Wine. Music. Madness.
Your complete guide to BottleRock 2026 — the headliners, the hidden gems, the AfterDark secrets, and everything in between.
The First Taste of Summer
Returns to Wine Country
Memorial Day Weekend, Napa Valley, and a lineup that reads like someone gave a music fan unlimited budget and zero genre restrictions. That’s BottleRock 2026 — and this year, the organizers have outdone themselves.
From May 22 to 24 at the legendary Napa Valley Expo, BottleRock returns for another sun-soaked, Cabernet-fueled, eardrum-rattling celebration of everything we love about live music. This isn’t just a festival. It’s a philosophy: that the best moments happen when a world-class rock band is playing 50 yards from where someone is pairing a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir with wagyu sliders.
The 2026 edition spans five stages, more than 80 artists, and a musical vision so eclectic it practically dares you to pick a favorite set. Foo Fighters are back. The Backstreet Boys are coming for your nostalgia. Lorde is bringing the brooding poetry. And after the festival wraps each night, a whole separate universe of shows — BottleRock AfterDark — is waiting to keep the party alive across Napa and the Bay Area.
Let’s break it all down.
The Headliners:
Stars Built for This Stage
BottleRock has always understood something other festivals don’t: the headliner isn’t just the biggest name — it’s the right name. For 2026, they’ve stacked the billing with artists who each represent something completely distinct.
The Grammy-winning provocateur brings her signature cinematic gravity to the hills of Napa. Her sets are less concert and more ritual — hypnotic, emotionally intelligent, and impossible to look away from.
Friday, May 22 • Main StageThe breakthrough voice of the last two years comes to Napa with a chest full of soul and hit after hit. His rise from underdog to headliner is one of music’s best recent stories. When he opens his mouth, wine glasses tremble.
Friday, May 22 • Second StageDon’t even try to pretend you won’t sing every word. The BSB headlining slot is pure genius — equal parts nostalgia bomb and proof that ‘90s pop craftsmanship holds up better than most of what came after.
Saturday, May 23 • Main StageJames Murphy’s art-rock dance party has aged like the finest Napa Cab. Their live shows are legendary: relentlessly groovy, intellectually charged, and sonically overwhelming. Catch them at the festival AND AfterDark.
Saturday, May 23 • Second StageA festival force of nature. His sets are precision-engineered euphoria — massive drops, impeccable sequencing, and the kind of electronic energy that turns a vineyard-adjacent crowd into a pulsing mass.
Saturday, May 23 • Main StageDave Grohl and the Foos return to BottleRock as certified legends — the kind of band that turns a festival into a religious experience. Expect hits from every era, explosive energy, and a set that echoes in your chest for days.
Sunday, May 24 • Main StageWeezy F. Baby — and the F is for Festival. One of the most decorated rappers of his generation hits the BottleRock stage with catalog depth that could fill six hours without running out of bangers.
Sunday, May 24 • Second StageThe most exciting emerging name on the 2026 poster. SOMBR’s dreamy alt-pop has been building a massive following, and a BottleRock headliner slot cements a career. You’ll be saying “I saw them first.”
Friday, May 22 • Second Stage“BottleRock 2026 isn’t just a lineup — it’s a generational statement. The Backstreet Boys playing the same festival as LCD Soundsystem and Lil Wayne is either chaotic genius or proof that BottleRock truly belongs to everyone. Probably both.”
What This Lineup
Is Really Saying
Read between the artist names and a clear musical philosophy emerges: BottleRock 2026 is built for the person who had “Torn” on repeat in 1998 and was still crying to Billie Eilish in 2023.
The Nostalgia Meets Now Axis
The pairing of Backstreet Boys and Rilo Kiley with contemporary stars like SOMBR, flipturn, and Teddy Swims is a conscious bridge between generations. Parents and their kids can share the same blanket on the lawn and both have a set to cry about.
The Genre-Blurring Approach
Hip-hop heavyweights Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes, and Ludacris share billing with rock legends Foo Fighters, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, and Papa Roach. Electronic architects Zedd and LCD Soundsystem keep the energy up between introspective sets. No genre owns BottleRock, which is exactly the point.
The Legends Strand
Joan Jett, Bush, Men at Work, Better Than Ezra, Chaka Khan, Kool & The Gang, Natasha Bedingfield. These aren’t legacy bookings to fill time — they’re cultural touchstones that remind us why live music matters across every decade.
The Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage
Celebrity chef demos, artist appearances, and the reminder that Napa Valley didn’t just invent great wine — it invented the idea that every pleasure is better when paired with another.
Five Stages, Zero Excuses to Be Bored
Main Stage • Second Stage • Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage • two additional emerging-artist stages • Silent Disco by Allianz • The Club.
BottleRock 2026
Complete Artist Lineup
Organized earliest to latest. Headliner rows highlighted. Set times TBA.
| Date | Artist | Stage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🎸 Friday, May 22, 2026 | |||
| Fri, May 22 | Lorde | Main Stage | Headliner |
| Fri, May 22 | Teddy Swims | Second Stage | Headliner |
| Fri, May 22 | SOMBR | Second Stage | Co-Headliner |
| Fri, May 22 | AJR | Main Stage | |
| Fri, May 22 | Joan Jett & The Blackhearts | Main Stage | |
| Fri, May 22 | Jon Bellion | Second Stage | |
| Fri, May 22 | Tash Sultana | Second Stage | |
| Fri, May 22 | flipturn | Stage TBA | |
| Fri, May 22 | The Warning | Stage TBA | |
| Fri, May 22 | Nilüfer Yanya | Stage TBA | |
| Fri, May 22 | Chaka Khan | Culinary Stage | |
| Fri, May 22 | Charlotte Lawrence | Stage TBA | |
| Fri, May 22 | Del Water Gap | Stage TBA | |
| Fri, May 22 | Penelope Road | Stage TBA | |
| Fri, May 22 | Hannah Cohen | Stage TBA | |
| Fri, May 22 | The Chin Chins | Stage TBA | |
| Fri, May 22 | Indy | Stage TBA | |
| 🎪 Saturday, May 23, 2026 | |||
| Sat, May 23 | Backstreet Boys | Main Stage | Headliner |
| Sat, May 23 | LCD Soundsystem | Second Stage | Co-Headliner |
| Sat, May 23 | Zedd | Main Stage | Co-Headliner |
| Sat, May 23 | Papa Roach | Second Stage | |
| Sat, May 23 | Rilo Kiley | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | Busta Rhymes | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | Better Than Ezra | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | Natasha Bedingfield | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | Men at Work | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | BØRNS | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | almost monday | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | Arrested Development | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | Rev Run | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | The Beths | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | Maoli | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | Midnight Generation | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | Melt | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | The Paradox | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | Paris Jackson | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | DJ Pauly D | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | New Constellations | Stage TBA | |
| Sat, May 23 | Khatumu | Stage TBA | |
| 🍷 Sunday, May 24, 2026 | |||
| Sun, May 24 | Foo Fighters | Main Stage | Headliner |
| Sun, May 24 | Lil Wayne | Second Stage | Headliner |
| Sun, May 24 | Bush | Stage TBA | |
| Sun, May 24 | Ludacris | Stage TBA | |
| Sun, May 24 | Chevy Metal | Stage TBA | |
| Sun, May 24 | Treach | Stage TBA | |
| Sun, May 24 | Meredith Marks | Stage TBA | |
| Sun, May 24 | Zinadelphia | Stage TBA | |
| Sun, May 24 | Saxsquatch | Stage TBA | |
| Sun, May 24 | Folk Bitch Trio | Stage TBA | |
| Sun, May 24 | The Alive | Stage TBA | |
| Sun, May 24 | Moonalice | Stage TBA | |
| Sun, May 24 | Jake Zimma | Stage TBA | |
| Sun, May 24 | Malick Koly | Stage TBA | |
| Sun, May 24 | The Rookie5 | Stage TBA | |
| Sun, May 24 | The Return of Jackie & Judy | Stage TBA | |
| Sun, May 24 | Kool & The Gang | Culinary Stage | |
* Set times and final stage assignments will be released at bottlerocknapavalley.com closer to the event.
The Idea Behind AfterDark
BottleRock AfterDark was born from a simple observation: festivals create an energy that doesn’t just switch off at 10pm. People are alive, connected, euphoric — and they want more.
Produced by BottleRock Presents — the same team behind the festival — AfterDark is a curated series of late-night and evening shows that pulls directly from the BottleRock lineup roster. The result is something no other festival in California does this well: a complete music ecosystem that wraps around the main event like a warm Napa evening.
The goals: give three-day pass holders a reason to make a full week of it; offer intimate encounters with artists you’d otherwise see from 200 feet away; and give fans without festival tickets a gateway into the BottleRock universe.
The series runs from Tuesday, May 19 through Monday, May 25, spanning five cities: Napa, San Francisco, Berkeley, Menlo Park, and Novato.
The Personalities Behind It
LCD Soundsystem at the intimate Napa Music Hall is the headline AfterDark booking — one of the most critically acclaimed live acts on the planet, in a room where you can feel every bass note. Rilo Kiley at the Uptown Theatre brings indie-rock pilgrims for a rare treat. BØRNS plays two venues. Larkin Poe brings Americana fire to Napa and Menlo Park. And Bush close out Sunday night at Napa Music Hall in a post-festival set that promises to be emotionally overwhelming.
Then there’s Destination Defender — a private dining experience with Mt. Joy under the stars at Silver Oak Winery in Oakville. Music, food, wine, and a legendary vineyard: the BottleRock spirit made intimate and unforgettable.
Napa Music Hall + Uptown Theatre = Walking Distance
Both venues sit in downtown Napa, within easy walking distance of the Napa Valley Expo. After the Main Stage finale, you can be in your AfterDark show within minutes. Plan ahead and book both.
BottleRock AfterDark 2026 — Complete Schedule
All shows confirmed as of February 25, 2026. Tickets at bottlerocknapavalley.com.
| Date | Artist(s) | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌚 Pre-Festival Week | |||
| Tue, May 19 | BØRNS | The Guild Theatre | Menlo Park |
| Wed, May 20 | Chevy Metal | The Guild Theatre | Menlo Park |
| Wed, May 20 | BØRNS | UC Theatre | Berkeley |
| 🌚 Thursday, May 21 | |||
| Thu, May 21 | Larkin Poe | The Uptown Theatre ★ | Napa |
| Thu, May 21 | Izzy Escobar | Café du Nord | San Francisco |
| Thu, May 21 | Hannah Cohen | Swedish American Music Hall | San Francisco |
| Thu, May 21 | Destination Defender w/ Mt. Joy | Silver Oak Winery ✦ Private | Oakville, Napa Valley |
| 🌚 Friday, May 22 — Festival Day 1 | |||
| Fri, May 22 | LCD Soundsystem | Napa Music Hall ★ | Napa |
| Fri, May 22 | Rilo Kiley | The Uptown Theatre ★ | Napa |
| Fri, May 22 | Larkin Poe | The Guild Theatre | Menlo Park |
| Fri, May 22 | DJ Pauly D | August Hall | San Francisco |
| 🌚 Saturday, May 23 — Festival Day 2 | |||
| Sat, May 23 | Chevy Metal | Napa Music Hall ★ | Napa |
| Sat, May 23 | BØRNS | The Uptown Theatre ★ | Napa |
| Sat, May 23 | Midnight Generation + Paco Versailles | August Hall | San Francisco |
| Sat, May 23 | The Heavy Heavy | Swedish American Music Hall | San Francisco |
| Sat, May 23 | The Paper Kites | The Chapel | San Francisco |
| 🌚 Sunday, May 24 — Festival Day 3 | |||
| Sun, May 24 | Bush | Napa Music Hall ★ | Napa |
| Sun, May 24 | Maoli | The Uptown Theatre ★ | Napa |
| Sun, May 24 | Better Than Ezra | The Guild Theatre | Berkeley |
| Sun, May 24 | The Beths | UC Theatre | Berkeley |
| 🌚 Monday, May 25 — Memorial Day | |||
| Mon, May 25 | The California Honeydrops | HopMonk Tavern | Novato |
★ = Walking distance from Napa Valley Expo • ✦ = Private event, limited availability
The Venues
Steps from the festival grounds. Crown jewel of AfterDark Napa — host to LCD Soundsystem, Chevy Metal, and Bush.
Historic theater walkable from the Expo. Home to Rilo Kiley, Larkin Poe, BØRNS, and Maoli across the weekend.
Private Destination Defender event with Mt. Joy. Dinner under the stars at one of Napa’s most iconic vineyards.
Multi-city venues hosting BØRNS, Chevy Metal, Larkin Poe, and Better Than Ezra across the week.
East Bay’s beloved concert hall: BØRNS pre-festival, The Beths on closing Sunday.
Four distinct SF venues across the AfterDark weekend — DJ Pauly D to intimate folk.
Why BottleRock 2026
Is the One to See
Plenty of festivals have bigger stages. Some have louder headliners. A few have better food. But none of them are happening in a valley where the light turns gold at 5pm and you can walk from a Foo Fighters set to a Napa Valley wine bar in four minutes flat.
BottleRock 2026 isn’t trying to be Coachella. It’s something genuinely its own — a celebration of the overlap between culinary craft, musical art, and a geographic location that has been making people feel things for over a century.
The lineup is extraordinary. The AfterDark programming is unprecedented in scope and ambition. Napa Valley in late May is as close to perfect weather as outdoor concerts get. Three days at the festival, a whole week if you go all in. The first taste of summer — and it’s going to be a very good year.
Get Tickets at bottlerocknapavalley.com
3-day General Admission from $475 • VIP, Skydeck & Platinum available • Single-day passes Fri/Sat/Sun • AfterDark tickets sold separately. Book early — intimate venue shows sell out first.
