LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — More than 100 artists were unveiled Monday for the 2026 Louder Than Life music festival in Louisville, headlined by My Chemical Romance, Iron Maiden, Pantera and Limp Bizkit.
Louder Than Life returns Sept. 17-20 to the Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Exposition Center, the week before Bourbon & Beyond.
Iron Maiden will headline the opening night, Sept. 17, and My Chemical Romance will headline night two, Sept. 18. The lineup also includes Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, Sublime, TOOL, Jimmy Eat World, Hot Mulligan, Dance Gavin Dance, Bowling for Soup, Ice Nine Kills, Loathe, Sabaton and VANA.
"It brings a lot of business to the city. It brings a lot of movement to the city," said Bobby Naelitz, who works at Mom's Music on Mellwood Avenue in Louisville. "People come all over the world really to see all of this, so it is great for businesses. It's great for us."
Naelitz said after lineups are announced, aspiring musicians often book performance space at the store. Since Louder than Life began, several acts have used the venue to rehearse for the weekend.
"When this happens, we always see an uptick," he said. "We get the young kids to come in and want to get their first guitar. So that is always to me super cool."
More than 230,000 people are expected over the four-day festival, one that brings in $24 million to the Louisville economy.
The entire lineup can be viewed here:
My Chemical Romance. Iron Maiden. TOOL. Limp Bizkit. Pantera. Pierce The Veil. Gojira. Sublime.
— Louder Than Life (@LTLFest) February 23, 2026
Nearly 200 artists across four days and seven stages. The largest lineup we’ve ever built.
Louder Than Life. September 17-20, 2026. Louisville, Kentucky.
Face the noise and secure… pic.twitter.com/G9TaBmp8tW
Bourbon & Beyond, which is scheduled for Sept. 24-27 with headliners Foo Fighters, Mumford & Sons, Chris Stapleton and Dave Matthews Band.
Festival packages are already on sale, with single-day passes coming at a later date.
To learn more, look at photos from last year's festival, purchase passes or sign up for updates, click here.
IMAGES | Slayer, Haywire617, Drain and more jam out on Day 1 of Louder Than Life 2025
The lead singer of Drain hands the mic to a fan at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
Haywire617 plays the Kingdom Stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
Crowd surfers as the sun sets on Day 1 of the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
Slayer plays the Main Stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
Lamb of God plays the Main Stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
Phil Anselmo of Down plays the Main Stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
Fans pass the Louder Than Life sign as the sun sets on day 1 of the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
Carcass plays the Main Stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
Slayer plays the Main Stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
Lorna Shore plays the Decibel Stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
Fans at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
State Champs play the Reverb stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
Lamb of God plays the Main Stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
A crowd surfer at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
Cannibal Corpse plays the Main Stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
Fans on the rail at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
Exodus plays the Main Stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
Down plays the Main Stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
Cavalera plays the Main Stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
Cannibal Corpse plays the Main Stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
A fan stays cool at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
A crowd surfer dressed as Homer Simpson at the Louder Than Life Festival on September, 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
Lamb of God plays the Main Stage at the Louder Than Life Festival on September 18, 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Image courtesy of Glenn Hirsch)
- GLENN HIRSCH mrglenn71@YAHO
Previous Coverage:
Chris Stapleton, Dave Matthews Band and Foo Fighters to highlight 2026 Bourbon & Beyond
New 2026 dates announced for Bourbon & Beyond, Louder Than Life in Louisville
Bourbon & Beyond fans stream into Louisville for 1st day of city's biggest music festival
Tourism officials expect September to be 'huge' economically for Louisville
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