Bluesfest Second Announcement Led by Byron’s Own Parkway Drive
Australia’s most awarded music festival, Byron Bay Bluesfest, has revealed the next wave of artists for 2026, adding three of the most influential and culturally significant acts in modern music - Parkway Drive, Erykah Badu and The Wailers. The announcement builds on Bluesfest 2026’s celebration of legacy, soul and musical evolution, uniting artists who have shaped generations, redefined genres and continue to set the benchmark for live performance.
Parkway Drive
Formed in Byron Bay in 2003, Parkway Drive have risen from teenage metal underdogs to global heavy music icons. In 2026, they return home for a defining moment, delivering their first ever hometown performance since their Byron Bay high school shows in 2014 – and their first ever Byron Bay festival performance at Australia’s most awarded music festival.
Fronted by Winston McCall alongside guitarists Jeff Ling and Luke Kilpatrick, bassist Jia O’Connor and drummer Ben Gordon, Parkway Drive have spent more than two decades redefining the sound, scale and spectacle of modern heavy music. Their eight studio albums released through Epitaph Records have delivered international chart success, including multiple top positions across Europe, the UK and the US. Darker Still became the band’s third consecutive number one album on the ARIA Chart and earned the 2023 ARIA Award for Best Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Album.
Across their career, Parkway Drive have amassed six ARIA Gold albums, four number one ARIA albums, two Platinum DVDs, three ARIA Music Awards and the 2024 APRA Award for Most Performed Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Work. Renowned for their explosive, theatrical live shows, the band have headlined the world’s biggest festivals, toured with Metallica, Slipknot and Lamb of God, completed sold out arena tours across Australia and Europe, and in 2025 performed with a full symphony orchestra at the Sydney Opera House. Their Bluesfest appearance marks a historic homecoming for one of Australia’s most successful global bands.
Erykah Badu
The Queen of Neo Soul, Erykah Badu returns to Australia for the first time in 14 years. An American singer songwriter, record producer and actress, Badu is one of the most influential and enduring artists in contemporary music.
Influenced by R&B, 1970s soul and 1980s hip hop, Badu emerged in the 1990s as a central figure in the neo soul movement alongside artists such as D’Angelo and Maxwell. Her genre defining sound and cultural impact have firmly established her as the leading voice of the movement and one of the most important creative forces of her generation.
Since the release of her groundbreaking debut album Baduizm in 1997, Badu has continually pushed artistic boundaries, blending soul, jazz, funk and hip hop with spiritual and socially conscious themes. Her catalogue includes era defining albums Mama’s Gun and New Amerykah, works that remain foundational to modern R&B and Black music culture.
Badu is a five time GRAMMY Award winner, with nominations and wins spanning from 1988 through to 2025, underscoring a career that has remained creatively vital and culturally relevant for nearly four decades. Her influence extends beyond music into film, fashion, visual art and activism, reinforcing her status as a global cultural icon.
Renowned for her deeply intuitive, improvisational and emotionally resonant live performances, Badu’s return to the Bluesfest stage offers Australian audiences a rare opportunity to experience one of the most important artists of the last 30 years in full live form.
The Wailers
Bluesfest proudly welcomes The Wailers as they celebrate 50 Years of Positive Vibrations, marking 50 years since the release of Rastaman Vibration, one of the most influential albums in reggae history, and honouring the enduring legacy of Bob Marley & The Wailers.
Released in 1976, Rastaman Vibration carried reggae’s message of resistance, spirituality, unity and hope to the world. Songs such as “Positive Vibration,” “Roots, Rock, Reggae” and “War” remain as powerful and relevant today as when they were first released.
Under the leadership of Aston Barrett Jr., son of legendary bassist Aston “Familyman” Barrett, The Wailers continue to honour their roots while carrying the music forward with authenticity and purpose. Aston Barrett Jr. also portrayed his father in the 2024 biopic Bob Marley: One Love, bringing rare authenticity to the story through lived experience and direct lineage.
Alongside honouring the past, The Wailers remain creatively vital, with Grammy nominated albums One World and Evolution. Evolution, produced by Emilio Estefan Jr., blends classic roots reggae with contemporary global influences and continues the band’s message of unity, resilience and social consciousness.
A Special Three Night Celebration at Bluesfest
As part of their Australian tour, Byron Bay Bluesfest will host a unique three night residency from The Wailers, featuring three completely different live sets across the festival weekend.
Each performance will spotlight a different chapter of The Wailers’ legacy, offering Bluesfest audiences a rare opportunity to experience the depth, power and evolution of this iconic catalogue across three nights. Fans can expect sets drawn from:
Legend, featuring all songs from the landmark compilation album
Natural Mystic, featuring select songs from the album alongside classic Legend hits
Rastaman Vibration / Positive Vibrations, featuring select songs from Rastaman Vibration paired with essential Legend anthems
Which set will be performed on each night will be announced closer to the festival.
This three show residency builds on a format The Wailers last presented at Bluesfest in 2022, once again showcasing the enduring power of Bob Marley’s music across generations.
With Parkway Drive, Erykah Badu and The Wailers joining an already monumental first announcement featuring Split Enz, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sublime, The Black Crowes, Buddy Guy, Counting Crows, The Pogues and more, Bluesfest 2026 continues to affirm its place as one of the world’s great music festivals, where legends, innovators and future icons stand side by side, united by authenticity, community and the power of live music.
About Bluesfest Byron Bay
Since its humble beginnings in 1990, Bluesfest Byron Bay has grown into one of the world’s most significant music festivals. Recognised globally and honoured with dozens of awards, Bluesfest has presented legends including BB King, Buddy Guy, Santana, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Mary J Blige, Robert Plant, Kendrick Lamar, Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Taj Mahal, Lauryn Hill, and countless more. Today, Bluesfest continues its proud tradition of bringing together the best in Blues, Roots, Soul, Rock, and beyond across multiple stages, with a program that also features camping, food experiences, family activities, and cultural celebrations. Each Easter, tens of thousands of fans gather at the beautiful 300-acre Byron Events Farm, just
11km north of Byron Bay, to be part of this unique festival community. In 2026, we invite you to join us once again for a four-day celebration of music, culture, and connection. Recognised globally for its excellence, Bluesfest has earned numerous accolades, making it the most awarded music festival in the Australian entertainment industry.
Byron Bay Bluesfest is proudly sponsored by Destination NSW.
Parkway Drive
Formed in Byron Bay in 2003, Parkway Drive have risen from teenage metal underdogs to global heavy music icons. With a career spanning over two decades, the band - fronted by Winston McCall with guitarists Jeff Ling and Luke Kilpatrick, bassist Jia O’Connor, and drummer Ben Gordon - has carved out an extraordinary legacy, redefining the sound and spectacle of modern heavy music.
Their discography includes eight powerful studio albums, all released through Epitaph Records: Don’t Close Your Eyes (2004), Killing with a Smile (2005), Horizons (2007), Deep Blue (2010), Atlas (2012), IRE (2015), Reverence (2018), and Darker Still (2022). The latest, Darker Still, achieved significant international success, with top chart positions in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, the UK, and the US, while also becoming the band’s third consecutive #1 album on the ARIA Chart in Australia and earning the 2023 ARIA Award for Best Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Album. Parkway Drive’s evolution from raw metalcore roots to genre-pushing innovators has garnered them millions of streams, an ever-growing global fanbase, and accolades including six ARIA Gold albums, four #1 ARIA albums, two Platinum DVDs, and three ARIA Music Awards. In 2024, they were recognised with the APRA Award for Most Performed Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Work, affirming their ongoing impact both on stage and in the studio. Renowned for their explosive, theatrical live performances, Parkway Drive have headlined some of the world’s biggest festivals and shared stages with metal titans such as Metallica, Lamb of God, and Slipknot.
Their 20th anniversary in 2024 was marked by their biggest Australian tour to date, playing sold-out arenas with the largest production of their career. In June 2025, Parkway Drive once again broke boundaries, performing with a full symphony orchestra at the iconic Sydney Opera House - an unprecedented milestone in a career defined by ambition, evolution, and intensity. Parkway Drive rounded out 2025 with their largest European arena tour to date, continuing on their 20 Year Anniversary show throughout the continent and the UK, showcasing a career-defining performance, cementing the band at the top of the genre.
Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu is an American singer songwriter, record producer and actress, Badu is one of the most influential and enduring artists in contemporary music. Influenced by R&B, 1970s soul and 1980s hip hop, Badu emerged in the 1990s as a central figure in the neo soul movement alongside artists such as D’Angelo and Maxwell. Her genre defining sound and cultural impact have firmly established her as the leading voice of the movement and one of the most important creative forces of her generation. Since the release of her groundbreaking debut album Baduizm in 1997, Badu has continually pushed artistic boundaries, blending soul, jazz, funk and hip hop with spiritual and socially conscious themes. Her catalogue includes era defining albums Mama’s Gun and New Amerykah, works that remain foundational to modern R&B and Black music culture.
The Wailers
The Wailers — 50 Years of Positive Vibrations In 2026, The Wailers celebrate 50 years of Rastaman Vibration, marking a defining moment in reggae history and honouring one of Bob Marley & The Wailers’ most influential albums. This special tour, 50 Years of Positive Vibrations, highlights select cuts from Rastaman
Vibration alongside the timeless classics that continue to unite audiences across generations. Released in 1976, Rastaman Vibration was a pivotal album that carried reggae’s message of resistance, spirituality, and hope onto the global stage. Songs like “Positive Vibration,” “Roots, Rock, Reggae,” and “War” remain as relevant today as ever — powerful expressions of music as both a cultural force and a call for unity.
Under the leadership of Aston Barrett Jr., son of legendary bassist Aston “Familyman” Barrett, The Wailers continue to honor their roots while carrying the music forward with purpose and authenticity. Joined by Mitchell Brunings, whose soulful vocals and commanding stage presence have captivated audiences worldwide, the band delivers performances that embody the enduring spirit of reggae — uplifting, conscious, and deeply human. In a unique crossover into film, Aston Barrett Jr. portrayed his father in the 2024 biopic Bob Marley: One Love, directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir. His portrayal added rare authenticity, grounded in lived experience and a deep personal connection to the legacy. Alongside honoring the past, The Wailers remain firmly rooted in the present.
Their recent albums One World and Evolution — both Grammy-nominated — reaffirm the band’s creative vitality. Evolution, produced by Grammy Award-winner Emilio Estefan Jr. on Crescent Moon Records, blends classic roots reggae with contemporary global influences, with songs like “Love Should Be Free” resonating worldwide for their positive and socially conscious message. Audiences can expect a soul-stirring setlist that weaves together the revolutionary spirit of Rastaman Vibration, the band’s classic anthems, and select modern highlights — all delivered with the same authenticity, musicianship, and heart that made The Wailers a cornerstone of global music. 50 Years of Positive Vibrations is more than a tour — it’s a celebration of music with meaning, a living connection between reggae’s golden era and its continuing power to inspire
A word from our Festival Director, Peter Noble OAM
“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.
When Bob Marley knew his time on this planet was coming to an end, he asked his bandleader Family Man Barrett to make him a solemn promise that his music would continue to be played live for as long as possible. That responsibility was carried by Family Man, the legendary bandleader of Bob Marley & The Wailers, a founding member, songwriter and producer on many of their recordings, right up until his passing in 2024.
What makes this moment so important is that Family Man also trained the next generation to carry that legacy forward, including his son, Aston Barrett Jr., who now leads The Wailers. This is not a tribute and it is not a cheap imitation. This is Bob Marley’s music played properly, taught by members of The Wailers themselves and passed on to musicians who deeply care about both the music and its message.
Over three nights at Bluesfest, audiences will hear Bob Marley albums performed the way Bob would have wanted them played. This tour carries the spirit, power and purpose of his music into the future. It honours the past while keeping the message alive, and it is absolutely not to be missed.
Add all of this to an already extraordinary lineup including Split Enz, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sublime, Buddy Guy, The Black Crowes and so many more, and we know we have another great Bluesfest ahead. Tickets are still available, and I strongly encourage people to camp on site. Those who do know it is the best way to experience Bluesfest. You can go back to your campsite whenever you like, hear the music everywhere, and truly live inside the festival. Stay at Bluesfest. Be at Bluesfest. It is going to be another great one.”
WHY BLUESFEST HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT GREAT MUSIC - NOT GENRES
“Music Is an Open Sky”
Following this multi-genre artist announcement for Byron Bay Bluesfest 2026, Festival Director Peter Noble OAM has addressed the festival’s long-standing programming philosophy - and why Bluesfest has never been, and will never be, limited by genre.
“I’ve always been a major fan of the world’s great festivals,” says Noble. “Particularly the Montreux Jazz Festival under its legendary founder Claude Nobs, and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival under George Wein. These presenters showed the world something very important - that music is an open sky.”
Noble points to the history of legendary festivals that were once fiercely criticised for stepping outside their perceived genre boundaries - decisions that later proved visionary.
“Claude Nobs booked Deep Purple at Montreux Jazz in the mid-1960s and was absolutely crucified for it. People said a hard rock band had no place at a jazz festival. Yet that booking became part of music history.”
“While Deep Purple were there, they watched a building burn across Lake Geneva after a fire broke out during another concert. That moment inspired them to write Smoke on the Water - one of the most famous rock songs of all time. It came directly from a so-called ‘wrong’ booking at a jazz festival.”
“That booking happened nearly 60 years ago - and it’s still called the Montreux Jazz Festival.”
“Don’t worry about the name of a festival. Get into the music they put on.”
Noble says this creative courage can be seen throughout the world’s great festivals.
“You see it at Glastonbury Festival, where genre boundaries were broken long before it was fashionable, and particularly at Jazz Fest in New Orleans. Jazz Fest was attacked when they first presented a rap artist - Mystikal - decades ago. People went crazy.”
“They were criticised again when they booked artists like Dave Matthews Band. Today, those decisions are celebrated. Those festivals understood that great music belongs on great stages, regardless of labels.”
For Noble, Bluesfest follows that same lineage.
“Blues will always be at the heart of Bluesfest. If you don’t love the blues, you’ve got a hole in your soul. But if you love music, you should love great music - and that’s what Bluesfest is about.” We ain't genre specific.
He recalls a defining moment early in the festival’s history that shaped its future direction.
“Many years ago, I was asked to go backstage and speak with Macavine Hayes, a blues musician from the Music Maker Foundation who had just performed. He was in his 80s. He took my hand and said, ‘Thank you for booking me on your festival.’ But he didn’t let go.”
“Then he said, ‘You don’t understand what I’m really saying. I’ve been playing the blues all my life, but this is the first time I’ve ever been booked on a music festival alongside great artists like Jackson Browne. He said ‘This is the first time that’s ever happened for me. I only get booked to play blues festivals, not music festivals.’
“That moment, close to 30 years ago, showed me the way forward.”
“It showed me that blues needs to be part of a wider platform.”
Noble says blues should never be pigeonholed or isolated.
“Blues should never be pushed into a corner. It belongs on stages alongside other great artists. It’s for everybody - the same way all music is for everybody.”
Bluesfest’s diverse programming has introduced countless audiences to new artists and genres over the years - often converting first-time attendees into lifelong festival-goers. The festival has hosted first-ever festival appearances from artists including Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, Infectious Grooves, Dave Matthews Band, Jurassic 5 and many more.
“Someone recently posted that they came to Bluesfest in 2024 only to see Infectious Grooves - a band that included a member of Metallica. Because of everything else they were exposed to, they’re now coming every year.”
As Bluesfest approaches its 37th year, Noble is unapologetic about the festival’s direction.
“There will always be genre-bending artists at Bluesfest. There will always be artists who challenge you as an audience. That’s what great festivals are meant to do. That’s what Bluesfest does.”
He concludes with a message to music lovers of all ages.
“Don’t get stuck on labels. Get into the music. Support live music. Buy a ticket. Bring your children - but don’t forget the earplugs. Music is a gift, and it should be part of everyone’s life.”