Austin City Limits Drops Massive 2026 Lineup for Its 25th Anniversary

ACL just went and did it. The 25th anniversary lineup for Austin City Limits Music Festival is here, and it's a statement. Charli XCX, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Twenty One Pilots, Lorde, and The xx top the bill across both weekends at Zilker Park in Austin, TX. The festival runs October 2–4 and October 9–11, and tickets went on sale today, May 5th, at 12:00 p.m. CT over at aclfestival.com.

Twenty-five years of this festival. That's a real milestone for something that's become one of the defining events on the American festival calendar, and the organizers clearly wanted the lineup to reflect that. This isn't just a solid bill. It's arguably one of ACL's strongest top-to-bottom rosters in years.

The Headliners

Charli XCX headlining ACL feels inevitable at this point. The Brat era turned her from a pop innovator into a full-blown cultural force, and she followed that up with the Wuthering Heights soundtrack earlier this year, which debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart. Now there's talk of a rock-leaning next album in the works. By the time October rolls around, who knows what version of Charli we're getting. That's part of the excitement.

Lorde is in the middle of her Ultrasound World Tour supporting Virgin, her fourth studio album released in June 2025. That tour kicked off in Austin back in September 2025, so there's a nice full-circle moment bringing her back to close out a Zilker Park stage. She's been all over the globe this year, from New Zealand and Australia to European festivals, and she'll be riding serious momentum by October.

Twenty One Pilots are coming off their album Breach from September 2025, and if you've ever caught them at a festival, you know they bring a completely different energy to a headlining set. They're one of those bands that genuinely knows how to own a massive outdoor stage.

The xx rounding out the headliner tier is a real one. They've been a festival staple since their breakthrough, and seeing them in a closing set at ACL's 25th anniversary just makes sense.

Weekend Exclusives

Here's where the weekend split gets interesting. Skrillex is locked in as a Weekend 1 exclusive, giving that first frame a serious electronic anchor. Kings of Leon take the Weekend 2 slot, which gives rock fans a strong reason to opt for the second run. Brandon Flowers is also Weekend 1 only, while Natasha Bedingfield, Houndmouth, and Brigitte Calls Me Baby are Weekend 2. Honestly, both weekends look strong enough that you can't really go wrong.

The Undercard Is Deep

I'll be real, the mid-tier is where this lineup really shines. Turnstile, Amyl and the Sniffers, Blood Orange, The War on Drugs, Bleachers, Lykke Li, Labrinth, Geese, Parcels, and SOFI TUKKER all on one bill? That's a full festival experience before you even get to the headliners.

The further down you go, the more interesting it gets. Snow Strippers, Fcukers, CMAT, Underscores (Weekend 1), Suki Waterhouse, Paris Paloma, Ryan Beatty, and Finn Wolfhard are all on this thing. There's also a strong Latin contingent with Young Miko, Rodrigo y Gabriela, and more representing. ACL has always done a solid job mixing genres, and this year is no different.

Homegrown Texas Representation

ACL has always made a point of putting Austin and Texas artists on the bill, and this year's crop is no exception. Asleep At The Wheel (Weekend 1), Calder Allen, Cure For Paranoia, and the Huston-Tillotson University Jazz Collective (Weekend 2) are among the local names filling out the nine stages. It's one of those things that keeps ACL feeling connected to Austin and not just another traveling festival brand.

Streaming on Disney+ and Hulu

If you can't make it to Zilker Park, Disney+ and Hulu will stream select live performances, interviews, and more across all three days of Weekend 1. The broadcast lineup and full schedule will drop later this summer.

Tickets and What to Know

3-Day General Admission passes start at $365, with GA+, VIP, and Platinum tiers also available. There's no price difference between Weekend 1 and Weekend 2, even with the differing lineups. Single day tickets and the by-day lineup breakdown will be announced at a future date. Hotel and festival experience packages are also available. You can grab passes and get all the details at aclfestival.com.

It's also worth noting that ACL Festival, in partnership with Austin Parks Foundation, has generated more than $79 million towards improvements to Zilker Park and parks across Austin since 2006. So your ticket money goes further than just the music.

Honestly, this is the kind of lineup that makes you want to plan the whole trip around it. Two weekends, nine stages, a quarter century of history. Don't sit on this one.

Cover photo courtesy of Ticketmaster