The Strokes, Noah Kahan, Skrillex at Bonnaroo 2026: A Deep Dive Into the Headliners
Every Bonnaroo’s identity is shaped by its headliners. In 2026, the What Stage is anchored by three artists who, while very different from each other, share something important: they’ve all built careers on authenticity, craft, and devoted fanbases. Here’s what to expect from each.
Noah Kahan (Saturday Night)
The Vermont singer-songwriter’s ascent over the past three years has been one of indie music’s most remarkable stories. His 2022 album Stick Season went platinum multiple times over on the strength of its raw emotional honesty and folk-pop songwriting. Live, Kahan is magnetic — less a performer than a storyteller, pulling audiences into his world through songs that feel intensely personal even in a crowd of 80,000. Expect a set heavy on Stick Season cuts, with new material woven in. Bring tissues — it gets emotional.
The Strokes (Friday Night)
Twenty-five years into their career, The Strokes remain one of rock’s most potent live bands. Their catalog — from Is This It to The New Abnormal — holds up in ways that many of their early-2000s peers’ work does not. Julian Casablancas’s stage presence is notoriously unpredictable, which makes every set a genuine event. A Bonnaroo headlining slot in 2026 feels both overdue and perfectly timed.
Skrillex (Sunday Night/Closing)
Sonny Moore has spent the past decade continuously reinventing what electronic music can be. His recent output — the double albums Quest for Fire and Don’t Get Too Close — cemented his status as a genuinely boundary-pushing artist rather than just a genre icon. His Bonnaroo closing set is reportedly being built around a custom production concept. Don’t leave Sunday early.
