Austin Meade

He’s an artist molded by red dirt, grunge, nostalgia, melody, and the raw spirit of vintage rock. His 2021 breakout album, Black Sheep, served as a rallying cry and a mission statement for him. 2022’s Abstract Art of an Unstable Mind incorporated fuzzy guitars, emotional depth, and self-aware cynicism. 2024’s Pretty Little Waist EP broke through rock radio with the Top 25 single “BLACKOUT.” But it’s his latest album, ALMOST FAMOUS, that completes the picture—an anthemic, personal collection that shows who he is now: a young music veteran with plenty to say and nothing to prove. Meade’s work ethic is part of what makes him stand out in a scene crowded with artists chasing trends. As SPIN noted after watching Meade perform at Louder Than Life, he brings an “in-the-moment freedom” to his shows. “You don’t know the people five feet from you,” he said, “but a lot of times you’re singing the same damn song.” That shared electricity is what fuels him, from clubs to festivals. For all the labels people have used to try to categorize him—country, rock, Red Dirt, alternative—Meade remains mostly uninterested in labels. “Some days we’re the country band at a rock fest, some days we’re the rock band at a country fest,” he says, with a good-natured laugh. “But we always sound like us.” There’s no affectation. No costume. Just a hard-working songwriter with a beat-up guitar, a sharp tongue, and a big heart. Almost famous? Probably not for much longer.