Carrie Underwood Reunites With Guns N’ Roses as Rock Album Speculation Grows

Carrie Underwood once again stepped into Guns N’ Roses’ world, joining the legendary rock band onstage in Atlanta for performances of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “Paradise City.”

The September 19 appearance at Truist Park came just one day after reports surfaced that Underwood has been working on new music with guidance from Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose. While neither Underwood nor her team has confirmed that a rock album is in the works, her recent run of rock performances has continued to fuel speculation about a possible change in musical direction.

Carrie Underwood Joins Guns N’ Roses in Atlanta

Underwood’s performance with Guns N’ Roses was not their first time sharing a stage. She previously opened for the rock legends in 2023 and has performed with the group before.

This time, however, the appearance arrived amid growing reports that Underwood may be exploring a more rock-oriented sound.

During the Atlanta concert, she joined the band for “Sweet Child O’ Mine” before taking part in “Paradise City.” Video from the show shows Underwood confidently handling the Guns N’ Roses material alongside Axl Rose and the rest of the group.

After the concert, Underwood shared photos from the night on social media.

“Yet another amazing show from @gunsnroses … this time in #Atlanta @truistpark,” she wrote, thanking Rose, Duff McKagan, Slash, Dizzy Reed, Isaac Carpenter and the rest of the band’s crew for having her onstage.

Why the Rock Album Rumors Are Growing

Underwood has not announced that her next album will be a rock project, and there has been no official confirmation of a departure from her country and Christian roots.

Still, her recent performances have made the speculation harder to ignore.

On September 5, Underwood performed at the Velocity Festival in Dyersville, Iowa, where she moved well beyond her usual country repertoire. Her set included covers of Collective Soul’s “Shine,” Papa Roach’s “Scars,” Linkin Park’s “One Step Closer” and Limp Bizkit’s “Break Stuff.”

The unexpected setlist offered another glimpse of Underwood embracing rock and nu-metal material, shortly before reports emerged that Axl Rose had been advising her as she explores new music.

According to TMZ, sources said Underwood has been working on music that differs from the country sound associated with her previous albums, with Rose serving as a mentor as she experiments with rock. Those claims remain unconfirmed by Underwood herself.

A New Direction After ‘Denim & Rhinestones’?

Underwood’s most recent album is Denim & Rhinestones, which was released in 2022.

If the reports prove accurate, a rock-focused project would represent a significant shift from the sound that has defined much of her recording career. There is also precedent for a major country artist making that kind of move: Dolly Parton released a full rock album in 2023.

For now, though, Underwood has not publicly confirmed what comes next.

What is clear is that she has been spending considerably more time around rock music — from covering major nu-metal songs at an Iowa festival to sharing the stage with Guns N’ Roses in Atlanta.

And with Axl Rose reportedly offering guidance, her latest performance has only added another chapter to the growing questions about where Carrie Underwood’s music could go next.