BottleRock Napa Valley 2026 Delivers an Nostalgic Era of Music Over Three Days
BottleRock Napa Valley kicked off Friday, officially marking the start of summer as the festival opened its gates for Memorial Day weekend 2026. The three-day festival is known for being the “first taste of Summer,” and really delivering the best of both worlds - world class cuisine, top-tier wines, with a multitude of incredible music from renowned artists from around the world. Think of it as the best of Napa that touches on all senses.
Photo Credit: Elli_Lauren
Held at Napa Valley Expo, the festival delivered a powerhouse slate of headliners, Lorde, Teddy Swims, Lil Wayne, Foo Fighters, Backstreet Boys and more. In addition to that, the Williams Sonoma Culinary Stage was situated in the heart of America’s wine and food playground. Here the creators brought the world’s most celebrated culinary talent. The stage blended food and fandom with appearances from culinary icon Emeril Lagasse and comedian Chelsea Handler, alongside Bay Area sports stars Jimmy Butler, George Kittle, and Kyle Juszczyk, bringing hometown energy and crossover appeal to one of the festival's most buzzed-about stages.
In a culinary mecca, the food options were top-tier! We’re talking lobster corn dogs, topped with caviar, food prepared by coveted restaurants that hold a Michelin star, and more. More on the food and beverage scene here!
In terms of music, there was no shortage of excitement and talent - here are our top 11 moments from the incredible three-day festival!
Chaka Khan:
Chaka Khan reminded BottleRock that she has always been that girl. Her hour-long set felt like the feel-good family reunion nobody realized they needed. With a catalogue packed with classics, the legendary singer worked every inch of the stage, radiating effortless charisma and reminding the crowd exactly why she remains an icon decades into her career.
The audience came fully alive during closing hits “I Feel for You,” “I’m Every Woman,” and “Ain’t Nobody,” clapping, dancing, and singing along as Khan herself seemed to feed off the crowd’s energy, finishing the set with a renewed spark.
Teddy Swims:
What a powerhouse. Watching Teddy Swims return to BottleRock as a headliner after appearing on the bill in 2023 felt like a true full-circle moment. The “Lose Control” singer has built a deeply loyal fanbase, and throughout the set he made sure fans knew just how grateful he was for their support.
At one point, Swims opened up about heartbreak and vulnerability, creating one of the festival’s most intimate moments. “I’m going through a little bit of a hard time myself currently, and thank you so much for giving me an outlet and a place to get all this shit out,” he told the crowd.
He followed with an emotional rendition of “Some Things I’ll Never Know,” his voice cracking with emotion by the song’s end. Later, he debuted a new track, “Break Up in Reverse,” joking, “If you hate it, just clap anyway, please.”
The emotional ballad slowly transformed into a soaring power anthem that visibly moved the crowd. During the second half of the set, Swims wore a hat reading “Always Be Fk’in Kind,” a fitting reflection of the energy he brought to the stage. The performance felt like an unfiltered look into who he is as an artist — authentic, vulnerable, funny, and backed by powerhouse vocals.
BØRNS:
BØRNS lit up Friday night with a nostalgic, high-energy performance, as the unmistakable opening notes of “Electric Love” instantly sent the crowd into a frenzy. The viral anthem sparked a euphoric singalong and quickly became one of the weekend’s most “electric” moments.
Lorde:
Seeing Lorde on the BottleRock lineup was one of the festival’s most pleasant surprises. She opened with “Hammer” before diving straight into her breakout hit “Royals,” immediately giving fans exactly what they wanted. Nearly a year after releasing her fourth studio album, the pop star had no shortage of material to pull from.
Set against a moody blue-toned backdrop, the performance leaned atmospheric and emotionally heavy at times, though most fans embraced the nostalgia and cinematic feel of the set.
“This is one of our first festivals that we will play all season, and it is also the very last time that we will ever do this show,” she told the audience. “We’re building a brand-new show that takes us all over the place all summer, so this is a bittersweet moment for everyone on the stage.”
At one point, Lorde ran on a treadmill; at another, she slowly pulled her pants to her ankles in a moment that felt straight out of a Calvin Klein campaign. Oddly mesmerizing, the crowd stayed locked into her every move, a subtle but powerful reminder of how connected she was with the audience throughout the performance.
“Because it’s the first night of this festival, I know you’re not too hungover to dance,” she joked. “So I will be requiring some jumping in the air. I hope that’s OK.”
Lil Wayne:
Lil Wayne closed out the night with a commanding headlining set packed with fan-favorite throwbacks and newer hits. From the first beat drop, the crowd erupted, rapping along word-for-word as the performance evolved into one of the weekend’s most explosive moments.
After recently speaking out about not being invited to major festivals like Coachella, seeing Wayne command the BottleRock stage felt especially satisfying for fans — and he delivered exactly the kind of high-energy, hit-heavy set they came for.
AJR:
Let’s just say AJR went out with a bang. The trio of brothers showcased their signature showmanship and hilarious family dynamic throughout an energetic set packed with fan favorites.
“Burn the House Down” had the audience singing in unison, while “World’s Smallest Violin” highlighted the band’s impressive dynamic range and theatrical performance style.
Foo Fighters:
“Ladies and gentlemen, it’s good to be back at BottleRock,” frontman Dave Grohl declared as Foo Fighters took over the Prudential Stage for Saturday night’s headlining set. “This is not our first BottleRock. We’ve been here before.”
And he wasn’t kidding. The band has now headlined BottleRock three times — a flex few festival acts can claim. As expected, Foo Fighters delivered a relentless, high-octane performance filled with massive singalongs, explosive energy, and nonstop movement.
If there’s one thing you can always count on, it’s that Foo Fighters will leave everything onstage and deliver a performance fans won’t forget anytime soon.
Mt. Joy:
Although Mt. Joy started their set about 10 minutes late, the band wasted no time diving into fan favorites. Opening with “Lemon Tree” followed by “Orange Blood,” the group quickly established the laid-back, groove-heavy vibe that defined the set.
Frontman Matt Quinn turned the performance into something deeply personal, weaving heartfelt stories between songs. At one point, he reflected on finding hope even during overwhelming times.
“In a world that feels lost, there is a bit of humanity left,” Quinn shared, encouraging fans to take care of themselves, each other, and the surrounding countryside.
Mt. Joy ultimately closed out their set with the anthemic “Silver Lining,” leaving the Napa Valley crowd on an emotional high.
SOMBR:
SOMBR commanded the Main Stage on Sunday with an emotionally charged, atmospheric indie-pop set that drew one of the weekend’s most cross-generational crowds. A clear fan favorite, he performed standout tracks including “Homewrecker” and several of his biggest hits, delivering a magnetic set that proved to be one of the day’s most anticipated performances.
Ludacris:
Ludacris stormed the stage with a hit-heavy performance packed with throwbacks and chart-toppers that kept the Napa crowd on its feet from start to finish. The energy reached another level when he launched into his iconic verse from Justin Bieber’s “Baby,” sparking one of the festival’s biggest singalongs.
Luda treated the set like a journey through the different eras of his career, seamlessly weaving between classics like “One More Drink,” “Gossip Folks,” and “Area Codes” — even swapping in Bay Area references for the latter. He also took fans across the globe with “Break Your Heart,” his hit collaboration with Taio Cruz.
While much of the set featured shortened versions and medleys of songs, the nonstop momentum worked perfectly for the packed crowd, who never seemed to lose energy.
Backstreet Boys:
The Prudential Stage was absolutely packed Sunday night, drawing fans of all ages for the Backstreet Boys’ long-awaited BottleRock debut. While many expected a heavily millennial crowd, the audience spanned generations, proving the group’s staying power after more than three decades in music.
Although the band took the stage 27 minutes late, fans never budged. Following a dramatic, “Mortal Kombat”-style introduction, the group opened with “Larger Than Life” and immediately sent the audience into full nostalgia mode.
Their 90-minute set moved through a nonstop string of hits including “It’s Gotta Be You,” “As Long as You Love Me,” “More Than That,” and “Don’t Want You Back.” By the end of the night, the performance felt like the perfect tribute to the golden era of TRL-era pop music - a dream ending to the festival weekend.
*Cover photo courtesy of: Sabrina Poei
