With Glastonbury, the U.K.’s biggest and most-beloved festival, taking a fallow year in 2026, the market for summer events and festivals had been blown wide open for many punters. The European festival circuit has never looked more appealing for those wanting to combine seeing some of the touring game’s biggest names and combine it with a jaunt to a holiday destination.
Mad Cool, held in Madrid, Spain (July 8-11), is a top option for punters in 2026 and has been for over the past 10 years. First held in the Spanish capital in 2017, the festival has become a magnet for acts looking to play in the city on tour: Arctic Monkeys (2018), Depeche Mode (2018), Green Day (2017), The Cure (2019), Metallica (2023), Dua Lipa (2024), Olivia Rodrigo (2025) and more have all entertained locals over the years.
The 2026 lineup is similarly stacked: Foo Fighters returns for their the group’s show in the city in nearly a decade, with Twenty One Pilots, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Zara Larsson, Jennie, Wolf Alice, Florence + The Machine and more set to hit up the festival. The festival’s offering for fans of electronic music are impressive, too, with Polo + Pan, Boyz Noise, Palms Trax and more all gearing up for performances. Musicians from Madrid and the wider Spanish market are also present with Luxi Villar, La Paloma, Hoonine among the acts flying the flag for local talent.
With little under a month to go, planning is no doubt a priority for those who have made the (smart) decision to pick Mad Cool as their 2026 summer party. These are the acts that ought to be part of any schedule for attendees.
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Foo Fighters
When: Wednesday, 22:00, Region of Madrid Stage
What to expect: Though the band’s 12th LP Your Favorite Toy met a middling chart response (No. 23 on the Billboard 200, their lowest for a studio album since their 1995 debut) the band’s live show remains a formidable force and a massive attraction. It’s been nearly a decade since the Foos’ last show in the city (at Mad Cool’s 2017 edition, no less), so expect a rapturous response for Dave Grohl and a long, hard-rocking night. -
Moby
When: Wednesday, 22:50, Orange Stage
What to expect: While Justin Bieber and Karol G earned the biggest post-Coachella boosts in 2026, electronic icon Moby’s set was a surprising talking point at the end of the weekend. Made up largely of his classic albums Everything Is Wrong (1995) and Play (1999), via the festival’s livestream, the set travelled well beyond the Mojave stage and offered a potent reminder of his catalogue. A run of European shows this summer should generate similar intrigue and fervor. -
Zara Larsson
When: Thursday, 21:40, Orange Stage
What to expect: 2026’s breakout star isn’t much of a new artist at all. Zara Larsson has been releasing stellar pop for over a decade now, but since 2025’s Midnight Sun LP, the Swede’s star has risen spectacularly — boosted by a support slot behind Tate McRae and a Billboard Global 200-topping collaboration with PinkPantheress (“Stateside”). Back on this side of the Atlantic for the European festival circuit following a sold-out North American headline tour, these shows will be flashy, fun and a well-earned victory lap. -
Boyz Noize
When: Thursday, 23:15, The Loop Iberdrola Stage
What to expect: Earlier this year German-Iraqi DJ and producer found a new audience with the punishing remix album Nine Inch Noize, a collaboration with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails. Debuted at Coachella festival in April, the reworked songs showed the breadth – and sheer power – of Boys Noize’s compositions, which have already seen him work with acts like Depeche Mode, Skrillex and Tame Impala. Strap in… -
Swimming Paul
When: Friday, 21:10, The Loop Iberdrola Stage
What to expect: Amidst the festival’s electronic offerings, there’s one mystery: Swimming Paul. Little is known about the artist other than his origins are from Paris, France and that his first two studio LPs (Smiling Through the Pain 1 + 2) have amassed millions of streams despite his anonymity, and have landed him a collaboration with Tiesto. His 90 minute slot at The Loop stage will invariably be full as punters look to grab a glimpse of one of the scene’s rapidly rising stars. -
Interpol
When: Friday, 00:55, Orange Stage
What to expect: Much like their contemporaries The Strokes, NYC’s Interpol is a band that seems to only get bigger with time. A free show at Mexico City’s Zócalo in 2024 drew 160,000 punters and their new material from the incoming LP This Mirror Weighs a Ton (Aug. 26) sounds as potent and urgent as their 2000s classics. As the world spins out of control, it’s no surprise that gloom rockers like the ‘Pol are more popular than ever. -
Jalen Ngonda
When: Saturday, 18:40, Region of Madrid Stage
What to expect: The soul revivalist has bewitched Olivia Dean and Elton John, both of whom call themselves fans of the Liverpool-based U.S. singer and performer. The recently released Doctrine of Love, his sophomore LP on the Daptone label, will no doubt continue that acclaim, and a sunset slot in the peak of the Madrid summer could be something magical, indeed. -
Luxi Villar
When: Saturday, 18:50, The Loop Iberdrola Stage
What to expect: Grab your high-vis and hard hat, Villar warns on her Instagram page, because you’re about to enter the ‘Hardgroove Zone.’ In her sets and shows across the continent so far, the DJ, who splits their time between Madrid and London, promises big beats, euphoric sounds and (yes) some hard grooves for good measure. -
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
When: Saturday, 22:00, Region of Madrid Stage
What to expect: It’s been two years since the Bad Seeds’ last album (Wild God, 2024) but that tends not to matter one jot when they hit the road. The legendary vets’ live setlists from recent shows are career-spanning epics including greatest hits (“Red Right Hand”), fan favorites (“Into My Arms”) and everything in between. -
David Byrne
When: Saturday, 00:05, Orange Stage
What to expect: Byrne’s American Utopia shows were his best in several decades, evoking memories of the Talking Heads’ iconic Stop Making Sense-era gigs. Its follow-up Who Is the Sky? is stylistically and thematically similar – a diverse cast of players performing in choreographed set pieces – and has been deservedly lauded for its setlist, visuals and Byrne’s perpetually lithe stage presence. He’ll give Mad Cool a fitting finale on its last night.
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