatts
- July 28, 2023: Flo Rida
- August 4, 2023: Donny Osmond
- August 11, 2023: Jelly Roll
- August 18, 2023: Vanilla Ice with Rob Base
- August 25, 2023: TBD
- September 1, 2023: TBD
The Today Show Citi Music Series 2023
The Today Show is hosted by on-air anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Al Roker, Craig Melvin, Carson Daly, Sheinelle Jones, Dylan Dreyer, and Jenna Bush Hager, and its Citi Music Series takes place at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. As you might expect from the name, the Citi Music Series is sponsored by Citi Bank and the concerts are free to attend. If you’re interested in attending any of the upcoming concerts, you can apply for a free Fan Pass on The Today Show‘s website, which will grant you guaranteed admission to the concert of your choice. If you’re not able to get a Fan Pass, don’t fret; each Citi Concert has a general admission line you can join the morning of.
The Citi Music Series began earlier this May with a performance by the Jonas Brothers as they promoted their newest album, aptly titled The Album, but will pick back up the first week of June. Here’s the full lineup:
- May 12, 2023: Jonas Brothers
- June 2, 2023: Big Time Rush
- June 9, 2023: Niall Horan
- June 15, 2023: Chance the Rapper
- June 23, 2023: Kim Petras
- June 30, 2023: Karol G
- July 5, 2023: TWICE
- July 21, 2023: Dan + Shay
- July 28, 2023: Reneé Rapp
- August 11, 2023: Kelsea Ballerini
- August 18, 2023: Jon Batiste
- TBD: Kelly Clarkson
The final verdict? Both lineups have artists I’d consider seeing live (I was partial to Colbie Caillat as a preteen), but the Citi Music Series smashes it out the park for me personally. This lineup is a great mix of nostalgia and popular acts — and with the added bonus of not airing on a network that pushes conspiracy theories as news — while representing several genres of music. There’s something for everyone (but especially me — I enjoy songs from pretty much every artist on this list) and it’s even free, which is definitely a consideration given how steadily concert ticket prices have been rising. For fans of artists like TWICE, who are performing at the nearby MetLife Stadium shortly after their Today Show performance, this can be an affordable alternative to shelling out your savings for concert tickets. I’ll be watching from home, but if you’re in New York, you should definitely consider checking these out in person.
