The 6 Best Lollapalooza 2026 Sets We’ll Be Thinking About Until Next Summer
Still incredibly impressed by Haute and Freddy improvising songs on stage.
After I attended Lollapalooza for the first time last summer, I already knew I had to make my way back to Chicago for round two. I missed half the fun last time since I was only there for two days of the four-day festivities. I saw everyone from Remi Wolf and Djo to Cosmo cover girls Sabrina Carpenter and Doechii take their respective stages at Grant Park, and this time, I’ve decided to do something more ambitious and attend all four days of the fan-favorite music fest.
Lollapalooza’s 2026 lineup is one of the best I’ve seen this festival circuit. (That’s not to say Bieberchella won’t be remembered fondly.) Lolla is bringing the heat with rising stars staking their claim, seasoned vets doing what they do best, and some older playlist rotations making their comebacks. And, because the lineup is seriously stacked, from Zara Larsson and Olivia Dean to YUNGBLUD and Lil Uzi Vert, I set out to catch as many of the 170 sets as I possibly could all weekend.
As always, I’m ranking my top non-headlining sets, since it’s not fair to compare them to that production value. (Not everyone can do it like Cosmo’s latest cover girl Jennie!) Here are the 6 best Lollapalooza sets of 2026, ranked by a longtime live-show lover and festival VIP.
5 Seconds of Summer
As someone who grew up in the golden age of Twitter and Tumblr as a teen, I must admit that I’ve got a soft spot for 5SOS. The Sydney-born childhood friends have been at this since 2011, and 15 years later, they’ve taken over the main stage of Lollapalooza. Their current musical era sees an epic evolution of the core four, two of whom are married and raising families of their own, as they navigate adulthood while being one of the most beloved boy bands of recent history. (I’d argue they never really fit that bill and were only ever put in that box because they had their big break opening for One Direction on tour.)
Their set was not only nostalgia-pilled thanks to hits like “Amnesia” and “She Looks So Perfect”—which they later reprised during sombr’s set—but they also proved they were in on the “boyband” of it all with satirical nods to music docs and tabloids of the Y2K era. The band’s latest record was made to be shared with a crowd—and as Calum Hood, Ashton Irwin, Luke Hemmings, and Michael Clifford looked out to nearly 100,000 people during their early evening slot, their mission statement couldn’t have been clearer with a callback to one of Clifford’s famous social posts: “Real bands save fans, real fans save bands.”
Leon Thomas
There’s something especially delicious about experiencing a live set from the side stage, and I was lucky enough to experience Leon Thomas’s silky smooth vocals that way during his Lolla debut. The Grammy winner took the fest’s main stage in the middle of a muddy day, but that didn’t stop the crowd from giving him their all.
The artist not only showcased his vocal chops, but played several instruments throughout his set. I was completely blown away by his drummer until Leon himself hopped behind the kit to work his magic. He was then joined by BabyChiefDoit to surprise perform “Ghetto Love Story,” which I can confidently say had the audience in a chokehold. Despite the mellow melodies that flowed through the crowd thanks to tracks from projects like PHOLKS and MUTT, the reigning prince of R&B kept the energy incredibly high.
ADÉLA
Being an early adopter of ADÉLA when she was a KATSEYE hopeful on Netflix’s Pop Star Academy has always been vindicating. After her Lollapalooza debut on the festival’s final day, I still found myself enamored by the Slovak pop diva as she introduced a whole new crowd to her ambitious and infectious discography. Though she hasn’t even dropped her debut album yet, ADÉLA drew in one of the larger daytime crowds at Lolla thanks to her en pointe choreography mixed with the grittiness of her sequined microshorts and magenta tinseled hair as she opened her set with “KGB.” Before introducing tracks like “SUPERSCAR” and “Ain’t in L.A.,” her larger-than-life personality peeked through as she gave sweet shoutouts to her mom and had the crowd wish her 14-year-old sister a happy birthday.
She was perched in the same crowd that watched KATSEYE take the main stage last festival season, and a year later, she completely dominated and proved that insatiable hunger can really take you places.
MUNA
Lolla marked my third time seeing MUNA, and let’s just say they live up to being the self-proclaimed “Greatest Band in the World.” To witness three queer folks take center stage and effortlessly command a crowd with their undeniable swagger was a clear reminder that this is what it’s all about. The trio made their way through fan favorites like “One That Got Away” and “What I Want” and even introduced songs from their latest record, Dancing on the Wall. The energy felt electric as Chicago-bred frontwoman Katie Gavin celebrated this major milestone—alongside her bandmates and college best friends, Naomi McPherson and Jo Maskin—after moving to L.A. and taking a chance on music.
At the time, they wrote the beloved anthem, “I Know a Place,” which still resonates nearly a decade later. As we sang every word, danced with strangers, and came together to rejoice and reclaim our queer joy, I knew this would be another core memory provided by MUNA.
Haute and Freddy
Before fans (read: me) fell in love with Michelle Buzz and Lance Shipp as Haute and Freddy, they were known for writing some major pop songs for other artists. (Ahem, “Never Really Over” by Katy Perry, anyone?) The duo’s theatrical blend of ’80s-inspired synths and vintage aesthetics, plus some whimsical lore of being circus runaways-turned-performing artists, is more than enough to draw a crowd.
Between improvising songs on the spot and debuting a new track, “Touch Touch,” Michelle’s pristine vocal chops and larger-than-life persona thrived during their daytime slot on the festival’s main stage. That, mixed with Lance’s multifaceted musical talents on the drums and keys, made for an incredible time and a fabulous start to my entire weekend, though their set was cut halfway through their final song and fan favorite, “Shy Girl.” Watching their debut album, Big Disgrace—which is a perfect pop record, might I add—come to life brought the biggest smile to my face. And it wasn’t drawn on with clown paint.
Slayyyter
Slayyyter summer is officially upon us. She was my most anticipated set of the entire festival after I caught her set at Gov Ball back in June, and I knew it could only get bigger and brighter since she dropped her new track, “brand new chanel$,” and started teasing a “brother” album to Worst Girl in America, which was released earlier this spring. After she was originally scheduled for an evening set on a smaller stage, Lolla listened to the cries of the artist’s devotees and upgraded her to their second-largest stage in the early afternoon. It was the right decision, as she filled up the entire space well before she even stepped on stage.
The Midwestern musician hooked the crowd in the second she kicked off her set with “DANCE…” in a chic DIY fisherman outfit. Backed by a live band and impressive vocals that ranged from pretty melodic runs to screamo-inspired yells, Slayyyter exclusively stuck to songs in the WGiA universe. Everyone jumped, danced, and sang with and without her command, and she never lost the audience for a second.
Slayyyter puts it best on her own track, “$T. LOSER,” where she muses, “I think I get a low bill / But I’m the fucking main event.” It may have been her first time playing the fest, but it sure as hell became a major milestone moment in her career that’ll go down in history.
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