As the United States celebrated Independence Day on July 4, across the pond, one of country music’s reigning luminaries, Morgan Wallen, showcased his global appeal before 50,000 fans for his debut headlining show at BST’s Hyde Park in London. This marks the largest country concert ever held in the United Kingdom.
Among the throngs of attendees were celebrities Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis, as well as Kansas City Chiefs player Patrick Mahomes and retired soccer player Brittany Mahomes. “Country concert in London, count me in,” Brittany wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of the couple at Wallen’s concert.
Wallen’s July 4 show expanded upon the singer-songwriter’s previous sold-out headlining set at London’s O2 Arena in December 2023. His lengthy set at BST’s Hyde Park was highlighted by a solo rendition of his Post Malone collaboration, “I Had Some Help” (which reigned for six weeks atop Billboard’s Hot 100 chart), as well as an acoustic rendering of his song “Lies Lies Lies.” He wrapped the show by throwing it back to his breakthrough 2018 hit “The Way I Talk,” from his If I Know Me debut project.
Wallen also made a surprise release of the U.K. exclusive “Lies Lies Lies” physical CD, while the official recorded version of the song is also available on all streaming platforms. The release follows 2023’s Abbey Road Sessions, which featured a performance of “Lies Lies Lies” and was recorded at London’s Abbey Road Studios.
Stateside, Wallen’s One Night at a Time Tour has been a concert juggernaut, often selling out multiple stadium shows in various cities, such as his three-night, sold-out stint at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium earlier this year. Wallen’s global recognition has been steadily ascending, too, with his blend of country, rock and hip-hop elements proving that his stardom expands beyond geographical or genre perimeters. Wallen’s international impact was on display in recent weeks when “I Had Some Help” topped Billboard’s Global 200 chart. The success illustrates Wallen’s steady growth, as the 11-time Billboard Music Awards winner previously notched a top 5 on the Global 200 with 2023’s “Last Night,” and had top 10 hits on the Global 200 chart with 2022’s “Don’t Think Jesus” and 2021’s “Wasted on You.”
Wallen’s concerts have showcased his numerous record-breaking songs and albums (such as his One Thing at a Time album, which earlier this year broke the record for the most weeks at No. 1 for a country album on the Billboard 200 chart) while simultaneously supporting the mission of The Morgan Wallen Foundation, which helps provide children with resources to thrive through sports and music, with a portion of every concert ticket purchased supporting that goal. That aim continued in London, with the Morgan Wallen Foundation earmarking $20,000 to support London Youth Choirs, which gives disadvantaged young people access to music, singing and performance.
The Hyde Park show served as an early taste of what U.K. fans can expect later this year, when Wallen further builds upon his international success with an overseas return on Aug. 28 with a show in Stockholm, Sweden, to launch his first European headlining tour. The seven-concert trek will also feature stops in Copenhagen, Denmark; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Glasgow, U.K. and more before wrapping with two back-to-back nights in Dublin, Ireland.
