Hard Rock Cafe and Coca-Cola® Launch Hard Rock Rising Global Music Competition for Emerging Artists
Rising artists worldwide can enter Hard Rock Rising at their local Hard Rock Cafe. The grand prize: a Coke Studio recording session, $10,000, a Hard Rock Orlando performance and more
HOLLYWOOD, Fla., August 4, 2026 – Hard Rock Cafe and Coca Cola today launched Hard Rock Rising. The music competition spans 34 countries and 64 Hard Rock Cafes, giving emerging artists a career launching stage.
For more than five decades, breakthrough artists and legends have taken the stage at Hard Rock Cafes. Coca Cola has built a global platform for musicians through Coke Studio L.A. Live. Now, the two brands are joining forces to help singer songwriters, bands and DJs launch their careers.
Hard Rock Rising unfolds as a series of live performances at participating Cafes. Local fan votes advance artists round by round. The Coke Studio team then selects one grand prize winner who earns a recording session, $10,000, a performance at Hard Rock Orlando and more.
Artist submissions are open now through August 18, with four live competition rounds running September 2, 9, 16 and 23. The global winner will be announced October 5.
“Hard Rock Cafes have always connected people through the power of music with local artist residencies, open mic events, Battle of the Bands competitions, and pop culture memorabilia,” said Eric Martino, President of Hard Rock Cafe and Retail at Hard Rock International. “Now, Hard Rock Rising is a natural extension of that mission to empower emerging artists to perform their original music. Together with Coca-Cola, we're proud to provide a platform where musicians can be seen, heard and celebrated in their communities, and for the winner, around the world.”
Multi platinum, GRAMMY and Juno nominated executive producer Rob Rettberg leads the Coke Studio team. The Los Angeles facility houses a professional recording studio built for career launching sessions, giving the winning singer songwriter, band or DJ a genuine industry platform.
“This partnership taps into Hard Rock's unparalleled reach and iconic stages while leveraging Coke Studio's production expertise to transform talented musicians into the next generation of recording artists,” said Rettberg.
The competition is amplified by a full Hard Rock Rising lineup, from a limited-time menu with cocktails made with Coca-Cola products for fans watching the live performances, to collectible merchandise available at Rock Shops® and shop.hardrock.com.
Extending the competition's celebration of music and self-expression beyond the stage, Hard Rock is partnering with Cult of Individuality, the streetwear brand renowned for its deep roots in music culture and strong connection to today's artists and fans. Together, the brands will launch a limited-edition Hard Rock Rising tee and an exclusive co-branded apparel collection, bringing the spirit of emerging music talent into fashion.
The Search Is On
Every performance is a chance for friends, family and new fans to champion local artists, helping emerging talent build a real following in their own hometowns.
The competition kicks off in September. Each participating Cafe will host up to nine acts across four live rounds, with singer songwriters, bands and DJs all welcome. In every round, the audience becomes the judge, voting in real time via a mobile app. Fans score each artist on Musicianship, Fan Support, Vocal Talent, Originality and Stage Presence.
In the fourth and final round, each Cafe will crown a local winner with a cash prize and opportunity for a three-month paid residency. Every local champion then advances to the global round. There, the Coke Studio team reviews recorded performances from all 64 Cafe winners and names the grand prize winner on October 5.
The selected artist will receive a career-launching package:
- World-class recording session at Coke Studio L.A. Live, including flights and accommodation
- Music distribution across all major streaming platforms
- Performance at Hard Rock Orlando
- Two-night stay at Hard Rock Hotel Orlando with passes to Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure
- $10,000 cash prize
- An exclusive assortment of Marshall amplifiers and accessories
A Menu to Match the Moment
From August 17 to September 30, participating Hard Rock Cafes will serve a limited time menu for fans to enjoy while cheering on local artists. Perfect for bringing a crew to cheer on fan-favorite bands, these shareable bites and vibrant cocktails are designed to bring the excitement of the evening and the victory celebrations that follow.
- Thai Peanut Brussels Sprouts: Crispy Brussels sprouts tossed in a ginger and soy gastrique, finished with crushed peanuts, toasted sesame, chili, lime zest and scallion
- BBQ Pulled Beef Sliders: Slow-braised pulled beef piled high on soft buns with tangy coleslaw, crispy onions, pickled Fresno peppers and house BBQ sauce
- Lemon & Lime Black Pepper Wings: Jumbo wings glazed in charred citrus, served with pickled onions and fresh cilantro
- Barbacoa Beef Queso: Braised barbacoa beef folded into creamy house queso, topped with pico de gallo, pickled jalapeños and scallions
- Cheesecake Dip: A decadent whipped cheesecake dip with a brown-butter graham crumble, served with cinnamon-sugar pretzel bites, seasonal fruit and whipped cream
The menu also features a selection of exclusive cocktails and mocktails featuring Coca-Cola products, including:
- Last Call Dragonrita: A vibrant tequila and triple sec cocktail with dragon fruit syrup, shaken with fresh strawberries and blackberries, topped with Sprite
- Orange Cream Soda: A creamy, nostalgic mocktail made with Orange Fanta, vanilla syrup and cream
- Spiced Yuzu Soda: A citrus-forward whiskey cocktail made with Coca-Cola, yuzu purée and spiced brown sugar; also available spirit-free
34 Countries, One Iconic Tee
Limited edition Hard Rock Rising merchandise arrives at select Rock Shops® and shop.hardrock.com on August 17. The collection centers on a campaign tee with the Hard Rock logo on the front and all 34 participating country names on the back. It also includes exclusive apparel and a collectible pin.
Artists ready to take the stage can apply now through August 18. Each application must include two original songs. For submissions, rules, competition details and participating Cafe locations, visit cafe.hardrock.com/hard rock rising.
Media Contact
Jonathan Goldman, [email protected]
About Hard Rock®
Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies with venues in nearly 80 countries spanning more than 300 venues including owned/licensed or managed Hotels, Casinos, Rock Shops®, Live Performance Locations and Cafes. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world's largest and most valuable collection of authentic music memorabilia with more than 89,000 pieces displayed at locations around the globe. The Unity™ by Hard Rock global loyalty program rewards members for doing the things they love across participating properties. In addition, Hard Rock Digital spotlights the sports betting and iGaming experience with products remixed in the spirit of Hard Rock for players worldwide.
HRI has received numerous industry, destination and workplace awards across the travel, hospitality, gaming, entertainment and food & beverage sectors. HRI currently holds investment grades from primary investment-grade rating agencies: S&P Global Ratings (BBB), Moody's Investors Service (Baa2), and Fitch Ratings (BBB). For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com or shop.hardrock.com.
