Start planning your trip to Zilker Park: the 2025 Austin City Limits Music Festival has unveiled a genre-blurring lineup led by some of today’s hottest artists. Pop singer-songwriter Sabrina Carpenter, soulful crooner Hozier, provocative pop-rap queen Doja Cat, and country superstar Luke Combs are among the top-billed headliners for the two-weekend festival. They’ll be joined at the top of the card by NYC rock icons The Strokes, EDM hitmaker John Summit, and breakout rapper Doechii — making this one of ACL’s most eclectic headliner slates ever. Whether you’re into chart-topping bops, guitar anthems, or country ballads, ACL 2025 has you covered with an array of marquee talent.
The undercard is just as impressive, packed with fan favorites and intriguing reunions across the musical spectrum. Indie rock devotees are buzzing about the return of Rilo Kiley, the beloved 2000s band (fronted by Jenny Lewis) who will reunite on stage at ACL for the first time in over a decade. Alternative stalwarts Modest Mouse, electro-pop duo Empire of the Sun, alt-R&B singer King Princess, and genre-bending band Rainbow Kitten Surprise are all set to perform. Festival-goers can also catch sets from Cage the Elephant (known for their explosive live shows), pop-punk veterans Pierce the Veil, and auto-tune R&B pioneer T-Pain – a lineup twist that promises a nostalgia trip for 2000s hit lovers.
On the rising talent front, ACL is showcasing plenty of buzzy newer acts. Indie darlings Wet Leg (fresh off their recent Grammy win) will bring their sly rock tunes, while Japanese Breakfast’s dreamy pop and Car Seat Headrest’s lo-fi rock should satisfy the Pitchfork crowd. Actor-turned-musician DJO (a.k.a. Stranger Things star Joe Keery) will deliver his psychedelic synth-pop, and Australian dance-pop outfit Confidence Man is bound to get the crowd moving. For electronic music fans, there’s no shortage of beats: Canadian duo Zeds Dead will drop bass-heavy EDM, and acclaimed DJ/producer LP Giobbi is on the bill as well. On the country/Americana side, Texas’ own Maren Morris returns to ACL with her crossover hits, and Magdalena Bay, Jensen McRae, plus MJ Lenderman add to the diverse mix of singer-songwriters and indie voices.
The 2025 ACL Festival spans two weekends (Oct. 3–5 and Oct. 10–12, 2025), with the same lineup repeating for both weekends. Festival organizers confirmed that performances will be spread across nine stages, giving every genre its moment in the Austin sun. As always, ACL will also offer a way to tune in from home: Hulu is set to stream select performances and artist interviews during Weekend One, so fans nationwide can catch some of the action live. Tickets went on sale May 6 and were met with high demand — three-day passes for both weekends are already moving fast, with single-day tickets to be released later this year.
For ACL’s 2025 edition, the phrase “something for everyone” truly applies. Longtime festival-goers can rock out to The Strokes’ classics, country fans will sing along with Luke Combs’ hits, pop enthusiasts have Sabrina Carpenter and Doja Cat to look forward to, and indie aficionados get a once-in-a-lifetime Rilo Kiley reunion. It’s a testament to Austin’s musical melting pot vibe that a single festival can feature Backstreet Boys-era nostalgia (T-Pain’s autotune jams), TikTok-era breakout stars, and legends and newcomers side by side. Come October, Zilker Park will once again transform into a sonic playground where genres unite – and if this lineup is any indication, ACL 2025 might be one for the record books in both scope and spirit. Mark your calendars and dust off your boots (or dancing shoes), because Austin’s biggest music party is gearing up to welcome fans from all walks of life.
