20 New Rock + Metal Tours Announced This Past Week (April 17-23, 2026)
The rock and metal touring landscape continues to heat up as we move further into 2026. This past week, April 17-23, brought a flurry of major announcements, ranging from legendary thrash icons to modern alternative staples.
One of the most significant headlines of the week came from Slayer, who confirmed two special, non-festival headlining shows. These performances will see the band playing their landmark 1986 album, Reign in Blood, in its entirety to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Due to overwhelming demand, an additional date was quickly added to the schedule.
Summer touring plans also took shape, with Jason Newsted announcing the first-ever headlining tour for his Chophouse Band. Meanwhile, Black Label Society, led by the prolific Zakk Wylde, revealed another leg of shows featuring Zakk Sabbath and Dark Chapel.
Festival and Cruise News
Beyond standard club and arena tours, the festival and cruise circuit saw major updates. Creed announced the lineup for their 2027 Summer of ’99 and Beyond Cruise, while the KISS Kruise: Landlocked in Vegas confirmed its fall festival bill. Additionally, the 2026 CBGB Festival, set for September 26 in Brooklyn, unveiled a massive lineup including Morrissey, Patti Smith, and Interpol.
Other notable announcements included the return of The Fest in Gainesville, the 2026 Form Festival in Arizona, and a special 20th-anniversary celebration of the Taking Back Sunday album Louder Now at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
Full List of Tour Announcements
The following artists also confirmed new tour dates this week:
- Beck
- Buckcherry
- David Byrne
- DevilDriver
- Bob Dylan
- Failure
- Geese
- Modest Mouse
- Ted Nugent
- The Story So Far
- The Sword
- Today Is the Day
- The Word Alive
As the 2026 season progresses, fans are encouraged to keep an eye on official ticketing platforms for the latest updates on these upcoming performances.