Big Ears Festival Unveils 2026 Artist Lineup: David Byrne, Robert Plant, Pat Metheny, Flying Lotus, MJ Lenderman and More

Big Ears Festival, photo by Eli Johnson

Big Ears Festival has shared the initial artist lineup for its 2026 staging, set to return to downtown Knoxville, Tenn., from March 26-29. With its forthcoming presentation, the pioneering musical institution will issue yet another eclectic program of boundary-breaking artists across genres, amounting to over 250 events across more than 20 venues. David Byrne, Robert Plant, Pat Metheny, Flying Lotus, Laurie Anderson and John Zorn are among the top names in the litany of icons.

In keeping with its annual custom, the full scale of Big Ears’ 2026 lineup is almost too titanic and timely to express. Many of next year’s leading acts offered projects sure to be recognized among 2025’s finest, including Tunde Adebimpe’s Thee Black Boltz, Mary Halvorson’s About Ghosts, S.G. Goodman’s Planting by the Signs, Marc Ribot’s Map of a Blue City, Pino Palladino & Blake Mills’ This Wasn’t a Dream, Adrian Sherwood’s The Collapse of Everything, Bill Orcutt, Steve Shelley and Ethan Miller’s Orcutt Shelley Miller, Alan Sparhawk and Trampled By Turtles’ self-titled collaboration and Cymande’s 50-year reunion record, Renascence. Byrne will present two performances of his outstanding ninth solo album Who Is The Sky?, and Robert Plant will present his imminent record Saving Grace, both of which recontextualize the artists’ legendary careers with bold new strides.

Others still will return to Big Ears with new projects in process, including Metheny’s Side-Eye III+, 12 fresh works from Zorn–with collaborators like John Medeski, Dave Lombardo, Julian Lage, Brian Marsella, Jorge Roeder, Ches Smith and the original Masada Quarter–and Anderson, who will partner with Sexmob for X², a new follow-up to her classic Let X=X. The diverse host of innovators featured further down the lineup includes MJ Lenderman & The Wind, John Scofield Trio, Taper’s Choice, Don Was & The Pan-Detroit Ensemble, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Richard Thompson, Terry Allen, Tim Heidecker with his Very Good Band, Shabaka, Dirty Three, Model/Actriz, Tom Skinner, Chicago Underground Duo, Dave Harrington’s Pranksters South, Hand Habits, Mary Lattimore, Nate Smith Trio and YHWH Nailgun.

Big Ears 2026 will also host 11 landmark special programs. Highlights within this high-profile cohort include Los Angeles collective Wild Up’s staging of Julius Eastman’s Femenine and Arthur Russell’s 24 to 24, Ghost Train Orchestra’s tribute to Moondog and Nels Cline’s Lovers, performed alongside the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra and conducted by Michael Leonhart. Further artists will be added to the already expansive bill as the festival approaches.

Tickets for Big Ears 2026 will become available through an exclusive presale for returning attendees tomorrow, Sept. 10, at 9 a.m. ET, with a general on-sale following on this Thursday, Sept. 11, at 9 a.m. ET. For tickets and more information, visit bigearsfestival.org.

Read on for the complete list of artists booked for Big Ears 2026.

Big Ears Festival 2026 Lineup:

Adrian Sherwood • Alan Sparhawk & Trampled by Turtles • Anna Tivel • Annahstasia • Annie & The Caldwells • BASIC • Blind Boys of Alabama • Bloodshot Bill • Brandon Woody’s Upendo • Brian Marsella & Sae Hashimoto • Brian Marsella’s iMAGiNARiUM • Briggan Krauss • Brittany Davis • Caroline Shaw & Sō Percussion ft. Ringdown • Cécile McLorin Salvant • Chad Taylor Quintet • Charlemagne Palestine • Ches Smith Clone Row • Chicago Underground Duo • Chucho Valdés Royal Quartet • Chuck Johnson • Cleo Reed • Cymande • Darius Jones Trio • Dave Douglas Gifts Quintet ft. Tomeka Reid, James Brandon Lewis, Rafiq Batia & Ian Chang • Dave Harrington’s Pranksters South • David Byrne: Who is the Sky? • Deantoni Parks: Technoself • Deerhoof • Dirty Three • Dither: Laurie Spiegel’s The Expanding Universe • Dom Flemons • Don Was & the Pan-Detroit Ensemble • DoYeon Kim • Either/Orchestra • Eliana Glass • Fine • Florist • Flying Lotus • Gary Lucas & Gods and Monsters • Ghost Train Orchestra plays The Music of Moondog • Go Kurosawa • GRRL x Made of Oak • Gwenifer Raymond • Haley Heynderickx • Hand Habits • Hania Rani & Knoxville Symphony Orchestra: Non-Fiction (N. American Premiere) • Hania Rani presents Chilling Bambino • Hannah Cohen • Harriet Tubman & Georgia Anne Muldrow • Hayden Pedigo • His Name Is Alive • Isaiah Collier • Jamie Lidell & Luke Schneider • Janel & Anthony • Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage • Jimmie Dale Gilmore & Butch Hancock • Joe Westerlund • John Mailander’s Forecast • John Scofield Trio ft. Vicente Archer & Bill Stewart • John Zorn: Impromptus Ballades Nocturnes, Junction Trio Plays Zorn, Love Songs ft. Petra Haden, Incerto, Awakening Ground, Hannigan Sings Zorn I & II, Cobra, Harry Smith Films with Music, Masada Reunion, John Zorn and Laurie Anderson • Julia Úlehla & Dálava • Julian Lage Quartet • Julianna Barwick • Karen Mantler Trio • Kate Gentile: Find Letter X • Ken Pomeroy • Kishi Bashi • Kaoru Watanabe’s Bloodlines Interwoven (In Residence) • Laurie Anderson: X2 with Sexmob • Lazyhorse • Lisel • Los Thuthanaka • Lubomyr Melnyk • Lucrecia Dalt • Madison Cunningham • Mali Obomsawin • Marc Ribot: Shrek, Hurry Red Telephone, Map of a Blue City • Maria Somerville • Marilyn Crispell & Harvey Sorgen • Marquis Hill Blacktet • Maruja Limón • Mary Halvorson Canis Major • Mary Lattimore • Matt Mitchell’s Zealous Angles • Meara O’Reilly Vocal Ensemble • Mei Semones • Miles Okazaki • Miriam Elhajli • MJ Lenderman & The Wind • Model/Actriz • Moin • Natalie Bergman • Nate Mercereau • Nate Smith Trio • Nels Cline & Knoxville Jazz Orchestra: Lovers • Nik Bärtsch’s RONIN • Openness Trio • Orchestra Baobab • Orcutt Shelley Miller • Pan American & Kramer • Pat Metheny Side-Eye III+ • Patricia Brennan Septet • Patrick Watson • Patrick Watson presents Film Scores for No One • Perfume Genius • Pino Palladino & Blake Mills • Qur’an Shaheed • Rafiq Bhatia: Environments with Ian Chang & Riley Mulherkar • Reggie Watts • Rich(ard) Dawson • Richard Thompson • Robert Plant’s Saving Grace feat. Suzi Dian • Rosenau & Sanborn • Ryan Clackner & Tyshawn Sorey • Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band • S.G. Goodman • The Saami Brothers ft. Ustad Naseeruddin Saami • Saha Gnawa • Sami Stevens • Saul Williams Meets Carlos Niño & Friends • Setting • SHABAKA • shirlette ammons • Simon Hanes: GARGANTUA • SML (In Residence) • Steven Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra Plays Sly • Sullivan Fortner Trio • SUSS presents Across the Horizon • Taper’s Choice • Tara Clerkin Trio • Terry Allen with Brenden Greaves & Jo Harvey Allen: Truckload of Art • Terry Allen with the Panhandle Mystery Band & Jo Harvey Allen: Memwars • Tim Berne • Tim Heidecker & the Very Good Band with Neil Hamburger • Tom Skinner • Tsons of Tsunami • Tunde Adebimpe • Turning Jewels Into Water • Twin Talk • Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes • Walt McClements • The Westerlies • Wild Up: Julius Eastmans’ Femenine & Arthur Russell’s 24 to 24 • Will Graefe • William Hooker Quartet • Winged Wheel • Wu Fei & Shanir Blumenkranz  • Yagódy • YHWH Nailgun