Proving that it’s not too enslaved to its alternative rock roots, Lollapalooza announced its 2022 lineup Tuesday morning, with a slate of headliners that incorporates pop, hip-hop, metal and even bluegrass, featuring the likes of metallica, Dua Lipa, Lil Baby, Doja Cat, J. Cole, Machine Gun Kelly, Charli XCX, the Kid Laroi and Billy Strings.
The group with the No. 1 song in the country right now, Glass Animals, straddles the alternative/pop line, with the presence of Green Day providing an unadulterated tie back to the festival’s origins as an alternative-based touring festival back in the ’90s, rather than the fixed, multi-genre four-day fest that it has become.
However, ironically, it may be metallica that provides the biggest dose of nostalgia for veterans of ’90s-era Lollapalooza. The group caused a stir when it was considered an outlier choice as a headliner for the sixth edition of the Perry Farrell-founded festival back in 1996, although it was ultimately embraced by the so-called alternative nation, of course.
This year’s festival takes place July 28-31 in Chicago’s Grant Park. Last year, Lollapalooza also took place there and was noteworthy as one of the first big fests to come back after quarantine and prove a major music gathering did not have to be a super-spreader.
Some artists are further down in the small print than their current status might seem to warrant, like Gayle, who has one of the biggest hits in the U.S. right now with “Abcdefu” but is on the 15th line, suggesting that this graphic was finalized some time ago. Wet Leg also seems awfully far down, on the ninth line, given that band’s heat at the moment.
Founder Farrell’s band, Jane’s Addiction, will be on the bill this year, marking another tie to the festival’s roots. Other names high in the billing include Kygo, Big Sean, Jazmine Sullivan, Don Toliver, Charli XCX, Idles, Turnstile, Kaskade and Rezz. Additional acts of note include Girl in Red, Manchester Orchestra, Willow, Dashboard Confessional, Gracie Abrams and Alexander 23.
Four-day tickets go on sale today at noon CT. One-day tickets will be put up at a later date.
