Since its debut in 2016, Mad Cool Festival has quickly become one of Europe’s premier music events, attracting tens of thousands of fans to Madrid each summer. Known for its eclectic mix of global talent, the festival brings together rock legends, indie favourites, pop stars, and cutting-edge electronic acts, catering to a wide range of musical tastes. Over the years, it has grown both in size and prestige, continually raising the bar with its diverse lineups and impressive headliners.

Mad Cool now draws over 100,000 festival-goers annually, eager to bask in the Spanish sunshine and witness unforgettable performances. Its status as a staple on the European festival circuit is well-earned, with each year’s edition being more ambitious than the last.

Festival Evolution

Originally held at the Caja Mágica in 2016 and 2017, the festival was relocated to the larger, open-air Valdebebas venue in 2018 to accommodate growing crowds. The 2018 edition marked a major milestone, with 240,000 attendees over three days. While the event faced crowd control issues on its opening day, it was clear that Mad Cool’s rapid expansion was inevitable. In response, the organisers capped daily attendance at 100,000 for the 2020 edition and extended the festival to four days to meet demand.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026, the festival marks a decade of unforgettable music, iconic performances, and vibrant experiences. The 2026 edition comes with more than 70 of the biggest names in music coming together for the festival’s tenth anniversary.

Among the names already announced are Foo Fighters, Florence + The Machine, Twenty One Pilots, Lorde, Pulp, Wolf Alice, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Jennie, Moby, The Last Dinner Party, Kings of Leon, The War On Drugs, Halsey, Teddy Swims, Pixies, The Black Crowes, David Byrne, and many more. Check the photo gallery for all the posters featuring the full list of artists.

It is set to be one of the most anticipated events of the year, attracting top international artists and thousands of fans. The 2026 edition promises to be the biggest yet, honouring ten years of musical magic with a spectacular lineup and special surprises to commemorate this milestone.

Stay tuned for more news here — and see you in Madrid on 8–11 July 2026!

Past Lineups

Over the years, Mad Cool has welcomed a who’s who of major acts from a wide variety of genres:

• 2016 (16–18 June): The Who, Vetusta Morla, Editors, Garbage, Lori Meyers, The Prodigy, Die Antwoord, Jane's Addiction, Bastille, Band of Horses, Neil Young, Two Door Cinema Club, Biffy Clyro, Capital Cities.
• 2017 (6–8 July): Foo Fighters, Foals, Belle and Sebastian, The Lumineers, Green Day, Alt-J, Ryan Adams, Rancid, Cage the Elephant, Spoon, Kings of Leon, Wilco, M.I.A., Foster the People, Moderat, Dinosaur Jr.
• 2018 (12–14 July): Pearl Jam, Tame Impala, Kasabian, Post Malone, Arctic Monkeys, Jack White, Massive Attack, Franz Ferdinand, Snow Patrol, Alice in Chains, Depeche Mode, Queens of the Stone Age, Nine Inch Nails, Dua Lipa, Underworld.
• 2019 (11–13 July): Bon Iver, Vampire Weekend, Ms. Lauryn Hill, The Chemical Brothers, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Empire of the Sun, Iggy Pop, The National, Vetusta Morla, The Smashing Pumpkins, Vince Staples, Marina, Sharon Van Etten, Wolfmother, Miles Kane, The Cure, Prophets of Rage, Robyn, Gossip, Greta Van Fleet, Rosalía.
• 2020 (8–11 July): Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 2021 (7–10 July): Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• 2022 (6–10 July): Metallica, Twenty One Pilots, Placebo, Imagine Dragons, The Killers, Muse, Kings of Leon, Pixies, Florence and The Machine, Carly Rae Jepsen, Wolf Alice, Yungblud, Deftones, St. Vincent, Foals, Leon Bridges, Sylvan Esso, Sigrid, Tove Lo, Alt-J, The War on Drugs, MØ, Jamie Cullum, Parcels, Royal Blood, Zara Larsson, Editors, Daytime TV, Nothing but Thieves, Phoebe Bridgers, Black Pumas.
• 2023 (6–8 July): Robbie Williams, Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Machine Gun Kelly, Queens of the Stone Age, The Black Keys, Sam Smith, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Liam Gallagher, M.I.A., The Prodigy, Sigur Rós, The 1975, Franz Ferdinand, Rina Sawayama, Paolo Nutini, Rüfüs Du Sol, Tash Sultana, Jacob Collier, Puscifer, Jamie xx, Years & Years, Sylvan Esso, Bombay Bicycle Club, Angel Olsen, The Driver Era, Men I Trust, Pixey.
• 2024 (12–14 July): Pearl Jam, Sum 41, Avril Lavigne, Bring Me the Horizon, Greta Van Fleet, Garbage, The Smashing Pumpkins, Dua Lipa, Michael Kiwanuka, Nothing but Thieves, Tom Odell, Sleaford Mods, The Gaslight Anthem, Black Pumas, Janelle Monáe, Keane, Larkin Poe, Arlo Parks, Ashnikko, Genesis Owusu, Måneskin, Soccer Mommy, SOFI TUKKER, Crawlers.
• 2025 (11–13 July): Olivia Rodrigo, Justice, Iggy Pop, Alanis Morissette, Kings of Leon, Weezer, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Gracie Abrams, Benson Boone, Noah Kahan, Arde Bogotá, alongside Finneas, Residente, St. Vincent, Bloc Party, Bloc Party, Foster the People, Glass Animals, Jet, Kaiser Chiefs, Leon Bridges, and Future Islands and many more.

As Mad Cool continues to grow, its reputation for unforgettable musical moments and a vibrant festival atmosphere only strengthens. Stay tuned for more updates as the festival approaches!