Louder Than Life 2026 Lineup Revealed: Tool and Limp Bizkit Join Iron Maiden and My Chemical Romance
The full lineup for louder than life 2026 has been unveiled, with Tool and Limp Bizkit joining previously announced headliners My Chemical Romance and Iron Maiden. The four-day festival runs Sept. 17–20 at the Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky, and brings almost two hundred acts across rock and metal to the site.
Louder Than Life 2026: headliners and festival dates
Iron Maiden will headline the first day, My Chemical Romance will close Friday night, Limp Bizkit will top Saturday and Tool will close the festival on Sunday. The event is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 17 through Sunday, Sept. 20 at the Expo Center in Louisville, Kentucky, and is presented by promoters identified as DWP.
Tool closes Sunday with Gojira, The Prodigy, Danny Elfman and The Mars Volta
Tool is set to close the entire festival on Sunday. Also appearing that day are Gojira, The Prodigy, Danny Elfman and The Mars Volta, giving the final day a mix of metal, electronic-tinged rock and soundtrack-minded composition on the main stage.
Limp Bizkit headlines Saturday alongside Sublime, Papa Roach, BABYMETAL and Halestorm
Saturday’s headliner is Limp Bizkit. The Saturday card includes Sublime, Papa Roach, BABYMETAL and Halestorm among other acts, creating a line that spans nu metal, ska-inflected rock, kawaii metal and hard-rock radio staples.
Friday’s closer My Chemical Romance and a still-to-be-announced very special guest
My Chemical Romance is scheduled to take the stage to close out Friday night. They will be joined that day by Pierce the Veil, A Day to Remember, The Used and Coheed and Cambria, and the festival has confirmed a still-to-be-announced "very special guest" for Friday.
Thursday’s opening: Iron Maiden with Danzig, Rise Against, Alice Cooper and Pantera’s only U. S. date
Iron Maiden will open the festival on Thursday and will be joined by Danzig, Rise Against and Alice Cooper. Pantera will play Thursday as well in what is billed as its only show in the U. S. during the run, marking a high-profile opening night.
Megadeth’s final-chapter appearance and nearly 200 additional acts
Megadeth will appear at the festival as part of its ongoing final chapter and farewell activity. Organizers say the weekend features almost two hundred other names spanning thrash, punk, emo, prog and crossover acts. Notable listings include Papa Roach, Anthrax, Mac Sabbath, Dethklok, Mastadon, Mastodon, Sabaton, Cavalera (performing the iconic Roots in full), Circa Survive, Ice Nine Kills, Jimmy Eat World, Bilmuri, The Pretty Reckless, Hot Mulligan, Taking Back Sunday, Sleeping With Sirens, In This Moment, Dance Gavin Dance, Chiodos, Black Label Society, Killswitch Engage, Ministry, Skillet, The Warning, Nothing More, Tom Morello, Lindsey Stirling and a truncated listing shown as Black Veil Brid.
Danny Wimmer, DWP and festival experience details
Danny Wimmer of DWP, the promoters behind the festival, described last year’s takeover of Kentucky Kingdom as a record-breaking moment and framed this year’s effort as "the ultimate rock escape. " He invited fans to ride the coasters, catch legendary and emerging bands, enjoy food and bourbon, and dive into the rock experience. Tickets are on sale now in a range of day and weekend combinations, with camping options and partner hotel packages available for booking. The festival presentation also references on-site experiences and hospitality options intended to complement the performances.
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