NFL Announces Draft Entertainment Series Musical Performers

Bret Michaels, who’s set to perform with Wiz Khalifa on the second day of the 2026 NFL Draft. Photo Credit: Rjkowal

The NFL has tapped Kane Brown, Wiz Khalifa, and Poison frontman Bret Michaels to headline its Draft Entertainment Series, which is scheduled to kick off in Pittsburgh on the 23rd.

Airing live on networks including ABC and free to attend in person, the “three-day celebration” is set to begin with a National Anthem rendition from KELS. Also on Thursday the 23rd, the James Weldon Johnson Foundation’s National Hymn Choir will perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” according to the NFL.

After that, Wiz Khalifa and Bret Michaels are expected to take the stage at 5:15 PM local time on the Draft’s second day. Rounding out the event, which will feature a number of fan activities and giveaways to boot, Kane Brown is poised to deliver “a high-energy finale” on Saturday the 25th.

In other words, music will once again be a big part of the NFL Draft, with prior years’ events having booked talent including Weezer, Mötley Crüe, Marshmello, Ice Cube, the Kings of Leon, and more.

That is, of course, good news for the involved acts – and not solely because of the exposure from the Draft concerts themselves.

Butler, Pennsylvania-born Michaels, a self-described longtime Steelers fan who has tour dates scheduled between May and August, promptly sat down for an interview with Good Morning Football.

“We are mashing it up,” Michaels said of his Draft Entertainment Series performance with Khalifa. “We’re building the stage out together. We’re making a song that we’re kind of putting together ourselves. I’m ready to be there now.”

As many know, more than a few artists are playing NFL games and events – referring, at the top level, to the Apple Music-sponsored Super Bowl Halftime Show.

But the list of NFL performers doesn’t begin and end with the Halftime Show; Green Day, Brandi Carlile, and several others likewise entertained fans at Super Bowl LX. Additionally, Snoop Dogg, Lainey Wilson, the Kpop Demon Hunters stars, and Andrea and Matteo Bocelli handled halftime duties during Netflix’s Christmas Day Vikings-Lions game.

Then there are the musical tie-ins to Amazon Prime’s NFL games: Shaboozey last year released “Let ’Em Know,” an Amazon Music Original track billed as the “anthem” behind Thursday Night Football programming. Plus, he, Aespa, the Foo Fighters, and Fuerza Regida headlined 2025’s post-game Amazon Music Live installments.

As if this wasn’t enough, the league late last month confirmed a record nine international games – in Madrid, Melbourne, Mexico City, Munich, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and London – for the 2026 season.

Though it’s unclear whether each of these outings will feature live music, prior international games brought sets from the likes of Karol G, MGK, and Raye.