The People Have Spoken and So Has the Music - Bluesfest Back for Encore in 2026
Bluesfest Byron Bay 2026
Bluesfest – an Australian-owned, truly independent celebration of live music - will be back in 2026.
Music lovers from across the country came together to celebrate what Bluesfest fans and the music community have always known – that live music and this much-loved festival are worth standing behind.
“We’ve had the highest attendance of any Australian festival since pre-COVID at 109,000 attendances - the third-biggest event we've done in the history of the festival.... festivals are back,” Bluesfest Director Peter Noble said.
“We’re the top-selling festival in the country, and we’ve worked hard to get here.”
The Bluesfest team has been humbled by the overwhelming support received from both artists and fans since the announcement that 2025 might be the final year.
“That support means Bluesfest fans have kept this dream alive. It's a clarion call for me. People want this event. People want it to continue.”
This year's four-day showcase of some of the greatest live performers on the planet was a virtual sellout, with the biggest-ever opening night crowd pouring through the festival gates from the moment they opened on Thursday.
The crowd of all ages was as diverse as Bluesfest has ever welcomed, testament to the event's multi-generational appeal to live music loving fans from all walks of life.
The 2025 artist roll call perfectly illustrated Bluesfest's deft knack of assembling the greatest live performers on the planet – the past, present and future of live performance. Bluesfest always seeks to tip its hat to the greats and showcase the next wave of consummate performers, and 2025 was no exception.
The future is more than alright – it's in electrifying hands as young Australian artists and busking stage graduates, including Tones and I, who reminded the packed Crossroads tent of her humble beginnings when she pointed to the nearby Buskers stage – the very stage where she first performed at Bluesfest – before delivering a powerhouse set to a sold-out crowd.
Festival Director Peter Noble’s special mentions across the weekend – beyond the headliners – included The Pierce Brothers, the reformation of The Beards, Kim Churchill, Nahko, Fools, Eric Stang, RY X, Sweet Talk, 19-Twenty, Roshani, WILSN and Clarence Bekker. And honestly, we could almost add every artist to that list.
Adding to the sense of musical legacy, Birren – an emerging Indigenous artist and cousin of Budjerah – won the 2025 Busking Competition, and 14-year-old Torin Peat was the grommet winner, offering a glimpse into a future that’s clearly going to be big for both.
“The finalists showed there is so much incredible young talent coming up, and the standard was as high, or higher than recent years, and sees a big future for both Birren and Torin,” said Peter Noble.
Maoli brought the spirit of the Pacific from Hawaii to our shores, captivating audiences with a blend of roots, reggae and soul, while a special mention must go to The Pierce Brothers, whose energetic performance lit up the festival.
And then there were the legends: Chaka Khan and Hilltop Hoods didn’t just raise the roof – they launched it into orbit, with a scheduled landing date around Easter 2026.
There aren’t enough superlatives to describe the otherworldly talent of true blues teenage guitar supremo Taj. His Bluesfest performances across the weekend were among the greatest.
Of course, the revolution’s not done yet, as guitar star with a purpose, Tom Morello, showed – amping up crowds on Thursday and Friday with his full-throttle, Rage Against the Machine-energised rally cry to do and be better in the face of dangerous times.
In fact, Friday's line-up was an unmissable day for guitar lovers and blues fans. As Mr Noble said, it was stacked.
"You simply won't find a collection of guitar legends like this on any single day in Australia," he said.
"With Steve Lukather (Toto) - one of the world's most revered and prolific guitarists - George Thorogood bringing his signature Bad to the Bone energy, and Gary Clark Jr, the Grammy-winning blues innovator with his fiery guitar work and deep, soulful vocals. Add to that Tom Morello, a true guitar icon whose mind-bending solos have reshaped modern rock, plus the young stars of blues Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram and Australia's own Taj Farrant and many more."
Collaboration between musical mates - and there was plenty of it this year - has become another hallmark of Bluesfest.
Taj Farrant joined Electric Cadillac for a searing rendition of Voodoo Chile, Minnie Marks jumped up to jam with Hussy Hicks and Kasey Chambers joined Vance Joy.
The next generation of live music artists and fans were also on show at Bluesfest 2025, from the stellar talent on the Buskers stage, led by this year's grommet winner, 14-year-old Torin Peat, to the musical progeny of some of the festival's most beloved performers.
Kasey’s son Arlo and his band Motion Sickness performed as part of the busking contest while Bluesfest favourite and proud dad Ash Grunwald was joined onstage by daughter Sunny for a Bill Withers cover.
"She absolutely smashed it," Grunwald said. "Out of all the Bluesfest moments I've had, this just might be my favourite."
There were plenty of happy feet across the four days too, with high-energy made-for-dancing shows from Cimafunk, Here Come the Mummies, Melbourne Ska Orchestra and The Cat Empire.
Bluesfest was the only place in Australia fans could see freaky funky funsters Here Come The Mummies and Cimafunk - along with Neal Francis, The California Honeydrops and Melody Angel, who all played exclusive Bluesfest-only shows.
Vance Joy and Crowded House led dreamy sing-alongs under the big tops on Saturday, while Australian all-stars Missy Higgins, John Butler and Hilltop Hoods had the joint jumping for Sunday night's finale.
Tickets for the four-day Bluesfest 2026 are on sale now. For ticket information, full lineup details and more, visit Bluesfest Byron Bay.
2025 festival highlights
About Bluesfest Byron Bay
Bluesfest Byron Bay has been Australia’s premier contemporary Blues, Roots, and Beyond music festival since 1990. What started as a humble celebration of Blues & Roots music has grown into one of the most significant music festivals in the world. Of our many awards being recognised in the top 10 music festivals of the world from Pollstar, demonstrates the significance of this festival not just locally but around the world.
Over the years, the festival has hosted an incredible array of iconic artists, including Blues legends like BB King and Buddy Guy, music legends such as Santana, Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples, Paul Simon, Bonnie Rait and Robert Plant, and contemporary greats like Dave Matthews Band, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, John Mayer, Mary J Blige and Kendrick Lamar, who made his first festival appearance in Australia at Bluesfest. Let’s not forget the amazing Australian artists that have played such as Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Kasey Chambers and Crowded House, and so many more.
Recognised globally for its excellence, Bluesfest has earned numerous accolades, making it the most awarded music festival in the Australian entertainment industry.
Awards include:
1 WIN at the Keeping the Blues Alive Award Memphis for Bluesfest Director Peter Noble
9 WINS at the NSW Tourism Awards for Major Festivals and Events - (6 Gold, 3 Silver)
Induction into the NSW Tourism Awards Hall of Fame in 2019 for three wins a row.
8 WINS at the North Coast Tourism Awards for Major Festivals & Events
4 WINS at the Helpmann Awards for Best Contemporary Music Festival (Ceremony for Australia's most talented and celebrated performers and industry)
1 WIN at the Helpmann Awards for Best International Contemporary Concert
8 WINS at the Australian Event Awards for Best Cultural & Music and Event of The Year
6 NOMINATIONS for NSW for Major Festivals & Events at the Australian Tourism Awards (2 Silver, 1 Bronze)
10 NOMINATIONS at the Pollstar Awards (USA) for International Festival of the Year (No other Australian Festival nominated in this or last decade)
1 WIN at the Pollstar Awards (USA) for International Festival of the Decade with a top 10 finish in 2021.
1 WIN at the first Variety Awards for Festival of the Year