Mad Cool Festival 2026: The five acts we can’t wait to see
By Nick Reilly
We’re now less than two months away from Mad Cool Festival 2026 and it’s time to officially get excited. 2026 marks the tenth anniversary of the Madrid mainstay and it’s fair to say they’ve pulled out a line-up capable of putting on a party worthy of that decade-shaped milestone. But with so many names fighting for attention on your must-see list, you could easily be looking at the prospect of a meltdown in the Iberian sun.
Here’s where we step in. We’ve decided to offer our verdict on the five acts that, for our money, you cannot afford to miss at any rate. From rock gods to K-Pop giants, here’s our eclectic take on the bands you *need* to see.
Foo Fighters
The ultimate festival band. Fresh from releasing their latest album Your Favourite Toy, Dave Grohl and his merry men arrive to showcase that album and – in the case of their banger-packed back catalogue – much more besides. As the sun sets and Dave Grohl’s familiar screams kick in, you’ll be likely to find yourself on a mate’s shoulders, belting out every lyric to ‘Everlong’ and creating the kind of memories that you and your pals will be talking about long after the antics in Valdebebas have come to an end. Mosh pits are optional, but very much recommended.
When?
July 8.
JENNIE
Though one of K-Pop’s leading stars with Blackpink, JENNIE’s 2025 debut album Ruby sold one million copies across the globe and solidified her as a solo star in her own right. Expect to see tracks from that album in the Madrid sun, along with a rare chance for Spanish K-Pop fans to experience one of the genre’s greatest stars in her own right. Expect her to draw one of the biggest and most vocal crowds of the weekend.
When?
July 9
Lorde
The second day of Mad Cool Festival is a glorious celebration of female powerhouses, with Florence & The Machine, JENNIE and Lorde all taking to the main stage. But in the case of the latter, we can think of few better to serenade the thousands gathered in Madrid just as the sun is going down. A run-through of ‘Solar Power’ just as sunset beckons feels like festival magic in the making, while an inevitable blast of ‘Green Light’ will feel like a supercharged shot in the arm to get your night going in the right direction. With that trio alone, day two will shape up to be among the most special in Mad Cool’s eclectic history.
When?
July 9
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
A Nick Cave performance always makes for a wildly emotional affair, but that’s set to be even more so the case on the final day of Mad Cool. You’ll be made of sterner stuff than us if you can avoid crying to your pint of Mahou during ‘Into Your Arms’ and slowly realising that it’s back to reality tomorrow. But with recent sets spanning his entire career across The Bad Seeds, Grinderman and more, there’s every chance it will become a joyous celebration of one of music’s great living geniuses too.
When?
July 11
David Byrne
A genuine art-pop icon still performing at the peak of his powers. Byrne’s shows compare wild theatrical sensibilities with, well, the bangers that made Talking Heads such an interesting proposition. His recent shows have attracted five star reviews across the board and there’s no doubt that his incredible run of form will continue in the Spanish sun. Forget the Road to Nowhere, it’s a glorious road to Madrid…
When?
July 11