The time has come. Tuesday was one of my favorite days of the year, ACL lineup drop day.
Tuesday morning at 9 AM, I refreshed the website one final time to see the lineup load across my screen and I immediately screamed out, “NO!” You might ask yourself, “Andrew, you’re a huge cheerleader for this festival. You defend almost everything they do. Why would see the lineup and immediately be upset?” Well, I’ll tell you why. Every year since 2018, ACL has aligned its poster with all of the headliners in big text on the left-hand side of the poster so that your eyes are immediately drawn to it. My eyes immediately drew me to one of the most abysmal headliner stretches I’ve seen on an ACL poster, probably ever. Slotted at three, four, and five on the left-hand side are Mumford and Sons, Odesza, and The Lumineers, respectively.
All of these were not great starts to the lineup for me for their own reasons. Odesza has Live Nation in the palm of their hand right now and I don’t think there’s a single multi-genre Live Nation fest that Odesza isn’t headlining this year. I’m just glad they’re not taking up real estate in the top 3. The Lumineers are about as thrilling as watching paint dry, both as a booking and in terms of their music. Finally, Mumford and Sons. Frontman Marcus Mumford must have some sort of dirt on the people who book this fest because as a band, this is their third appearance as headliners in seven years and Marcus even played a solo set last year. I truly don’t get it.
My only other major gripe is that this year is so full of coffee house granola-eating music. While I still like most of the bands under that category, I can’t wait to catch Hozier, Noah Kahan, and The Revivalists, it’s just an odd direction to move in. With that being said though, the rest of the lineup is…kinda really great! At first glance, maybe last year’s undercard was a bit stronger but I also have hindsight helping me say that. Also, they knocked it out of the park again in the “smaller country artists that I thought only I cared about” category with Randall King, Tanner Usrey, Angel White, Corey Kent, and Pony Bradshaw all popping up in the bottom half of the poster. There are still head-scratchers and “Why did they book them?” type artists on the lineup (looking directly at Thirty Seconds to Mars) but regardless, I’m still excited to be back in Zilker Park for the fifth year running. The full lineup poster is posted right here:
There’s so much great stuff through the undercard, from the top lines all the way down to the bottom and even outside of the names I know, I’m also excited to do some research and start digging deep into this lineup. There are a ton of “I know the name but don’t know their music” artists and some artists I’ve been wanting ACL to book for so long. There are also artists I never thought the fest would ever book like Death Grips, The Mars Volta, and Labrinth.
Since I’ve always loved talking about this fest and diving into its lineup, I figured I’d rehash what I did last year and share with you guys my top 10 most anticipated sets of the weekend. I hope I can turn you guys on to something cool and if you’re going, maybe I’ll introduce you to the artist that’ll play your favorite set of the weekend. Enough yapping though, let’s get into the list. There’s no particular order but I will say, the artist I talk about last is 10000% my most anticipated set of the weekend.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Every year after ACL Fest concludes, they send out a survey to see what people thought of the fest, how it could be better, what could change, and what could stay the same. Most importantly, the festival asks what artist you’d like to see play at the festival next year. At the top of my list the past two years have been the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I originally got into them at the end of 2019 when they were booked to play the 2020 edition of Shaky Knees in Atlanta that never happened. I’m so excited that this is finally the year they listened to me and booked them. One of the leaders of the New York indie-rock explosion in the early 2000s, Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ blend of rock, electronic, and dance music has been perfect to my ears. Their latest album, Cool It Down, was one of my favorites of last year and I expect that Karen O and her crew will make the wait I’ve waited to see them extremely worth it. Every video I’ve seen of them performing live looks magical, Karen O’s stage presence is one of the most peaceful but punk rock things I’ve ever seen. My wish is for them to get a smaller stage sunset set because hearing a song like Spitting off the Edge of the World while the sun sets but still getting to jump around with lights flying in every direction while Heads Will Roll or Date With The Night plays after the sun goes down would be perfection.
Try Checking Out: Heads Will Roll, Zero, Spitting off the Edge of the World, Maps
Maggie Rogers
It seems like Maggie Rogers has played every festival under the sun ever since she blew up in 2016 from a video that went viral of Pharrell Williams reacting to her song Alaska that she had submitted for her NYU Songwriting Class. Well, she’s played almost every festival under the sun because this is going to be her first time at ACL. Every video I’ve seen of her performing looks like nothing but pure joy and you can tell that she truly loves being on stage and truly feeds off of crowd energy. Her Feral Joy Tour this Spring is a tour I’m so bummed I had to miss after seeing videos from it. Just all of the positive energy in the rooms she was playing along with her stage show really made FOMO hit hard. And it’s not just live performances either, Maggie’s music is fantastic as well. That’s Where I Am, linked above, was my favorite song of 2022 and if I’m being honest, half of her album Surrender could’ve taken that title. Her stand-alone Love You For A Long Time has long been a beach day/driving with the sun shining and windows down song. She’s a great writer, an extremely charismatic singer, and I think people that aren’t familiar with her will fall in love with her if they stumble across her set.
Try Checking Out: Alaska, That’s Where I Am, Light On, Love You For A Long Time, Want Want
Shania Twain
Before this article continues, I’d like to quickly say three words that I’ve been waiting to say in an article like this since I saw her tour dates.
*ahem*
LET’S GO GIRLS!!
One of my favorite things about ACL in recent years is this trend of being the only major multi-genre fest that isn’t afraid to book country artists in headline slots. 2021 saw George Strait in the #1 overall slot on the poster, last year had both The Chicks and Kacey Musgraves, and this year, we have someone who I think is going to be an absolute slam dunk closing down the Honda stage, Shania Twain. I don’t know if the title has ever been officially given out, but Shania has to be in the running to be the Queen of Country Music. She has some of the genre’s most iconic songs, she’s sold a bazillion records, and from what I’ve seen, she can still put on a show. Also, I’m not an idiot. If I have a chance to hear Man! I Feel Like A Woman live and don’t take it, I won’t be able to live with myself. I don’t see a scenario where I’m gonna miss her set.
Try Checking Out: Man! I Feel Like A Woman, That Don’t Impress Me Much, Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under, Any Man of Mine
Well, I won’t miss her unless she’s booked at the same time as…
Kendrick Lamar
This conflict already feels extremely likely and I’m trying to brace myself for it but man it really stings to consider. I’ve told myself already though that Kendrick is the one headliner I am not negotiable on. No matter who he’s against, I will be seeing Kendrick and there’s nothing that’ll change my mind (even though, Shania will make me think a little bit). There are a couple of reasons for that. The first, mainly, is that I consider Kendrick to be one of the greatest artists of our generation. He’s always been on the cutting edge of hip-hop, he’s used his art for change and to address social ills whether it’s through song, video, or performance, and his visuals are second probably only to Tyler, the Creator in my book. Second, speaking of performances, Kendrick’s Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers Tour wasn’t just a concert, it was a show, it was performance art. (If you have an Amazon Prime subscription, you can stream a show from the tour filmed in Paris.) Everything about that show was extremely beautiful, thought out, and still somehow didn’t detract from his music. Finally, for me personally, Kendrick was one of the first rappers I ever got into and I’ve missed him every time he’s toured since I first listened to him in 2016. I’m excited to finally cross him off my list and hear so many songs that I’ve loved for so long.
Try Checking Out: Alright, Money Trees, HUMBLE., Savior, DNA., m.A.A.d. city
Death Grips
In November 2022, Live Nation revealed the lineup for Sick New World, a brand new festival in Las Vegas dedicated to nu-metal, rap rock, and lots of music from the 2000’s and early 2010’s that you’d probably be bullied for enjoying back then. One name on the poster shocked nearly everyone when it got released and that was Death Grips, a legendary and elusive experimental hip-hop group based out of Sacramento, California. No one was expecting them to be active this year until that poster dropped. The group has made waves for making some super strange music and being super strange in general. Their album The Money Store is a staple in the genre and honestly, you have a good chance of hearing one of the group’s songs play on our airwaves at least once a day. This booking really caught me by surprise for two reasons. The first being that I was positive they wouldn’t play due to them having a show booked at Emo’s, a local Austin venue, the Saturday of the first weekend. Second, given how much indie folk and stomp and clap music there is here, it’s kind of jarring to see a group like Death Grips on here. I don’t know if I’ll get up close and in the rowdiness that I’m sure this set will bring but I can see myself heading over to their set at Barton Springs with Juiceland and a Mighty Cone in hand and watching the chaos unfold from the hill.
Try Checking Out: Guillotine, I’ve Seen Footage, Ring a Bell, Hacker, Get Got
Yves Tumor
I first listened to Yves Tumor at the end of 2020 after a YouTuber I watch pretty consistently named Mic The Snare gave Yves’ album Heaven To A Tortured Mind his Album of the Year crown. He played a bit of Gospel For A New Century in the background and just from that little clip I was hooked. Yves’ music strikes a balance between David Bowie-esque glam rock mixed with heavier guitars at times and a dash of psychedelic soul and it’s such an amazing blend. Their latest album, Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume, spent a lot of time in our Top 50 and got some pretty heavy play on our airwaves. I don’t know where exactly Yves will play but I’m hoping they can get a time slot where they can bring a little light show that’ll actually pop instead of being drowned out by the sun. Another band that I’ve been hoping to be on this fests lineup for a while, I’m so glad that Yves is finally making their Zilker debut this year.
Try Checking Out: Kerosene, Gospel For A New Century, Jackie, Echolalia
Alanis Morissette
I know what just about everyone is thinking that saw her name on the poster and is now reading what I’m typing. “Alanis Morissette? The chick from the 90s? The chick who put out Jagged Little Pill? Is she still that popular? Is she even still good live?” Yes, it is that Alanis Morissette, the woman behind one of the best debut albums ever made. She is still that popular, it’s been kind of helped by some newcomer named Olivia Rodrigo listing her as a huge source of inspiration and bringing her out on stage a couple of times but also because nostalgia sells. Jagged Little Pill turned 25 in 2021, just in case you wanted to feel old this evening. But to the last point, is she still good live? Oh hell yeah, she’s amazing. I got to see her in 2019 at a festival in Dallas and she blew my mind, putting on one of the best no-frills rock and roll shows I think I’ve ever seen still to this day. Her setlists are just banger after banger, her crowds sing every word back to her at double the volume, and her band is incredible. This might get me some heat but it’ll make sense when I explain it. Jagged Little Pill sounds dated, it’s not something that I think could’ve dropped today and been as well received, but her band breathes a completely different life into these songs and makes it feel like they haven’t aged a day. This is gonna be a set for me like Paramore last year where I hope I can be surrounded by all of my buddies and a fun group for it. This is a slam dunk booking for the ACL demographic and it’s going to be a great time.
Try Checking Out: Just listen to Jagged Little Pill in full if you haven’t. That’s all you really need.
Morgan Wade
In July 2021, I got to see my first normal concert following the conclusion of lockdown. I saw American Aquarium, one of my favorite bands on the planet, try their best to blow the roof off of the legendary Gruene Hall for about two and a half hours. American Aquarium is always fantastic and I can’t recommend catching one of their shows enough. That’s beside the point, however. I bring that show up because the opener for that show was Morgan Wade, a tattoo-covered, raspy-voiced singer from Virginia. She played a solo, acoustic set and blew me away. It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with her debut album, Reckless, and it also didn’t take long for the world to catch on. Almost two years removed from that show, Wade has a deluxe version of that album out, an album of all acoustic songs, opened stadium shows for Luke Combs, embarked on her own sold-out nationwide tour, has a European tour planned for later this year, and is landing at major fests all over the country, including ACL. Her sound is a very tasteful blend of country and alternative elements. It’s twangy where it needs to be, it’s lush and full of reverb where it needs to be, and it’s perfect for a fest like this. I’m excited to finally see her with a full band and I’m excited to catch her now that I actually know and enjoy her music.
Try Checking Out: Wilder Days, Take Me Away, The Night, Other Side
Tanner Usrey
At the beginning of April, Zach and I were fortunate enough to see Flatland Cavalry’s homecoming show at Cook’s Garage. Flatland was great, as they always are, but Tanner Usrey’s opening set truly gave them a run for their money. While he’s the smallest font name I’ll talk about at length in this article, I truly think this is a set you’ll regret missing years down the line. One of those names you’ll look back and say, “Man, he was THAT far down on the lineup?” Usrey is going to be a superstar and I truly believe that. His voice is fantastic, his lyrics and storytelling are just as great, and his latest single Give It Some Time has slowly become one of my favorite songs of the year. While some of his music may not seem like it when you stream it, Usrey and his band rock live which was my biggest takeaway from his opening set. A song like Come Back Down hit so much harder live just because it had a bigger rock edge to it than the studio version does. This is a set that will 100% be worth getting to the park early for and one that you’ll be able to tell people “I saw him when he was an early day set.”
Try Checking Out: Give It Some Time, Come Back Down, Beautiful Lies, Take Me Home
Jessie Ware
In last year’s article, I spent the last writeup talking about how excited I was to see Paramore, how awesome it was for Paramore to be playing ACL, and just gushing about the band. I wanted to try and avoid that this year in the lead-up to the lineup drop, up until Jessie Ware announced a US tour that conveniently had no Texas shows and didn’t have any shows scheduled for both weekends of the festival. Sorry y’all, we’re doing it again. This is without a doubt my most anticipated set of the weekend and while I don’t think you should miss anyone I mentioned in this article, you really, really shouldn’t miss Jessie.
For starters, Jessie has barely toured in the US since 2018. She played a total of four headline shows here last year in support of her 2020 album What’s Your Pleasure as well as opening for Harry Styles’ Chicago arena residency. Speaking of that album, What’s Your Pleasure? as well as her most recent album That! Feels Good! are absolute masterclasses in dance-pop and modern disco music. Seriously, if you need a disco fix at ACL and can’t find a way to get down to Spotlight or Pearls (linked up above), you have issues. This is going to be a set like L’Imperatrice last year where you could have me down on the ground, all four of my limbs restrained and pinned down, and I would still be twisting and grooving to this set. The person that’ll be in the middle of the crowd when a song like Soul Control or Begin Again (my Song of the Year so far) plays is not the same person that’s sitting on the couch on my family patio writing this article for you right now. It’ll be the same person that danced like a fool to L’Imperatrice and Goose, the same person who lost his mind seeing Paramore and The War on Drugs, and the same person who tried to break his neck seeing Billy Strings and Paul Cauthen. To put it briefly, if you read this article, are attending this fest, and you don’t see Jessie Ware, I will make sure you can never access this website or our radio station ever again. Choose wisely y’all.
Some honorable acts and other artists I’m excited to catch are:
- The Mars Volta
- Niall Horan (sue me)
- Labrinth
- Rina Sawayama
- Hozier
- Randall King (gotta support former Red Raiders)
- The Revivalists
and last but not least, if they don’t conflict with Shania - Foo Fighters, even though it’ll feel really strange to see them without Taylor Hawkins on the drums.
Every year I make a Spotify playlist of the artists I’m most looking forward to seeing. You can check that out down below!
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