Parkway Drive Lead Second Artist Announcement For Bluesfest 2026

This is likely the most unexpected artist reveal since Kendrick Lamar at Bluesfest 2016.

Byron Bay Bluesfest has just announced the next batch of artists performing at this year’s festival, and it’s probably the most unexpected reveal since Kendrick Lamar at Bluesfest 2016.

The line-up has expanded with three influential, revered, and culturally significant acts in modern music, with Byron Bay’s most successful band, Parkway Drive, leading today’s announcement. They’re joined by the Queen of Neo Soul, Erykah Badu, making her long-awaited return to Australia, and The Wailers, who are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Bob Marley’s Rastaman Vibration.

Formed in 2003, Parkway Drive went from a metalcore band that performed in dives and youth centres across the country to a world-conquering heavy music behemoth. The band have earned four #1 albums in Australia, and in 2023, they took home the ARIA Award for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album for their 2022 record, Darker Still.

Known for their explosive, pyrotechnic-laden live shows, Parkway Drive have headlined major metal festivals, including Wacken in Germany, and have shared the stage with Metallica, Slipknot, and Lamb of God, to name a few.

In 2024, Parkway Drive embarked on a sold-out arena tour of Australia, and last year, they teamed up with a full symphonic orchestra at the Sydney Opera House for a one-night-only, black-tie event. Their first-ever appearance at Bluesfest marks a historic homecoming for the local outfit.

Meanwhile, Erykah Badu is recognised as one of the most influential and enduring artists in contemporary music. Influenced by R&B, 1970s soul and 1980s hip-hop, she continuously pushes genre boundaries by melding soul, jazz, funk and hip-hop with spiritual and socially conscious themes. She returns to Australia for the first time in 14 years.

As part of their Bluesfest booking, The Wailers will perform a three-night residency with three completely different live sets.

Showcasing the timeless power of Bob Marley’s music, The Wailers will present sets that draw from the landmark compilation album Legend, feature select songs from Natural Mystic alongside Legend hits, and a Rastaman Vibration / Positive Vibrations set, paired with Legend classics.

Tickets to this year’s Bluesfest, taking place across the Easter Weekend in April, are available now via the festival website.

The newly announced acts join already-announced heavy hitters including Split Enz, Earth, Wind & Fire, Áine Tyrell, Sublime, Buddy Guy, Angelique Francis, The Black Crowes, Counting Crows, Roshani, The Living End, and many others.

Commenting on today’s line-up additions, Festival Director Peter Noble OAM said:

This is a very special announcement for us. Today we make history, welcoming Byron Bay’s most successful band ever to play at Byron Bay Bluesfest. Parkway Drive are locals who took their music from this region to the world, and now they are coming home. For their first ever major festival appearance in Byron Bay and their first show since playing at the Byron Bay high school in 2014.
The last time Parkway Drive toured Australia in September 2024, they played in arenas with great sales. That tells you everything you need to know about the scale they operate on now. This is a major addition to the Bluesfest lineup, and something we are incredibly proud of. We have always believed at Bluesfest that great music is great music, no matter the genre. If metal is not your thing, there are three other stages offering everything else you could want. But I will say this very clearly. Parkway Drive are not to be missed.
Erykah Badu, The Queen of Neo Soul, last played Bluesfest in 2012. Interestingly, so did Earth, Wind & Fire. This year, they will be playing on the same night, on the same stage, one after the other, Good Friday, April 3. That did not happen in 2012 when they played on different nights. This time, it is five-time, including 2025 - Grammy winner, Erykah Badu into Earth, Wind & Fire, back-to-back on the same stage. If you miss this, you will surely have a hole in your soul.
The Wailers are among the most loved and important artists in Bluesfest history. They are the original band that stood behind Bob Marley and later came together again with a clear purpose to ensure his music would continue to be played live, properly and with meaning.
Seven years after Bob Marley’s passing, The Wailers reformed to protect the integrity of his music and carry its message forward. As the original members passed on, they did something deeply significant. They taught their sons and a new generation of musicians who truly revere Bob Marley how to play this music with authenticity, respect and a deep understanding of what it stands for.