When it came to tours in 2025, live music fans were certainly spoiled for choice.
Concertgoers were treated to a slew of fantastic shows from Katy Perry, Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa, Metallica, AC/DC and Drake.
As we look ahead to 2026, music fans will once again have their work cut out for them, with a slew of huge tours already announced for the new year.
Daily Mail takes a look at just some of the mammoth artists set to grace our shores in 2026.
Foo Fighters
After teasing an Australian tour earlier this month, US rockers Foo Fighters shocked fans with the announcement of a special one-off show.
Foo Fighters will head to Tasmania for a one-night-only show at UTAS Stadium in Launceston on January 24. (Pictured: Dave Grohl)
The Dave Grohl-fronted hitmakers will head to Tasmania for a one-night-only show at UTAS Stadium in Launceston on January 24.
It marks Foo Fighters’ first visit to Tasmania in a decade, with the band having played Hobart’s Derwent Entertainment Centre in 2015 on the Australian leg of their Sonic Highways tour.
Despite the single show announcement, many mainland Aussies are still clinging to hopes of a full national tour.
‘What about the rest of Australia?’ one fan asked on the band’s Instagram. ‘Please come to Brisbane!!’
Another hopeful fan offered: ‘Surely pop by Syd or Melbs!’, while another flooded the comments with crying emojis, pleading: ‘Add more shows pleaseeee. Syd???? Bris?? C’mon guys.’
It’s not the first time the band has treated Australian fans to a one-night-only performance.
Back in 2022, the band took over the 36,000-capacity GMHBA Stadium in Geelong, Victoria.
The gig, which saw the Monkey Wrench hitmakers share the stage with local talent The Meanies and Amyl and the Sniffers, was part of a Victorian Government initiative to bolster live music in the state post-COVID.
New Zealand hitmaker Lorde wowed Aussie fans in July with the announcement of her first Australian tour in two years
The Down Under leg of her Ultrasound World Tour kicks off at Spark Arena in Auckland on February 11
Lorde
New Zealand hitmaker Lorde wowed Aussie fans in July with the announcement of her first Australian tour in two years.
The Down Under leg of her Ultrasound World Tour kicks off at Spark Arena in Auckland on February 11, followed by a show at Wolfbrook Arena in Christchurch on 13 February.
The tour then makes its way to Australia, starting on the east coast at Brisbane Entertainment Centre on February 16, before Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on February 18 and 19.
From there Lorde will head to Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on February 21 and 22, before jetting west for a final show at RAC Arena in Perth on February 25.
The announcement came after eagle-eyed Melburnians spotted a giant digital billboard flashing images of the Kiwi singer above the iconic Young & Jackson pub at the corner of Flinders and Swanston Street, one of the city’s busiest intersections.
The cryptic visuals, which lit up the night sky, featured surreal, blue-tinted clips of Lorde accompanied by the word ‘Ultrasound’ – a direct nod to her upcoming world tour and her latest album Virgin.
Another high-profile artist jetting in to Australia for a whistlestop run is Bad Bunny. The Puerto Rican superstar, 31, will take to the stage for two all-ages shows at Sydney’s ENGIE Stadium on February 28 and March 1
The tour will come just weeks after Bad Bunny performs at the NFL Super Bowl’s half-time show
The same promo was later spotted in Sydney, sparking a frenzy among fans.
Fan accounts were quick to react online, with @lordeontour dropping three emergency emoji sirens, and another follower begging, ‘PLEASE BRING LORDE TO ADELAIDE.’
Bad Bunny
Another high-profile artist jetting in to Australia for a whistle-stop run is Bad Bunny.
The Puerto Rican superstar, 31, will take to the stage for two all-ages shows at Sydney’s ENGIE Stadium on 28 February and 1 March.
The shows are part of the hitmaker’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos world tour and will be the first time Bad Bunny has visited Australia.
The tour will come just weeks after Bad Bunny performs at the NFL Super Bowl halftime show
The announcement of his inclusion in the high profile event caused much controversy, with US President Donald Trump even weighing in on the decision.
Global superstar Ed Sheeran is also making a welcome return to our shores in 2026
Ed will start the Australian leg of his tour in Perth at Optus Stadium on January 31
The rapper hit back at critics in October, when he hosted Saturday Night Live.
‘You might not know this but I’m doing the Super Bowl halftime show and I’m very happy and I think everyone is happy about it – even Fox News,’ he said.
Ed Sheeran
Global superstar Ed Sheeran is also making a welcome return to our shores in 2026, following his record-breaking run in 2023.
The A Team hitmaker is set to tick off New Zealand first, performing at stadiums across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, before making his way over the Tasman.
Ed will start the Australian leg of his tour in Perth at Optus Stadium on January 31, before heading to Sydney’s Accor Stadium for two shows on February 13 and Valentine’s Day.
The 34-year-old will then head to Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium for two shows on February 20 and 21, followed by two gigs at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on February 26 and 27, before rounding out the anticipated tour with a show at Adelaide Oval on March 5.
If his last tour is anything to go by, this 2026 run promises to be a huge success for Sheeran.
Kesha will be visiting Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth on her Tits Out Tour
Kesha announced a headlining turn at the inaugural Mighty Hoopla Festival on 26 February
His nine-show Mathematics tour saw Sheeran sell more than a million tickets and break multiple attendance records.
Kesha
Kesha, who was last Down Under in January, announced a return trip for 2026 in August, but not all fans were happy.
The Tick Tock hitmaker revealed she would be visiting Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth on her Tits Out Tour, with Sydney left out in the cold.
‘How the f*** does Kesha come to Australia and not do Sydney, huh?’ one fan shared on X after the announcement.
Some concertgoers, however, appeared to take a shot at promoters who have routinely overlooked Australia’s smaller metro centres when planning tours for major artists.
‘For once Sydney knows how everyone else feels hahahahahaha,’ wrote one fan on the same X thread, before adding, ‘But I’m sure there’s a reason and she’ll be there!’
With speculation that she would be announcing a show at the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, Kesha announced a headlining turn at the inaugural Mighty Hoopla Festival on 26 February.
Good Charlotte announced in October they were heading Down Under next year
The band will kick off their tour at Perth’s RAC Arena on February 17
She will play the Riverstage in Brisbane on February 19, before moving on to Sydney and Melbourne, with a show at John Cain Arena on February 22.
Kesha will keep the show rolling at Adelaide’s AED Arena on February 24, before rounding off the tour at Perth HPC on February 26.
Good Charlotte
Good Charlotte are also heading Down Under next year, with a surprise show in regional Victoria.
The band will kick off their tour at Perth’s RAC Arena on February 17, before heading to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on February 18.
They will then play Bendigo Showgrounds on February 21 and will finish the run at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on February 25.
The Bendigo show was partly funded ‘by taxpayers’ via a fee paid by the state government, the Herald Sun reported.
Iconic New Zealandrockers Split Enz are reuniting for their first shows in 17 years
They will headline Bluesfest in Byron Bay
The gig appears to be part of a broader effort to draw fans to regional Victoria, with Lenny Kravitz set to play in Mildura in November, as well as the upcoming one-day music festival, Ok Rochester, in Rochester.
Split Enz
Iconic New Zealand rockers Split Enz are reuniting for their first shows in 17 years.
Following what promises to be a triumphant return to the stage in Christchurch in February, the legendary popsters will headline Bluesfest in Byron Bay in April 2026.
The Bluesfest performance, which will see Split Enz take to the stage alongside the likes of The Black Crowes, Earth Wind and Fire, and blues legend Buddy Guy, will mark the start of a flurry of activity for the band.
They are also embarking on a four-date national tour in May that will take the band to Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena, the ICC Theatre in Sydney and Perth’s RAC Arena, before rounding out the anticipated tour at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.
The tour coincides with the 50th anniversary of the band’s debut album Mental Notes.
The 2026 line-up will feature key Split Enz members Neil and Tim Finn, Eddie Rayner and Noel Crombie, as well as Matt Eccles on drums and James Milne on bass.
