Las Vegas has already stacked its calendar with hundreds of performances of different types in 2026. Amongst the many events on the calendar, there are diva residencies, famous rock bands, superstar DJs, and gigantic festivals that will keep the desert buzzing with music throughout the entire year. Every week, starting from the very first week of January to the last week of December, there will be at least one “bucket list” show in Las Vegas.
What really draws people to the concerts and festivals in Las Vegas in 2026 is a combination of imposing names and groundbreaking concepts. The scenario presented consists of pop superstars taking over a full-fledged residency, classic rock legends temporarily relocating their greatest hits for a month or so, and outdoor festivals sprouting up like small music cities that are just a few steps away from the desert. If you’re the sort of person who doesn’t mind planning and would like every ticket reserved months in advance, that’s just fine; if you’re the type of person who loves to take risks and only wants the hottest things going on that weekend, the upcoming year’s schedule has a lot of reasons to support your plan of making a trip just for live performances.
Superstar Residencies: Jennifer Lopez, Bruno Mars, Kelly Clarkson
One of the hottest tickets on the Strip in early 2026 is set to be Jennifer Lopez. Her “Up All Night Live” run at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace kicks off around New Year’s, rolling from end-of-December dates into the first days of January before she returns for a full March stretch. Expect a high-glam, high-energy show built around choreography, a big band, and a wall of hits like “On the Floor,” “Let’s Get Loud,” and “If You Had My Love,” all woven together with video, costume changes, and that very Vegas sense of drama.
Bruno Mars continues to be one of the city’s most in-demand performers, with his long-running shows at Dolby Live in Park MGM anchoring the late-2025 and likely early-2026 calendar. His Vegas sets play like a live mixtape of the last decade: “Uptown Funk,” “24K Magic,” “Locked Out of Heaven,” plus slick band breaks and comedy between songs. If you like the idea of watching a world-class showman work a room where no seat feels too far, his dates are the ones you circle in red.
The season of summer is owned by Kelly Clarkson. Her concert plans for 2026 are packed with a series of nights in July and early August; thus, fans will have numerous opportunities to experience that mighty voice in live performance. These performances are a mix of anthems like “Since U Been Gone,” “Because of You,” and “Stronger” along with some emotional, deep cuts, and also casual, talk-show-style banter, which makes a big theater surprisingly intimate. The artist focuses on storytelling, transitioning from hair-raising ballads to choruses that you can sing at the top of your voice, while the band maintains a tight and radio-ready sound.
Legends on the Strip: Dolly Parton, The Eagles, and Friends
Country and classic-rock fans get their own slice of Vegas heaven in 2026. In September, Dolly Parton is slated for a multi-night run that’s practically built for nostalgia. Picture rhinestone dresses, big hair, and that unmistakable voice sliding from “Jolene” into “9 to 5” and sweet story songs in between. Her shows lean into warmth and humor, with Dolly talking to the crowd like you’re all old friends catching up between choruses.
Meanwhile, The Eagles keep their long relationship with Las Vegas going strong, with blocks of dates scattered across the first half of the year. Setlists typically read like a classic rock playlist come to life—“Hotel California,” “Take It Easy,” “Desperado”—delivered with laser-sharp musicianship and lush harmonies that still hit hard. Add in returning names like Santana, Backstreet Boys, and New Kids on the Block across various months, and you’ve got a Strip where almost every era of your music taste is represented on some marquee.
Sphere Spectacle: No Doubt’s Big 2026 Comeback
One of the most talked-about events on the 2026 calendar is the reunion of No Doubt for a six-night mini-residency at Sphere in May. It’s their first extended run in years, and they are stepping into one of the most visually advanced venues on the planet. With a 360-degree screen that wraps around the room, fans can expect a show that turns “Just a Girl,” “Don’t Speak,” “Hella Good,” and the rest of their catalog into full-blown visual stories.
This isn’t just a nostalgia night; the band is treating it like a chance to reintroduce themselves to a new generation. Think punk-skewed energy, Gwen Stefani’s unmistakable stage presence, and arrangements that put fresh punch into the songs you wore out on CD. Tickets for this one will be the kind you brag about years later—“Yeah, I saw them at Sphere.”
Festival Season: EDC, Sick New World, and When We Were Young
In case you prefer to chase diversity instead of staying in one place all night, the festivals in Vegas are where the city really reveals its charms. EDC Las Vegas is set to return to the Motor Speedway once again in May 2026, introducing three nights of EDM and dance music spread across massive stages, art cars, and luminous installations. The specific performers that will come usually get announced near spring; however, you can confidently expect the best DJs, surprise back-to-backs, and sunrise sets that will be like you have been transported to another world.
On the other hand, Sick New World rescheduled returns to Las Vegas in April 2026 with a lineup that looks like a mix of nu-metal and alt-rock stars. System of a Down and Korn are going to be the main acts with support from Bring Me the Horizon, Ministry, AFI, Evanescence, and many more. Get ready for nonstop riffs, huge sing-alongs, and mosh pits that will be dancing in the desert dust while the huge screens are lighting up the night. It’s the kind of event that lasts for a day, and you walk out of it all drained, unable to speak, and very, very lucky.
Emo and pop-punk fans, meanwhile, keep circling October on their calendars. The When We Were Young festival has made the third weekend of that month its home, and while the 2026 lineup is still under wraps, past editions packed in acts like Blink-182, Panic! at the Disco, Weezer, and Avril Lavigne on neighboring stages. Add in the iHeartRadio Music Festival, which usually brings a radio-dominating mix of pop, hip-hop, and rock to town in early fall, and you’ve got a festival season that can be as wild or as nostalgic as you like—right down to checking OnLuck.CasinoLogin.gg in your hotel room between sets.
How to Plan Your Perfect 2026 Vegas Music Trip
Las Vegas 2026 is such an overwhelming place to be that the best strategy is to pick a "headline" moment first. That could be eventually catching Jennifer Lopez or Kelly Clarkson live, getting No Doubt tickets at Sphere, or making your whole plan around EDC or Sick New World. After that anchor date is established, it is possible to gradually incorporate other shows—an additional residency night, a poolside DJ set, a smaller theater gig from a favorite ’80s or ’90s act—until your days and nights are pleasantly packed.
Then, the focus changes to pacing. There are some travelers who go to concerts one after another; others have one major concert, one day at the festival, and a few evenings between bars and smaller venues. The great thing about the 2026 lineup is that there’s no wrong way to do it. No matter how you arrange your tickets, Vegas will offer you bright marquees, unexpected guest stars, and the unmistakable sensation that something big could happen any night of the week—this is exactly what a music-lover trip should feel like.
