Updated September 23, 2021 27.9k votes 4.5k voters 376.8k views
List Rules
Vote up the acts you wouldn't expect to see on a stage next to a turkey leg booth and a petting zoo.
When musicians dream of hitting the big time, they usually picture a grand tour of the world's arenas and stadiums, where they can rock fans by the millions. While anyone can dream, when you run into once prominent musicians at the county fair, it's safe to say that they're not on their way to stadium status.
Really though, what's wrong with playing smaller, more local shows? There are lots of hit musicians who played county fairs, and they don't seem to be ashamed. Sure, there are plenty of insane things to uncover at the county fair, but a gig's a gig. It doesn't matter if it's a 50,000-seat stadium, or something a bit more, well, intimate.
Backstage life at the county fair is a little different from playing stadiums. When you lead the rock and roll lifestyle, some crazy things can happen, but for the bands who wound up at the fair, the craziest thing that'll happen is a wholehearted binge of turkey legs and deep friend Oreos. The drinks might not be comped, but when you've released a triple-platinum record, you can splurge on a giant, $12 cup of lemonade.
Queen Latifah's rap career started in the late '80s, and she soon became one of the most respected figures in hip-hop. Hits like "Ladies First" and "U.N.I.T.Y." proved she was an MC who could deliver a powerful message.
Blondie has unarguably experienced great mainstream success; hits like "Heart Of Glass" and "Call Me" were virtually inescapable when they were first released. The band broke up in the '80s, but then reformed in the '90s, and has been touring regularly ever since.
Sometimes, touring takes them to the occasional fairground; they played the LA County Fair in 2016, the Illinois State Fair in 2010, and the Wisconsin State Fair in 1999. In addition to touring, Blondie hasn't stopped writing new music; they released the album Pollinatorin 2017.
Genres (Music): Hip hop music, Pop punk, New Wave, Classic rock, Disco
Albums: Parallel Lines, Heart of Glass, Blondie, Eat to the Beat, The Platinum Collection
In the late '70s and early '80s, Styx was known for dominating the airwaves and packing stadiums across the country. Songs like "Come Sail Away" and "Too Much Time on My Hands" are written to reverberate across arenas, but they still seem to work when played at the fair.
For over 20 years now, Styx has basically been owning the fair circuit, showing other classic rock bands that state and county fairs are a great way to extend a group's career. In 1991, Styx played fairs in Illinois, Indiana, and New York, and the band hasn't looked back since.
Genres (Music): Pop music, Rock music, Heavy metal, Pop rock, Progressive rock
Albums: The Grand Illusion, Paradise Theatre, Pieces of Eight, Kilroy Was Here, Cyclorama
In the '90s, Boyz II Men were pretty much THE male vocal group. "One Sweet Day," their collaboration with Mariah Carey, ruled the top of the charts for 16 straight weeks. On top of that, they released the hit tracks "I'll Make Love To You," and "On Bended Knee," to name a few.
Despite their success, Boyz II Men still plays the occasional fair, including the 2017 LA County Fair. While this news might leave some fans distraught, Boyz II Men is still doing quite well; just because they're playing fairs doesn't mean they've come to the end of the road.
Genres (Music): Hip hop music, Pop music, Contemporary R&B, New jack swing, Rhythm and blues
Albums: Christmas Interpretations, II, Evolution, The Remix Collection, Full Circle
Despite all this, the band is no longer selling out arenas. On the contrary, you can frequently find them performing at county fairs. Their first recorded fair performance dates back to 1987, when they played New York's Orange County Fair, and they've only increased their fair presence in the last decade.
Genres (Music): Blue-eyed soul, New wave, Pop, Power pop, Rhythm & blues
Albums: Sports, Fore!, Picture This, (She's) Some Kind of Wonderful, Small World
