By Ash Villa
There are many things we tend to look forward to in the new year: fresh resolutions, ambitious goals, a new winter quarter, aaaaand the annual Ticketmaster Wars! (well winning them, that is.) It’s starting to look like 2026 will go down as one of the most exciting years for live music. Highly anticipated comebacks for artists like Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, and BTS are sending fans into a craze as they prepare for their return to the road. Other artists like Lady Gaga and Lorde are heading back out for round two with newly added additional North American tour dates. At the same time, rising stars like Olivia Dean and JADE are stepping into the scene with their first major headlining shows across the US.
From Bruno Mars and Raye to Zara Larsson, PinkPantheress, Louis Tomlinson, Doja Cat, Demi Lovato with ADÉLA, A$AP Rocky, Hayley Williams, Mitski, the list just goes on and on! As more artists announce their shows, the excitement continues to build up, and our wallets are crying out for help.
Here are some of the upcoming tours making the most noise this year:
Harry Styles: The Together Together Tour
The Together Together Tour marks Harry’s return to the stage for the first time since 2023. His new album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally, comes out next month, March 6th, and fans are more than excited. After a three-year hiatus, Harry Styles is back! And his fans have made it clear how much he’s been missed. Shortly after the release of the lead single for this upcoming album cycle, Aperture, Styles announced a limited run of tour dates that has fans feeling both excited and a little conflicted. Harry is anticipated to perform in only a handful of cities this year, including Amsterdam, London, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Melbourne, Sydney and a 30-night residency in New York. This has North American fans scrambling to figure out whether the trip to New York this fall is truly worth it?
Short answer: Yes! Yes, it is!
Ariana Grande: The Eternal Sunshine Tour
The Eternal Sunshine Tour marks Ariana’s return to the road since 2019. It’s set to be a small arena tour, only hitting a select number of cities in the US, including 2 nights in Oakland and 4 in Los Angeles. In recent years, Grande has largely steered her career mainly toward acting, particularly with her starring role as Glinda the Good Witch in the film adaptation of Wicked. Music and touring have taken a backseat. In a podcast interview with Amy Poehler, Ariana expressed her feelings about this upcoming tour and hinted at the future of her music career, stating:
“The last 10 or 15 years will look very different to the ones that are coming up. And I don’t want to say any definitive things. I do know that I’m very excited to do this small tour, but I think it might not happen again for a long, long, long time”.
That statement alone has made this tour feel especially meaningful for fans lucky enough to attend this summer.
BTS: ARIRANG World Tour
BTS has not made headline news as a group since their indefinite hiatus announced back in 2022, as members ventured off into solo projects and completed their mandatory military service in South Korea. So yes, the ARIRANG World Tour is THAT serious.
So far, the group’s return has already proven to be monumental, with multiple stadiums across the country selling out almost immediately and Ticketmaster queues turning into a bloodbath. Beyond the numbers, the ARIRANG World Tour marks a new chapter for the group. After years of personal ventures and evolutions, BTS is returning with fresh perspectives, combining their individual endeavors into a shared, collective vision. Of course, with a new tour, there’s always new music to go along with it. The group will be dropping their new album ARIRANG next month on March 20. For fans, this isn’t just a new album cycle and tour; it marks the beginning of a long-awaited reunion with one of the biggest K-pop acts on the planet.
Olivia Dean: The Art of Loving Live
If you’re someone who’s looking to fall in love with an artist right before they blow up, Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving Live tour just might be your cup of tea. The British singer-songwriter is gearing up for her very first headlining arena tour this summer. Following the release of her sophomore album, The Art of Loving, last September and a recent Grammy win for Best New Artist, Dean has proven she’s far more than a viral moment. While a few of her songs have found success on TikTok, like So Easy (To Fall in Love) and Man I Need, her live performances and songwriting talents give us a feeling that she’s definitely here to stay. She’ll be hitting Chase Center in San Francisco and Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles this July and so if you’re looking for a show that feels both intimate and exciting, I say get your tickets now before they become impossible to snag.
Bad Bunny: DEBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS World Tour
Another Tour making a lot of noise this concert season is Bad Bunny’s DEBí TiRAR MáS FOToS World Tour. Kicking off back in November, the tour had initially sparked some controversy after a conscious decision was made to skip over the United States due to concerns of safety in light of the ICE raids happening all over the country. Still, that hasn’t stopped fans. Dedicated listeners here in the US are going at any length to see their favorite artist live in the flesh. From Mexico and Spain to Brazil and the UK, Bad Bunny fans are traveling in flocks just to be at this tour. The tour follows the release of his critically acclaimed album of the same name, a genre-blending powerhouse that’s dominated this award season and just recently took home the Grammy for Album of the Year. And while U.S. tour dates aren’t on his radar, Bad Bunny is still set to make history in the States this year on one of the biggest stages in music, the Super Bowl.
As for me, so many of my favorite artists are hitting the road, including Madison Beer, Conan Gray, JADE, and 5 Seconds of Summer. I am one of the lucky few who won the Ariana Ticketmaster war and will be seeing her this summer on the Eternal Sunshine Tour. I’m also fortunate to say I’ll be following 5SOS around California when they come for their Everyone’s a Star World Tour, the band’s first tour back since 2023.
With more tours being announced throughout the year, 2026 is shaping up to be an unforgettable year in live music. If you’re looking for a show to go to in the new year, it’s safe to say you’re in good hands. Your wallet on the other hand…