Louder Than Life 2026: Full Lineup Revealed with Tool and Limp Bizkit Joining Iron Maiden and My Chemical Romance
Louder Than Life 2026 has revealed its full roster for the four-day festival running Thursday through Sunday, and organizers are billing it as one of the largest rock and metal gatherings of the year. The announcement matters now because it confirms day-by-day headliners, a near-200-act bill and ticketing packages for the September event in Louisville.
Headliners: Iron Maiden, My Chemical Romance, Limp Bizkit and Tool
The festival will be anchored by four named headliners. Iron Maiden tops the opening night; My Chemical Romance closes the main stage on Friday; Limp Bizkit headlines Saturday; and Tool will close the entire festival on Sunday. Megadeth is also on the bill and will perform as part of what organizers describe as the band’s final chapter or farewell run.
Thursday at the Expo Center: Iron Maiden and Pantera
Thursday’s slate at the Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky, is led by Iron Maiden and includes Danzig, Rise Against and Alice Cooper. Pantera will perform on Thursday in what is identified as its only U. S. show on the schedule.
Friday: My Chemical Romance and a still-to-be-announced very special guest
My Chemical Romance is set to close Friday night. The Friday lineup also highlights Pierce The Veil, A Day To Remember, The Used and Coheed and Cambria, and organizers have confirmed there is a still-to-be-announced “very special guest” scheduled for that evening.
Saturday bills Limp Bizkit alongside Sublime, Papa Roach, BABYMETAL and Halestorm
Saturday’s headliner slot belongs to Limp Bizkit. That night features Sublime, Papa Roach, BABYMETAL and Halestorm among the acts named for the second day of the festival.
Sunday closer Tool and the Sunday lineup
Tool will close Louder Than Life 2026 on Sunday. Gojira, The Prodigy, Danny Elfman and The Mars Volta are also scheduled to play on the final day.
Bill depth: almost two hundred bands and notable set details
Organizers list almost two hundred acts spanning rock and metal. The extended roster includes, in addition to the headliners and acts already mentioned: Pantera, Pierce The Veil, Gojira, Danny Elfman, The Prodigy, Sublime, Papa Roach, A Day To Remember, BABYMETAL, Megadeth, Danzig, Halestorm, Rise Against, Alice Cooper, Sabaton, Cavalera (which will perform Roots in full), Circa Survive, Ice Nine Kills, Jimmy Eat World, The Mars Volta, Mastodon, The Used, Bilmuri, Coheed and Cambria, The Pretty Reckless, Hot Mulligan, Taking Back Sunday, Sleeping With Sirens, In This Moment, Dance Gavin Dance, Chiodos, Black Label Society, Killswitch Engage, Anthrax, Ministry, Cavalera, Skillet, The Warning, Nothing More, Tom Morello, Lindsey Stirling, Dethklok and a partial listing that includes a truncated entry shown as Black Veil Brid. Other names called out in earlier summaries include Papa Roach, Anthrax, Mac Sabbath, Dethklok and Mastodon.
Tickets, packages and festival positioning
The event runs Thursday, September 17 through Sunday, September 20. Tickets are on sale with a variety of day and weekend combinations, camping options and partner hotel packages. Organizers emphasize that the festival will return with expanded offerings after last year’s large footprint at Kentucky Kingdom; promoter Danny Wimmer of DWP framed the event as a comprehensive rock escape, urging attendees to ride coasters, catch both legendary and emerging bands, enjoy food and bourbon, and “dive headfirst into the rock experience” before adding “we’ll see you soon. ” Because the lineup and packages have been finalized, ticketing and travel options are being marketed immediately to prospective attendees.
Editorial and site notes
The announcement materials include an editorial notice that purchases through on-site links may generate an affiliate commission. The publisher material also highlights several newsletters tied to the music coverage: a weekly rundown of staff highlights, a Classic Rock newsletter with reviews and features, a Metal Hammer newsletter that positions itself for metal fans, and a Prog newsletter delivering prog-specific coverage on Fridays.
Technical prompt seen during coverage
A site message seen alongside early coverage reminded readers that the publisher built its platform to use current web technologies in order to provide a faster, easier experience for readers and warned that older browsers may not be supported, recommending users download a modern browser for the best result.
What makes this notable is the combination of a four-night, headliner-focused schedule and the depth of the supporting bill: with nearly 200 names and single-show U. S. appearances, the lineup is positioned to draw both day visitors and multi-day campers to Louisville in mid-September.
