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A Charli xcx and Lorde reunion, John Summit's homecoming and Sombr's collab with 5 Seconds of Summer led night one.
8/1/2026
Sombr and Luke Hemmings of 5 Seconds of Summer at Lollapalooza 2026 held at Grant Park on July 30, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. Victoria Sanders/Rolling Stone
All eyes in the music world are on Chicago this weekend, as Grant Park plays host to another year of Lollapalooza. With the weather looking uncertain for the festival’s later days, thousands flocked to the Chicago Riverwalk on a sun-kissed Thursday afternoon (July 30) to kick off Lolla.
Performances began around noon CT across nine different stages and wrapped up with Lorde making her return to the Lolla stage for the first time since 2017 with Chicago’s own John Summit co-headlining on opposite ends of the park.
The rest of the day saw performances from Filipino boy band SB19, who made history as the first P-pop group to perform at Lolla, as well as Bella Kay, Blood Orange, Little Simz, Boys Noize, Audrey Hobert, Sombr, 5 Seconds of Summer and Wet Leg.
A jam-packed weekend remains on tap, with anticipated headlining sets from Charli xcx, who made a guest appearance during Lorde’s performance, as well as Olivia Dean, Tate McRae, The xx, Smashing Pumpkins and Jennie.
There was chatter on the festival grounds from fans speculating that A-listers Olivia Rodrigo, who was allegedly spotted at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, and Ariana Grande could be popping up. Ari’s Eternal Sunshine Tour comes to Chi-Town on Aug. 3.
Lollapalooza has remained one of the premier U.S. festivals by mixing a range of superstars with upstarts and legacy acts spanning different generations. 2025’s Lolla saw headlining performances from Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler, the Creator, Sabrina Carpenter, A$AP Rocky and Doechii.
Thanks to the good folks at Dunkin’, Billboard is on the ground for Lollapalooza 2026. Here are the best moments from the festival so far. (This list will be updated daily.)
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5 Seconds of Summer Relive a Teenage Dream
Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” has quite the lore with 5 Seconds of Summer fans. The Australian pop-rock band covered the 2010 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit during performances like Summertime Ball in 2014, and at a SiriusXM visit that same year, leading to the cover holding a special place in fans’ hearts. A decade later, 5SOS revived the rockified cover of the glitzy turbo-pop anthem, which supplied a heavy dose of nostalgia to festivalgoers.
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Charli xcx & Lorde Are the Moment
Charli xcx and Lorde working it out on the remix never gets old. Charli popped out for the “Girl, So Confusing” remix during the later stages of Lorde’s headlining set, and the immediate screeches from fans of the pop stars’ heartwarming reunion further cement it as one of pop’s signature moments in the 2020s. This time around, Charli kept things fresh by appearing on the Jumbotron while sipping from the functioning school water fountain Lorde had on stage. Perhaps Lorde will return the favor, and they’ll run it back on Friday (July 31) with Charli headlining.
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John Summit’s Homecoming
When John Summit was making DJ tutorial YouTube videos and quit his CPA job in 2019, who knew what was in store seven years later for him? Summit, a Chicago native, went from attending Lolla in general admission to a night one headliner. He delivered one of his most expansive sets to date, featuring dancers in cubicles, Pitbull hits reimagined as EDM tracks and an appearance from British singer Absolutely to perform their “DON’T BELIEVE IT” collaboration.
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SB19 Makes Filipino History at Lolla
It was a successful Chicago debut for SB19, who became the first P-pop group to perform at Lollapalooza. The five-man boy band was extremely grateful for the opportunity, which drew support from Filipinos from across the globe who made sure they were in attendance for the historic set. SB19 playfully joked about how they were still adjusting to the American diet filled with bread and pasta. They ran through various tracks in Filipino and English, while previewing a cover of Francis M.’s “Mga Kababayan” anthem and their newest track “Lawless,” which arrived on Friday (July 31).
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Sombr & 5 Seconds of Summer Team Up for the Collab We Didn’t Know We Needed
Sombr’s Lollapalooza performance was a cathartic experience for the singer, as the 21-year-old admitted he’s been in a “dark” place in recent days, but was aided by the return to the stage. After telling the audience he was about to “turn this place upside down,” Sombr brought 5 Seconds of Summer back out, who played the set at the T-Mobile Stage prior to the “Homewrecker” singer-songwriter. Sombr duetted with the Australian boy band for 5SOS’ 2014 hit “She Looks So Beautiful,” which reached No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. With Luke Hemmings dyeing his hair black, the 5SOS lead singer and Sombr looked as if they could’ve been cousins while sharing an embrace on stage. -
Charli xcx’s Dancefloor Isn’t Dead
Charlie xcx embodies everything we should want in our pop stars. The British singer-songwriter kicked off her grungy Music, Fashion, Film era with her first expansive performance, where she affirmed headliner status on Friday night (July 31), and gave fans a taste of what’s to come on her upcoming tour. While Charli shows are typically all eyes on her, she brought out about 15 dancers to join her for tracks like “Girl, So Confusing” and turned the stage’s catwalk into a fashion show for “Card Declined.” The 33-year-old weaved in more Brat than expected (“Club Classics,” “Apple,” “365” and “360”) with some Wuthering Heights cuts like “House” and “Dying for You” (the transition from “Dying for You” into “Club Classics” was jarring in the best way possible). Instead of servicing fans with cheap heat to close out with anthems such as “Vroom Vroom,” “Boom Clap” or “I Love It,” Charli elected to see her latest album’s introspective narrative through with the gloomy MFF finisher “No One Lasts Forever.”
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Zara Larsson’s “Lush Life” Fan Steals the Show
Zara Larsson first performed at Lollapalooza in 2017 and nine years later, the pop star boasts one of the weekend’s most anticipated sets. After a two-hour delay following Lil Uzi Vert’s cancellation, Larsson took the stage to what she said was the largest American crowd of her career to date. However, it was a fan named London who stole the show when he joined her for “Lush Life” and perfectly executed the exuberant dance moves with ease, which served as a collective shot of dopamine for all who were present to see.
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Olivia Rodrigo Joins Smashing Pumpkins
Olivia Rodrigo was spotted by eagle-eyed fans at a Chicago airport on Thursday night (July 30), and the singer ended up making a surprise appearance when she joined Smashing Pumpkins’ headlining set for an infectious performance of the group’s 1995 top 40 hit “33.”
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Lil Uzi Vert’s Set Gets Canceled, But He Still Makes an Appearance
Travel issues canceled Lil Uzi Vert’s Lolla set, but he still managed to make a guest appearance hours later when he popped out during Major Lazer’s set. Uzi made it up to the fans who stuck around, which saw him perform hits like “Just Wanna Rock,” “Money Longer” and “XO Tour Llif3.”
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Slayyyter Fishes for Lollapalooza Gold
Slayyyterpalooza brought a taste of Missouri to Chicago. The singer’s waterproof hunting boots and fishing-themed belt featuring lures and reels matched the vibe of the overcast Friday afternoon (July 31) in Chi-town. Slayyyter’s been on a meteoric rise in 2026, and her momentum caused Lollapalooza to move her to the headliners stage, which saw her draw a massive afternoon audience for her 2:45 p.m. CT timeslot. It’s one thing to see streaming stats and follower counts, but another to see thousands of fans line up and sing along to your songs. The Worst Girl in America’s ascension continues with another milestone she’ll look back on fondly thanks to her Lolla performance.
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