Lollapalooza 2026 predictions: Our totally unscientific picks

It’s about that time of year when rumors start swirling over who will play Lollapalooza in late July/early August. We made some predictions on the artists that seem guaranteed and those that may be a total long shot, with additional input from our Vocalo colleague Morgan Ciocca. To be clear, we have zero insider scoop and will be patiently waiting for the lineup to drop this spring like everyone else — but in the meantime, it is fun to dream.

Let's take the temperature of likely — and less likely — performers at this year's Lollapalooza.

Lorde (Temp: 99 Degrees)
Count on the star to get a “green light” to a headlining spot at Lolla this year. Her 2025 album “Virgin” was a gorgeous dance pop affair that’s going to be featured heavily on the festival circuit this year, including Governor’s Ball, Bottle Rock, New Orleans Jazz Fest and several international editions of Lollapalooza (hint, hint).

Sombr (Temp: 97 Degrees)
After surviving an attempted TikTok takedown that went viral last year, the chatter on Sombr has not quieted. The New York bedroom pop artist, who has drawn comparisons to Jeff Buckley and Mick Jagger, has consistently sold out tour dates and was nominated as a Grammy Best New Artist. After Coachella and Bottle Rock, his next stop should be Lolla.

Geese (Temp: 95 Degrees)
Love ’em or hate ’em, Geese is likely to be heading Midwest for the summer. The polarizing rock band (and recent “Saturday Night Live” alums) already have a packed festival slate with Coachella, Governor’s Ball, Bonnaroo and Hinterland on the docket, and Lollapalooza would be senseless not to capitalize on the latest Gen Z crush.

Olivia Dean (Temp: 92 Degrees)
She’s the woman we need — and will likely get — at Lolla this year. The British songbird was just named Grammys Best New Artist, a category that fest organizers have routinely pulled from (see: Olivia, Billie, Dua, Chappell). Her tour breaks in late July/early August, right after hitting nearby Minneapolis, so expect to see her in Grant Park.

Yungblud (Temp: 87 Degrees)
As the name suggests, the UK artist has been injecting new blood into the rock world the past few years, reaching a tipping point with his tribute to Ozzy Osbourne at the Back to the Beginning concert last summer. If all the attention isn’t convincing enough, consider that there’s no local date on his widespread summer tour, leaving a gap for Lolla to fill.

Jelly Roll (Temp: 85 Degrees)
Last year, Lolla took a big swing with its first country music headliner, Luke Combs, and it paid off. Organizers will likely follow suit in 2026, with our bets on Jelly Roll, the genre’s man of the moment. He also headlines Summerfest in Milwaukee on July 4 and has nothing on the calendar after July 28; maybe he’ll bring tourmate Post Malone with him, too.

Saba (Temp: 82 Degrees)
“I really think this might be the year,” said Ciocca about the Chicago-based rapper finally receiving prime-time Lolla treatment in 2026. Saba’s John Walt Day Foundation has routinely worked with the festival on opportunities for young, local up-and-comers and he has played afternoon slots, but his new record “From the Private Collection of Saba and No I.D.” is a total level-up worthy of a bigger stage.

Karol G (Temp: 80 Degrees)
Lollapalooza’s strides to add diversity to the lineup, particularly with Latin music, will continue to be a focus this year — especially just coming off the attention spurred by the Super Bowl. Karol G could be a solid anchor for the fest; not only is she playing Coachella, but “people loved Karol's album last year, and she was just spotted dancing during Bad Bunny's Half-Time Show,” says Ciocca.

Robyn (Temp: 78 Degrees)
Last year’s Lolla guest spot with Gracie Abrams was just the warmup for the Swedish pop star. Robyn releases “Sexistential” in March, her first new record in nearly a decade, with early singles recalling the fervor of “Dancing On My Own.” Expect her to play all of it at Grant Park this summer while dancing with a lot of company. She just announced a tour stop here for September, but her calendar is wide open in August and we still think Lolla will be part of her itinerary.

Tame Impala (Temp: 75 Degrees)
After Rüfüs Du Sol’s surprise headline spot last year, Tame Impala could be next to bring electronic vibes to the main stage. The group’s trancey light shows and psychedelic fits were made for festivals, but in Chicago, it hasn’t happened since Lollapalooza 2019 and Pitchfork Music Fest 2018. With their beloved new album “Deadbeat,” now is the time.

Violet Grohl (Temp: 73 Degrees)
There’s no chance of getting Foo Fighters this year (they play Soldier Field Aug. 8), but Lolla could take a chance on another Grohl — Dave’s daughter, Violet, for her big breakthrough. The young talent just signed with Republic Records and her first singles — “Thum” and “Applefish” — have that total ’90s Lolla je ne sais quoi.

Cardi B (Temp: 70 Degrees)
Another big hip-hop contender is Cardi B. “You can’t ignore she was in the news all last year,” said Ciocca, citing the rapper’s livestreamed court trial and her long-awaited sophomore album “Am I The Drama?” that dropped in September. Cardi does play United Center in March but it would seem outside of any Lolla exclusivity and likely may happen before the Lolla lineup is even announced.

The 1975 (Temp: 60 Degrees)
The British pop rockers last performed at Lolla in 2023, but this year would be a special occasion as “they’re celebrating a 10th anniversary of ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It,’” Ciocca said. “And with 2016 so trendy right now, they totally fit that vibe.”

Rosé (Temp: 55 Degrees)
Lollapalooza loves K-pop. While it’s nearly guaranteed organizers will book more, the only question is: Who? BTS has a much-anticipated world tour this summer, with a two-night stint at Soldier Field in August, and Blackpink and Seventeen just completed theirs. Instead, Lolla could go the solo route with a chart-topper like Rosé (plus, Bruno Mars has a tour break perfectly timed to pop up for “APT”).

A$AP Rocky (Temp: 45 Degrees)
Yes, A$AP appeared last year, but it wasn’t his finest moment as the set started late (helicopter prop problems) and was cut off at the curfew. Lolla could give him a do-over this year now that the rapper’s long-overdue “Don’t Be Dumb” album finally came out in January. It also features composer Danny Elfman, which would make for a killer collab. But A$AP does have a United Center show in May, so it could be a long shot.

Lana Del Rey (Temp: 42 Degrees)
Del Rey’s new country-tinged album “Stove” is due any day now (at least, it’s been teased that way for a while). If she can get it together in time, Lolla would be a great mass introduction to the new material. But so would Stagecoach, so she may hold off until 2027 for a proper festival appearance.

Lady Gaga (Temp: 40 Degrees)
It’s been a minute since Gaga headlined Lollapalooza, and she is still staging the Mayhem Ball in American cities through April. But the pop star is always one to reinvent and quickly move on to her next phase, so August could be too late to keep up the gothic opera façade. Even so, seeing her next-level production at Grant Park would be worth the admission alone.

Pearl Jam (Temp: 38 Degrees)
The Seattle rock vets have a long history with Lollapalooza, from dominating the festival’s infamous 1992 touring caravan to returning in 2007 and playing international iterations like Brazil in the years since. They could use the platform to introduce their as-yet-unknown new drummer, but without new music since 2024, it’s a big “Wishlist” item.

Harry Styles (Temp: 35 Degrees)
We could have a better shot at a One Direction reunion than seeing Styles play Lolla at this point in his career, but hear us out. With his extensive Mexico City and Madison Square Garden residencies coming up, there’s a big void of other North American dates in 2026, and he does have July 30 and Aug. 2 open. But Ciocca is more of a “Belieber” that the male pop star slot would go to Justin Bieber after he takes on Coachella.

Radiohead (Temp: 30 Degrees)
It may be a chillier prediction, but we’re riding on the rumors that Radiohead may finally tour the U.S. this year and hoping on a wish and a prayer that those plans include Lollapalooza. The band did run through dates in Europe in 2025 so there’s definite signs of life.