Parkway Drive, Erykah Badu And The Wailers Added To Bluesfest 2026 Lineup

Bluesfest 2026 has just levelled up, with Parkway Drive, Erykah Badu, and The Wailers officially joining the already stacked Byron Bay lineup.

It’s a booking that stretches across generations and genres, without losing the soul that’s kept Bluesfest alive for decades, for Parkway Drive this one hits close to home.

The Byron Bay metalcore juggernauts will make their first ever appearance at Bluesfest, marking a full moment for a band that grew from local hardcore shows into one of Australia’s biggest heavy exports.

“This is a very special announcement for us,” says Festival Director Peter Noble OAM. “Today we make history, welcoming Byron Bay’s most successful band ever to play at Byron Bay Bluesfest.”

Erykah Badu’s inclusion adds a different kind of gravity, the neo-soul icon will return to Australia for the first time in 14 years, bringing her unmistakable voice and boundary pushing catalogue back to local stages. It’s a rare get, and one that sits comfortably alongside Bluesfest’s long standing love for artists who exist outside neat genre boxes.

Reggae royalty The Wailers are also set to make Bluesfest 2026 a little more historic, locking in a three night residency across the weekend, each set will be completely different, spotlighting separate eras of the group’s legacy rather than running through a greatest hits autopilot.

Already stacked lineup

These new names join an already massive lineup led by Split Enz, alongside Earth, Wind & Fire, who’ll return to Byron for the first time since 2012, Sublime, The Pogues, The Black Crowes, Buddy Guy, and Counting Crows.

The Pogues’ appearance will double as a celebration of Rum, Sodomy & the Lash, honouring the late Shane MacGowan’s life and impact.

Australian acts remain a core pillar, with Xavier Rudd, The Living End, Skegss, The Dreggs, Pierce Brothers, and more filling out the local side of the bill.

Bluesfest 2026 runs Thursday, April 2nd to Sunday, April 5th at Byron Events Farm, Byron Bay.

Tickets and full details are available via bluesfest.com.au