The Miraculous March Madness Music Festival You Can Attend for Free

Cinderella stories, juggernauts, and blue chip programs all collide in the annual NCAA March Madness Tournament. The 64-team, nationwide tournament captivates audiences with a dizzying array of action culminating in the Final Four and one National Champion. 

This year, San Antonio, Texas, plays host to the Final Four teams. While some fans will experience soaring highs, and others will suffer crushing defeats,  one guaranteed winner will emerge this year—music fans. 

Music and college hoops fans will converge in the shadow of the Tower of the Americas for the 2025 March Madness Music Festival. This year’s headliners include Pitbull, Jelly Roll, and Chris Stapleton, and the opening acts are unmissable, too. 

With San Antonio as the host city, it’s no surprise that country music features throughout the weekend, most notably on Sunday. The diversity of sounds at this year’s festival is a testament to the cultural magnetism of basketball. We’ll break down this year’s lineup night by night. 

Inspired to find syncs to boost your own sports-themed content? Register to find your next sound and discover music perfect for March Madness media projects.

Friday Night Featuring Pitbull

The 2025 March Madness Music Festival opens Friday, April 4th, at 4:30 pm CT with Ravyn Lenae. The talented R&B artist is no stranger to getting crowds going, having recently opened up for megastar SZA on tour. Fans can expect to hear hits like “Skin Tight” or “One Wish.” 

Performing at 7pm is Doechii. The Tampa born and raised rapper is one of the top artists in today’s music scene. Her hits, “Denial Is a River” and “Nissan Altima” show why she just won the 2025 Grammy for Best Rap Album and Billboard’s Woman of the Year Award. Her onstage presence and theatrical staging are sure to dazzle in San Antonio. 

Check out our basketball playlist for hip hop tracks to match Doechii’s March Madness energy. 

Pitbull will close out the Friday night set, with what is sure to be a high-octane performance for the Miami-based rapper. Famed for his pop hits in the 2010s, Pitbull is an acclaimed Reggaeton artist as well. In a city like San Antonio, with almost a third of the population speaking Spanish, Pitbull is sure to have local fans.  

Saturday With Jelly Roll

One musical genre that doesn’t usually come to mind when people think about basketball is Country. However, the March Madness tournament encompasses teams from across the nation with diverse fan bases and musical interests. And San Antonio, Texas, is also no stranger to country superstars. This blend of regional pride and diverse musical taste makes it no surprise that country music has found its place in the entertainment lineup.

Opening Saturday’s performance is Willow Avalon, the rising Georgia-born country music sensation. Her hit song, “Homewrecker” brings a classic country sound with a slight edge. Avalon’s style, influences, and music are all very much in line with contemporary country. But the performers after her aren’t so clear cut. 

Taking the stage after Avalon is T-Pain. At first glance, you couldn’t find an artist more different from Willow Avalon. But T-Pain grew up in Tallahassee, FL just an hour and half away from Willow Avalon’s hometown of Valdosta, GA. While T-Pain’s early songs were R&B and Rap hits, he’s since showed off an impressive range, even covering country hits like Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey.”

If the line between country and rap was blurry with T-Pain, Saturday’s headliner—Jelly Roll—won’t make the distinction clearer. Jelly Roll, like T-Pain, got his start as a rapper but discovered his affinity for belting out a country tune or two as his career developed. 

Take a cue from Saturday’s genre-bending artists and explore our catalog of genre-spanning production syncs to discover the right sound for your next production. 

Chris Stapleton Headlines on Sunday

Sunday’s lineup will undoubtedly bring the house down with rocking performances starting with the Brothers Osborne. The sibling duo brings a familiar country sound with sincere lyrics to the stage. They’ll pass the mic off to rising superstar Benson Boone who’s sure to enrapture the college crowd with his megahit “Beautiful Things.” 

Following Boone will be another rocking performance from Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats. NRTNS are no stranger to the March Madness Music Festival, having performed at last year’s edition in Phoenix. Their blend of Southern Rock and Blues will perfectly set up the closing act, Chris Stapleton. 

Fans can probably expect to hear classic tracks like “Tennessee Whiskey,” with the possibility of T-Pain joining Stapleton on-stage. They’ll also hear newer hits like “Think I’m in Love With You” or “White Horse” to close out what is sure to be a classic March Madness Music Festival.

With flexible licensing solutions and a vast, ever-growing catalog of curated music syncs, Universal Production Music lets you build energy and excitement in your media project equal to the 2025 March Madness Music Festival. Find the tracks you’re looking for today!