Lollapalooza, which turns 25 this year, announced its lineup at 6 AM, and the marquee name is a doozy: Radiohead. Booking the UK alternative-rock titans is clutch, especially considering how unexciting the other three big headliners are: Red Hot Chili Peppers, who haven’t released new music since before their previous Lolla headlining set in 2012; LCD Soundsystem, who are playing so many other festivals in the U.S. that a Lolla appearance was practically a given; and J. Cole, who I haven’t forgiven for his juvenile contribution to Jeremih’s otherwise fantastic “Planez.” Each of these stars commands a massive fan base, sure, but given that they’re crammed onto a bill with 169 other acts, I’m left wondering if I’m missing the big special thing Lolla is doing to celebrate a quarter century of alt-rock branding. This year’s festival provides more—one more day in Grant Park, from July 28 through 31, and more bands—but the bill feels predictable, making a list of remarkable talents seem like an unremarkable glut.
Still, if you zoom in past the veterans who play Lolla so frequently it feels like they’re only ever in Chicago at the beginning of August (Foals, anyone?), you can find some exciting surprises. Eccentric Virginia rapper-singer D.R.A.M. and country-tinged New Jersey emo group Pinegrove add allure to the bottom of the bill, and middleweight acts such as Years & Years and Vince Staples ought to make it possible to find something worth seeing every hour. Hip-hop, which the festival has underrepresented in the recent past, is all over the bill this year—you can see the likes of A$AP Ferg, Mac Miller, and Vic Mensa. As one of the hometown heroes on the bill, Mensa also helps bring a little more Chicago to a festival that’s never quite known what to do with locals; fellow Save Money MC Towkio, Pivot Gang rapper Saba, and Zero Fatigue leader Smino also appear.
There’s always room for improvement, of course. The imbalance between male and female artists hasn’t improved much, and big names Lana Del Rey, Haim, and Halsey have all played the fest within the past four years. It’s great to see Grimes in the lineup, but hardly unexpected. She’s one of the seven acts that Gossip Wolf correctly predicted would play the festival, along with Future, the 1975, and Modern Baseball. The full list is below, and includes links to past Reader features, show previews, and blog posts. Three-day passes sold out yesterday, but single-day tickets will be available today at 10 AM.
Thursday, July 28
J. Cole
Lana Del Rey
G-Eazy
The 1975
Flosstradamus
Bastille
Last Shadow Puppets
Excision
The Arcs
City & Colour
Kurt Vile & the Violators
Daughter
Danny Brown
Tchami
Cashmere Cat
Yeasayer
Kehlani
Melanie Martinez
AlunaGeorge
Towkio
Wavves
Hiatus Kaiyote
Bob Moses
Don Diablo
Grandtheft
Mr. Carmack
Bas Cozz Omen
Somo
Bad Royale
Cloves
Frances
Wild Child
Autolux
Alle Farben
Jazz Cartier
Noisey Freaks
Tennyson
Pinegrove
Firekid
Skate Maloley
Lucy Dacus
Arkells
Greetings Committee
Friday, July 29
Radiohead
Future
Major Lazer
M83
Martin Garrix
Miike Snow
Griz
Foals
Ghost
Mac Miller
Cherub
Frightened Rabbit
A$AP Ferg
Duke Dumont
Alessia Cara
Mo
Lettuce
Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls
The Struts
Wolf Alice
Saint Motel
Bro Safari
Rufus Du Sol
Audien
Modern Baseball
Skepta
Lewis Del Mar
Boombox Cartel
Kiiara
Hayden James
Day Wave
Party Favor
Pvris
Haelos
Con Brio
Illenium
Saba
Sunflower Bean
Jahkoy
Race Banyon
Muddy Magnolias
Polly A.
Horse Thief
Saturday, July 30
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Disclosure
Jane’s Addiction
Two Door Cinema Club
Chris Stapleton
Hardwell
Grimes
Leon Bridges
Big Grams (Big Boi and Phantogram)
Big Gigantic
Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats
Vic Mensa
Jauz
Mutemath
St. Lucia
Oliver Heldens
Tory Lanez
Houndmouth
X Ambassadors
Front Bottoms
The Joy Formidable
Chairlift
Jack Garratt
Marshmello
Alina Baraz
Dua Lipa
Lolawolf
AC Slater
Slumberjack
Strumbellas
Baio
Nothing but Thieves
Jarryd James
Tor Miller
Generik
Lazyboy Empire
Drowners
Nothing
Secret Weapons
Potty Mouth
Audiodamn
Honeysuckle
Sunday, July 31
LCD Soundsystem
Ellie Goulding
Flume
Haim
Halsey
Die Antwoord
Bryson Tiller
Bloc Party
Local Natives
Adventure Club
Zhu
Yellow Claw
Silversun Pickups
Vince Staples
Years & Years
Lindsey Stirling
Third Eye Blind
Seven Lions
Snails
Fidlar
Oh Wonder
Snakehips
Marian Hill
Classixx
Aurora
Flattbush Zombies
Muna
Mija
Jackal
Louis the Child
Lapsley
Panama Wedding
Banners
Burns
D.R.A.M.
VHS Collection
Sir the Baptist
Smino
Unified Highway
Mothers
Totem
Dreamers
Lanco