Andrew Sherman
Audio By Carbonatix
Amid the flurry of end-of-year reflections, lists wrapping up the albums and songs of the year nearly concluded, attention turns to what will be passing across the stages, large and small, across North Texas in 2026.
While summing up the full breadth of the artists and genres which will be heard across the dozens of venues here in the coming months would be a small novel unto itself — seriously, the initial list for this article numbered more than 50 possible concerts — it’s worth whittling down that mass to consider a few performances we’re most anticipating as the calendar turns to a fresh set of months. (Weekly updates will follow.)
Here, in chronological order, are some of the biggest concerts we’re looking forward to in 2026. See you in the crowd.
Aimee Mann
Feb. 27
Longhorn Ballroom
The acclaimed singer-songwriter does not often make her way to our neck of the woods, making any instance of her stopping by on one of our stages noteworthy. This appearance at the historic Longhorn Ballroom will mark Aimee Mann’s first headlining set in North Texas in eight years. Expect an abundance of sharply observed songs, wry humor and intricate melodies. PJ
Roy Rochlin/Getty-Images
Lady Gaga
Feb. 28-March 1
Dickies Arena
Mother Monster is bringing her Mayhem Ball to North Texas for a two-night stand. Grammy and Oscar-winning singer-songwriter Lady Gaga is making her first tour stop here in four years, and returning to Tarrant County for her second consecutive tour (The Chromatica Ball took over Arlington’s Globe Life Field in 2022). “The show felt bigger than just one album and served as almost a manifesto for the singer, combining her love of music, fashion, film and theater to pull together her sprawling catalog and create a cohesive statement,” the Observer wrote of that performance. PJ
Nine Inch Nails
March 3
American Airlines Center
This will be an encore of sorts for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, whose blistering industrial rock laid siege to Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena in 2025. Nine Inch Nails will thrash the sensibilities of its Dallas fans as part of its ongoing Peel It Back tour, which is scheduled into mid-March. “Reznor’s product is a rare example of one artist’s vision managing to be so fully realized and also so tightly presented, it’s as if you’ve stepped inside the mind of a genius and you get to see him operate in real time,” the Observer wrote of the September Peel It Back stop. PJ
The Format
April 7
House of Blues
One of our most anticipated concerts of next year doubles as some of the most stunning music news of this year. After a nearly 20-year absence from touring and recording, former fun. frontman Nate Reuss and songwriting partner Sam Means revived their old pop project, The Format. Although a short run of reunion shows was planned and subsequently canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, 2026 will mark a full-blown comeback, complete with a nationwide tour and a new album, Boycott Heaven, set to arrive on January 23. The record will also be the first new material from Reuss since his 2015 solo album, Grand Romantic. Whether for a dose of early 2000s pop rock nostalgia or for a small glimpse into the unfulfilled promise of fun, The Format’s April date at House of Blues is a must-see. SP
Leon Bennett/Getty Images
Caifanes
April 12
Toyota Music Factory
Though decades removed from the release of their last album, El Nervio Del Volcan, Caifanes remains on anyone’s shortlist for the greatest Mexican rock bands of all time, next to Maná and Zoé. The band’s teased-out black hair, streaky eyeliner and Smiths-esque sound delivered a much-needed shock to late ‘80s Mexico City’s system. Their self-titled debut album hit shelves in 1988, and they were headlining 10,000-seat arenas by 1989. Nearly 40 years later, the Mexican counterculturalists still sound as fresh as ever. SP
Robert Plant
March 18
Majestic Theatre
The immortal voice of Led Zeppelin has, over the last several decades, steadfastly followed his muse over the hills and far away from anything resembling the cranium-rattling crunch of that epochal rock band. His latest foray into a more folky, bluesy register comes in the form of Saving Grace, Plant’s latest solo album, which finds him collaborating with vocalist Suzi Dian, who’ll be on hand as Plant makes his first solo appearance in Dallas in eight years. PJ
The Last Dinner Party
March 28
The Bomb Factory
British rock quintet The Last Dinner Party made a splash with its 2024 debut album, Prelude to Ecstasy, and followed that work in short order with this year’s sophomore effort, From the Pyre. The buzzy group is returning to the venue where it last sold out in 2024, armed again with its whip-smart, senses-throttling songcraft.
PJ
Fatboy Slim
April 10
SILO Dallas
The man born Norman Cook was, up until a year ago, a fairly scant sight on the decks in Dallas clubs. But that changed when Fatboy Slim was drafted to help open the doors of now-essential club SILO Dallas. His return, just over a year after he christened the space, is a veritable rarity in his touring history here. Seize the opportunity to watch a master at work in a comparatively (for him, anyway) cozy spot. PJ
Bruno Mars
April 18
Globe Life Field
It has been nearly 10 years since Bruno Mars’ last solo album, 24KMagic. As he nears the release of his new LP, The Romantic, a tour follows not long after. For support on the Arlington stop, he’ll be joined by his Silk Sonic collaborator, Anderson Paak, plus Grammy-winning R&B singer Leon Thomas. AS
Tyler Childers
April 23
Dos Equis Pavilion
A fast-rising star in the Americana genre (a description increasingly becoming such an umbrella term as to be nearly meaningless), singer-songwriter Tyler Childers will headline one of his largest Dallas shows to date next year, in support of the Kentucky native’s recently released LP, Snipe Hunt. PJ
PinkPantheress
April 23
Southside Ballroom
With signature electronic-inflected vocals, sub-two-minute songs and a sarcastic personality, PinkPantheress is the perfect pop star for the digital age. But don’t think of her as just a fad. Layering those tight pop melodies over breakbeat instrumentals sounds fantastic and legitimately fresh. We can only hope that she’ll be really glad to meet us at her Dallas date in April. SP
Molly Darlington/Getty Images
The Wallflowers
May 1
Granada Theater
In May, Jakob Dylan brings The Wallflowers to the Granada Theater for a full playthrough of the band’s seminal sophomore album, Bringing Down The Horse, celebrating its 30th anniversary. Plus, the band will be playing Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ 1982 album, Long After Dark, making for a glorious two-act evening of rock/Americana. Dylan inducted Petty into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002 and has long cited him as a major inspiration, releasing a cover of “The Waiting” in 2024. The Granada Theater seems small for a show that feels this big, but we’re grateful to see the band in such an intimate setting. SP
Raye
May 3
South Side Ballroom
This British singer-songwriter has enjoyed a slow burn, as her career is more than a decade old at this juncture. With a lone LP to her name, 2023’s My 21st Century Blues, but a fistful of high-profile opening stints for A-listers like Taylor Swift, Halsey and Kali Uchis under her belt, Raye will make her Dallas headlining debut ahead of her anticipated sophomore album release in 2026. PJ
Eagles
May 16
Globe Life Field
After more than five decades, the legendary American rock group is saying its goodbyes for The Long Goodbye Tour. North Texans are lucky enough to be part of it, as the band just announced three (only three!) dates for a small run that also includes Nashville and Atlanta. We wouldn’t miss this one for anything, but especially not with Dallas’ own Chris Holt on guitar. Presale tickets go live on March 3 at 10 a.m., so set those alarms now. AS
Mac DeMarco
May 18
Longhorn Ballroom
It’s always hard to contextualize history as it’s still happening, but just over a decade removed from Mac DeMarco’s early 2010s prime, it’s becoming increasingly clear that he’s one of the most influential musicians of the 21st century. Managing to be a sonic chameleon yet retaining a recognizable sound, DeMarco’s jungle of synths and irresistibly lo-fi guitar riffs served as the soundtrack to an entire generation of high school kids and bedroom DIY artists in between. Not to mention, he was championing a distinctly 2020s thrift store style back when people were still curling their mustaches and listening to the Lumineers. Scary times. At 35, DeMarco has plenty more years of music ahead of him, but he already feels like a mythical figure in indie music. As such, we hope you already have tickets to this one, because his summer evening at the Longhorn Ballroom is already sold out. SP
Andrew Sherman
Jason Isbell
May 20-21
Winspear Opera House
The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter uncorked a quietly devastating record earlier this year, Foxes in the Snow, a collection of songs featuring only Isbell and an acoustic guitar. He’s taking that solo approach out on the road for what’s likely to be a series of unforgettable, bracingly raw evenings. He’ll treat Dallas audiences to a two-night stand in one of the finest listening rooms in town. PJ
Demi Lovato
May 23
American Airlines Center
Dallas-bred pop star Demi Lovato reconnected with her love of music on 2022’s Holy Fvck and wasted little time fashioning a follow-up, It’s Not That Deep, which dropped earlier this year. Lovato’s homecoming tour stop will be their first North Texas appearance in four years. PJ
Jambaloo Music Prize Showcase
June 6
Longhorn Ballroom
To celebrate its annual $20K prize giveaway to one local band, the Jambaloo Music festival is putting on a night all about North Texas Music. Loop Daddy himself, Marc Rebillet, is coming home to headline the big show, which will feature sets from the contest’s top 3 Finalists, Matthew McNeal, Paul Schalda and Aaron’s Book Club. To make things even sweeter, the proceeds from the show go toward mental health organization Amplified Minds and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Tickets are $35. AS
Shakira
June 23
American Airlines Center
The Latin-pop icon is already coming back to Dallas. After a dazzling show last June, Shakira has marked her return to Big D with a small slate of just-added shows to close out her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour. Tickets for her Dallas encore of sorts are on sale now. AS
Grupo Frontera
July 24
American Airlines Center
The behemoth, Latin Grammy-winning band that has rocketed norteño-cumbia music to new heights is delivering the Triste Pero Bien C*brón Tour this summer. Tickets are on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 13. AS
Noah Kahan
July 30
Globe Life Field
The Grammy-nominated folk artist just became the first-ever solo act to sell out 4 nights in a row at Boston’s iconic Fenway Park. To put that in perspective, he’s only playing one night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, so you might want to move quickly on this one. The hype is likely to skyrocket even more with the release of his forthcoming album, The Great Divide, out in April. AS
Kesha
Aug. 7
Dos Equis Pavilion
Pop music iconoclast Kesha famously once told us, “Tick Tock on the clock/But the party don’t stop, no.” Her Freedom Tour, however, is stopping by Fair Park this summer. She’s bringing Chromeo and Meek along for the fun to celebrate her latest record, 2025’s . (It’s titled “period” — we were confused, too.) AS
Carly May Gravley
311 & Dirty Heads
Aug. 25
Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
The two reggae-rock longhaulers are linking up for a co-headlining tour coming to Irving in the last stretch of summer. We aren’t masochists, but we can’t imagine a better time of year for their music to hit just right in North Texas than during melted-margarita season. Dirty Heads have a forthcoming album due in June, too, so don’t check SetlistFM just yet. AS
Lil Wayne
Aug. 27
Dickies Arena
It’s Weezy F., baby, and this time, the “F” stands for Fort Worth. The hip-hop legend is coming to Dickies Arena to celebrate his 20+ Years of Carter Classics Tour. His catalog boasts so many hits that it’s safe to say you can expect a packed with all of the favorites: “A Milli,” “Mrs. Officer” and of course, “Lollipop.” 2 Chainz will be there in support, which seems like the opposite of a f**kin’ problem. AS
Usher
Sept. 10
AT&T Stadium
R&B legend, eight-time Grammy winner and one of the best halftime show performers in recent years, Usher, is technically coming home (he was born here, but he claims Atlanta) for The R&B Tour at the tail-end of the summer. Chris Brown is co-headlining.
Shaboozey
Sept. 12
South Side Ballroom
Following the release of his upcoming fourth album titled The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales, Grammy-winning country artist Shaboozey is coming to Dallas with Britney Spencer. Last time he was in town, he shut down the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge with our very own BigXThaPlug for the latter’s “Home” music video last year, so maybe we’ll see hip-hop’s biggest, largest breakout make an appearance on stage. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on May 1. AS
Elijah Smith
Billy Idol
Sept. 18
Dos Equis Pavilion
Giants of Rock music announcing “retirement” tours every four years is so cliché. Fresh off being announced as a 2026 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee in 2026, he’s bringing the It’s A Nice Day To… Tour Again show to Fair Park.
Duelo
Sept. 19
Dos Equis Pavilion
This year promises to be one of the biggest and best yet for Latin music shows. Longtime Mexican Norteno fixtures Duelo are bringing the Gravedad Tour to Fair Park toward the tail-end of this summer. The band members are Texas natives, so naturally, they’re playing a handful of shows across the state as part of the nationwide tour, but this is the only chance you have to see them in North Texas. AS
Empire of the Sun
Sept. 20
Dos Equis Pavilion
There are many songs worthy of being deemed millennial nostalgia anthems, but “Walking on a Dream” is near the top of such a list. Car commercials and the aisles of CVS have never been the same since it dropped. If you see us getting misty-eyed at this one, just look away. AS
Aespa
Sept. 29
American Airlines Center
Ahead of a new album out on May 29, K-Pop girl group Aespa is embarking on the SYNK : COMPLæXITY World Tour, and Dallas is one of a very small handful of U.S. cities lucky enough to be on the calendar. Tickets are on sale now. AS
Jack White
Oct. 7
The Bomb Factory
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was just added to the Coachella lineup at the last minute as a surprise performer, so if you have a near-untamed fear of missing out, you can catch him on the streets of Deep Ellum instead of the Mojave Desert this fall. Dallas is basically his home away from home — he’ll be around the corner from his Warstic flagship store for an eponymous tour in the back half of the year. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 17 at 10 a.m. AS
Kacey Musgraves
Oct. 10 & 11
American Airlines Center
Luckily for us, we share a home with one of the best modern country music stars. Eight-time Grammy-winning artist Kacey Musgraves is returning to her roots for not one, but two shows in the Fall in support of her excellent new album, Middle of Nowhere. We’re just grateful you can’t die from horniess after all. Expect these shows to sell out. AS
Carly May Gravley
Doja Cat
Nov. 4
American Airlines Center
The more her contemporaries reach for an ‘80s pop sheen, the better Doja Cat’s breezy album, Vie, seems to sound, nailing the bouncy melodies and instrumentals without coming off as contrived. A departure from the previous two Scarlet albums, which were more hip-hop focused and featured a run of TikTok-friendly hits, Vie is further proof that Doja Cat can do it all. We’ll have to wait until next November for her date at American Airlines, but if her last Dallas show nearly three years ago to the day was any indication, it’ll be one of the best shows of the year. SP
