Get ready to press ‘play ‘on fresh names, reunion legends, and a K-Pop milestone.
Words Ashley Bowling
As Austin City Limits Festival returns October 3-5 & 10-12 at Zilker Park, the 2025 roster brings both the comfort of familiar favorites and the thrill of emergent stars. We’ve got the lineup of must-watch acts—old, new, and somewhere in between—all worth penciling in your schedule.
Luke Combs
Country music hits festival-goers like a “Hurricane” when Friday night headliner takes the stage, delivering a universal heartbreak with a grin. ACL’s crossover moment is when music lovers of all of all ages and genres are bobbing to “Back in the Saddle.” Performing Friday
Rilo Kiley
The indie rock stalwarts return after a long pause, delivering hooks that still feel timeless. “It’s a Hit” all over again. Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett’s chemistry reigns, and ACL is your chance to feel the nostalgia and energy collide live, this time coated in a “Silver Lining.” Performing Friday
LVVRS
Louisiana’s rising pop-rock collective is fresh off a sync surge (Netflix, film, you name it). Their new single “Wild Heart” will have music–lovers “Rid(ing) the Storm,” pulsing through the air as they play the BMI Stage. Don’t miss your chance to hear the soundtrack of someone’s next obsession thinking about “The Love You Gave Me.” Performing Friday
Maren Morris
Returning to her Texas roots, Maren Morris makes a bold statement at ACL 2025. She’s not just “Chasing After You.” She’s turning the page with Dreamsicle, her new album released May 2025. Expect a set that bridges her country past with fearless pop reinvention, with tracks like “Cut!” and “This is How a Woman Leaves,” serving as a kind of sonic catharsis. Performing Friday
Hozier
A beloved veteran returns with the voice that shut Austin down in 2013. Expect a mix of soul-stirring anthems and new material. “Take Me to Church” meets fresh storytelling in what could be a career-defining ACL set that’s “Too Sweet.” Performing Friday
Role Model
Tucker Pillsbury’s confessional strummy-pop is your post-ACL therapy. Songs like “hello!” and “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out” are cathartic and inventive. He’s the friend your playlist wants you to see live and “Never Let You Go.” Performing Friday
Vincent Lima
He’s building bridges with indie-folk and emotive vocals, where “Fair to You” becomes more than a phrase. It becomes a promise. And ACL might just be where the world catches “The Fire.” Performing Friday
Next of Kin
Sibling voices united in disarming harmony, “Jekyll & Hyde” might be the key to unlocking fans. Their EP Homemaker swirls with stories of loss, love, and leaving behind what doesn’t serve you. Expect open hearts set in suspense as they “take their secrets down to the grave.” Performing Saturday
Ocean Alley
Hailing from Australia, this band rides waves between alt-rock, psychedelia, and breezy pop. Their track, “Confidence,” has already made festival circuits, and ACL will be the next place it feels like home. They might even bring you to your “Knees” with adrenaline. Performing Saturday
RIIZE
Make history with the first K-Pop group ever to hit ACL. RIIZE takes over the BEATBOX stage at 5:30 PM. Since debuting in 2023, they’ve broken streaming and social records, and now they bring “Get a Guitar” and “Fly Up” live to the ATX. Performing Saturday
Olivia Dean
Her voice is a small apocalypse—anguished, velvet, unforgettable. Songs like “Show Me” deliver that human ache for connection and are your opportunity to “Dive” into the crowd singing and maybe even crying in delight, making it “So Easy” to sway in the sunlight. Performing Saturday
Goldford
Get ready to “Ride the Storm.” A name you’ll hear everywhere soon, Goldford crafts shimmering pop that flirts with heartbreak and dance floors alike. Their set is your shortcut to getting in early on something that’s about to sweep through playlists like “Dreams of Summertime.” Performing Saturday
Sabrina Carpenter
As one of this year’s headliners, she’s bringing her latest hits like “Espresso,” “Manchild,” and a stage presence sharpened by stadium tours. Expect a set built for viral moments and emotional resonance in “Nonsense (You’ll Say My Name)” that will leave the crowd begging “Please Please Please” for an encore. Performing Saturday
T-Pain
Still topping ringback charts and defying expectations, T-Pain is bringing autotune gospel to ACL this year. Anthems like “Buy U a Drank” will feel renewed in a field full of fans singing in unison. Expect joy, nostalgia, and maybe a little bit of showmanship. Performing Sunday
Wild Rivers
Tidal waves of introspective lyricism meet lush instrumentation in their set. They’ll have you “Thinking ‘Bout Love,” as they’ve honed a sound in multiple countries that’s now both personal and expansive. “Never Better” for a mid-afternoon singalong under the blue Texas skies. Performing Sunday
The Strokes
Nearly two decades after rewriting indie rock, The Strokes prove they’re still “Hard to Explain.” With Julian Casablancas’s drawl and guitar lines that cut like neon through fog, their ACL set is bound to be a nostalgia trip with sharp new edges. Expect a mix of “Last Nite,” “Reptilia,” and fresh tracks that remind us “You Only Live Once.” Performing Saturday
ACL 2025 isn’t just a festival; it’s a moment in time. Between historic debuts, heart-heavy returns, and bursts of new magic, the stages are set for something unforgettable. We’ll see you in the crowd.
