The top of the lineup includes Charli XCX, RÜFÜS DU SOL, Twenty One Pilots, Lorde and The xx.

There is one particularly important difference between the two weekends: Skrillex headlines Weekend One, while Kings of Leon take the equivalent headline position during Weekend Two.

That gives ACL a remarkably varied headline programme.

Electronic music sits alongside alternative pop, indie rock and arena-scale rock, reflecting the increasingly genre-neutral nature of the world’s biggest general music festivals.

Who else is playing Austin City Limits 2026?

More than 100 artists are expected to perform across nine stages.

Among the other major artists announced are Turnstile, Lola Young, Young Miko, The Chainsmokers, Labrinth, Leon Thomas, Geese, The War on Drugs, Bleachers, Blood Orange and Lykke Li.

There are also differences between weekends beyond Skrillex and Kings of Leon.

Brandon Flowers is scheduled for Weekend One while Natasha Bedingfield appears during Weekend Two. Rebecca Black is another Weekend One exclusive.

Those differences make choosing between ACL weekends slightly more complicated than simply buying whichever dates are convenient.

ACL celebrates 25 years

Austin City Limits has developed dramatically since its first edition in 2002, eventually becoming a three-day festival repeated across two consecutive weekends.

Its 2026 lineup shows why the format works.

Charli XCX and Lorde sit comfortably next to Twenty One Pilots, RÜFÜS DU SOL and The xx. Skrillex can headline one weekend while Kings of Leon replace him the next.

Meanwhile, artists including Turnstile, Geese, Blood Orange and The War on Drugs provide substantial depth underneath the biggest names.

When is Austin City Limits 2026?

Weekend One: 2–4 October 2026.

Weekend Two: 9–11 October 2026.

Both take place at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas.

With a 25th anniversary to celebrate and one of its broadest lineups yet, Austin City Limits 2026 should once again be one of the biggest music events of the US festival season.