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Fans of Shinedown<\/a> should certainly be celebrating, as the hard rock\/arena rock band not only achieved a career milestone this past Friday night by making their Grand Ole Opry<\/a> debut, but they also debuted a brand new song \u2013 \u201cSearchlight\u201d \u2013 in the process.<\/p>\n Shinedown\u2019s three-song set at the historical venue was their first show since the end of August, and they were introduced<\/a> by nonother than country music superstar Carrie Underwood<\/a>!<\/p>\n \u201cIt is always an honor, and so exciting for me to be at the Opry. Tonight, I am especially honored and excited to introduce our next group,\u201d she began, adding:<\/p>\n I saw these guys back in concert in 2004 when I was a wee college student and basically, they have not been able to get rid of me ever since! I know that they too are very excited to be here, they love country music, and they love and respect the Grand Ole Opry so much. Tonight, I hear they may even have a special surprise in store for us! Making their Grand Ole Opry debut, make some noise for Shinedown!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Of course, Shinedown received a standing ovation as they took the stage following Underwood\u2019s speech. Lead vocalist Brent Smith<\/a> greeted the packed house by reflecting<\/a>:<\/p>\n This is our very first time at the Grand Ole Opry. This is massive for us in so many ways. Again, thank you all so, so much for showing up, [and] thank you so much to the Opry for allowing us to play and be in this extraordinary and historical building. This is beyond\u2014it\u2019s surreal, to be totally honest with you. Lot of time with the good moments, you\u2019re at a loss for words. That is very apparent right now. I think the four of us are just trying to soak it in.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n From there, and per setlist.fm<\/a>, they played \u201cA Symptom of Being Human\u201d (from 2022\u2019s Planet Zero<\/em>) and \u201cThree Six Five\u201d (the second single from their upcoming follow-up to Planet Zero<\/em>).<\/p>\n Smith prefaced their set by saying, \u201cLadies and gentlemen, give it up for Carrie Underwood. Let\u2019s go! If you feel so inclined to take your cellphones out right now and show us what the stars look like tonight in Nashville, we\u2019d be much obliged for this first song.\u201d<\/p>\n Similarly, he introduced \u201cThree Six Five\u201d by remarking:<\/p>\n As human beings, we have an interesting relationship with death. By a show of hands in this building right now, if you recently lost somebody that meant the absolute world to you and they\u2019re no longer on this planet, I want you to raise your hand. Don\u2019t be shy, it\u2019s okay. Here\u2019s the thing: when someone passes away, how do we comfort our own? We say, \u201cI\u2019m so sorry for your loss. I can\u2019t believe they\u2019re gone.\u201d But, the truth is, they\u2019re not gone. They\u2019re everywhere, and so tonight, I want you to have some grace with us and I want you to have some faith as well. And be brave.<\/p>\n Do me a favor. I want you to channel that person into the Opry right now, \u2018cause I promise you they\u2019re not gone. They\u2019re right beside you. So, everyone, take a moment to close your eyes and bow your head and just be still. Can you see \u2018em? Remember what they gave you and how they loved you and what they meant to you. They\u2019re not gone. They\u2019re right beside you.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Afterward, Smith preceded the performance of \u201cSearchlight\u201d by asking the crowd: \u201cWould you like to hear the debut of a song that no one has heard?\u201d Of course, the crowd cheered, prompting Smith to continue:<\/p>\n Sometimes, if you\u2019ll listen close enough to the universe and you\u2019re willing to receive something from it, . . . \u00a0a song can kind of come out of thin air is something that we don\u2019t\u2019 take for granted. That\u2019s essentially what happened with this next song. We didn’t find it; it found us. This is the debut of a song that we like to call \u201cSearchlight.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The song itself is a soft and reflective ballad led by acoustic guitars, dynamic changes into more intense instrumentation and Smith\u2019s trademark emotional cadence. Upon finishing \u201cSearchlight,\u201d the audience once again erupts with applause as Smith humbly thanks them.<\/p>\n Last night (Oct. 11), Shinedown shared a snippet of \u201cSearchlight\u201d to social media<\/a>, commenting: \u201cLast night was a dream come true for us. Couldn\u2019t have imagined a more perfect stage to introduce our forthcoming single “Searchlight”… it’s about trusting your light, even in the dark.\u201d<\/p>\n You can view Underwood\u2019s introduction, the full performance of \u201cSearchlight\u201d and other images and clips from the performance below:<\/p>\n READ MORE: Why Shinedown’s Zach Myers Defends Using Backing Tracks During Concerts<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n 01. \u201cA Symptom of Being Human\u201d Expectedly, Shinedown\u2019s Grand Ole Opry debut was a huge success, with many fans sharing their appreciation of and excitement for the band on social media.<\/p>\n Specifically, one person on Instagram replied to the Opry\u2019s clip of Underwood\u2019s introduction by stating: \u201cYou guys did amazing and Searchlight was beyond beautiful. I really hope that\u2019s the next single!! Maybe?\u201d Another user replied: \u201cI love everything about this!!\u201d<\/p>\n As for the clip of \u201cShinedown\u201d shared by Shinedown on Instagram, it was similarly adored. \u201cWow you guys played the Grand Ole Opry ! You sound so good ! But Hell you would sound good singing the telephone book ! Love the new song,\u201d one fan wrote.<\/p>\n Someone else was similarly enthusiastic: \u201cThis is Shinedown\u2019s next #1 song on multiple platforms. Absolutely amazing! Was so glad to see it person! Best musical experience ever!\u201d<\/p>\n You can see those reactions \u2013 and more \u2013 below:<\/p>\n Prior to the performance, guitarist Zach Myers<\/a> (who was born in Memphis, Tennessee) told Nashville newspaper The Tennessean<\/a><\/em>: \u201cI do this thing at the end of every show where I go to the very highest point in the arena after everyone’s gone and I just sit there for sometimes it’s two minutes, sometimes it’s 20 minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n He continued: \u201cI do it to remind myself I was that kid up there. And also to think about how grateful I am to be where I am, but also go, ‘How do I play to this kid tomorrow night?'”<\/p>\n Myers also said that he talks to his nine-year-old son, Oliver, about the tradition:<\/p>\n At first [Oliver] was like, \u201cWhy do we come up here every night?\u201d I told him, \u201cI was the kid who couldn’t afford to come to these shows. And God willing, if I did come, this is where I sat.\u201d I said that I wanted to be in this seat to remember how far I’ve come and be appreciative of what we have. He really took to that and after like the third time, he would ask, \u201cAre we going up tonight?\u201d and I was like, \u201cOh buddy, we go up every night.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Regarding the significance of the Grand Ole Opry show in particular, Myers reflected: “The Opry to me is way ahead of Madison Square Garden because every weekend as a child was spent listening to the Grand Ole Opry or watching it on TV with my grandmother.\u201d<\/p>\n He elaborated:<\/p>\n The only definition I can think of to describe the Opry is \u201cheaven on earth.\u201d I couldn’t be more excited. If you asked me if it was this or Madison Square Garden, I’m picking the Opry every time. . . . I got my first text and I hate name dropping, but the day we announced it, like five minutes later, I got a text from Carrie Underwood saying, \u201cYou are playing the Opry!\u201d I told her I couldn’t believe it.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Shinedown will be playing a handful of U.S. shows toward the end of November and through December, with several stops on the iHeart Radio Jingle Ball<\/a> tour. You can view all their upcoming tour dates \u2013 and grab tickets \u2013 here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Four of the biggest, most successful and most influential rock bands of the 2000s \u2014 and luckily they’re all still active today.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Lauryn Schaffner<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nMore About Shinedown\u2019s Grand Ole Opry Set + \u201cSearchlight\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Shinedown Grand Ole Opry Setlist (Oct. 10, 2025)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
02. \u201cThree Six Five\u201d
03. \u201cSearchlight\u201d (live debut + song debut)
via setlist.fm<\/a><\/em><\/p>\nCarrie Underwood Introduces Shinedown + Shinedown, \u201cA Symptom of Being Human\u201d (Oct. 10, 2025)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Shinedown, \u201cThree Six Five\u201d (Oct. 10, 2025)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Shinedown, \u201cSearchlight\u201d (Oct. 10, 2025)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Other Photos + Clips<\/strong><\/h3>\n
How Have Fans Reacted to Shinedown\u2019s Performance?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
What Did Guitarist Zach Myers Say About\u00a0Shinedown’s Career Milestones?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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What Else Is Happening With Shinedown?<\/strong><\/h3>\nThe ‘Big 4’ Bands of 2000s Rock<\/h2>\n