Dua Lipa, The Regrettes, Big Sean, and More Perform at Lollapalooza 2022

Lollapalooza kicked off its Chicago summer festival in Grant Park last Thursday, July 28th, bringing in a crowd of 400,000 and a massive lineup across four jam-packed days. Even as the festival came to an end, fans had a reason to celebrate— Mayor Lori Lightfoot and festival co-founder Perry Farrell announced on Sunday that Lollapalooza will return for at least another decade.

This year, day one contained a plethora of artists from different genres, from TikTok pop artist Ashnikko to South African DJ Black Coffee to indie rock band The Wombats. Jazmine Sullivan shined at the north end of the park while the Discord stage saw Remi Wolf, Maxo Kream, and Caroline Polachek in the evening. Grammy award-winning rapper Lil Baby provided an energetic and memorable set for fans while Zhu was the final act on the Solana x Perry’s stage.

Metallica played for an hour and a half to close out Thursday night, spurring diehard fans to pump their fists in the air as they traversed through yesteryear. The band played tracks from an array of albums throughout their 40+ year career, including “Master of Puppets,” “One,” “Enter Sandman,” and “Nothing Else Matters.”

On Friday, metal tees faded to yellow and pink neon jumpsuits, as the crowds shifted to a new wave of artists starting at 12:00 pm. Attendees gathered for prominent pop artists like King Princess and Dua Lupa, while others rocked out to The Regrettes, Glass Animals, and Muna over the course of the day.

Hip-hop was well represented by Sofaygo, Coi Leray, Jasiah, and Baby Tate, much to fans delight. British R&B artist Mahalia spoke her truth with charisma as she performed, providing stories from her life in-between songs, lamenting about exes and toxic relationships while sharing tips of how to live more freely with the crowd.

Machine Gun Kelly brought a revolving door of artist collaborations on stage during his set, including Avril Lavigne for “Bois Lie,” Iann Dior for “Fake Love Don’t Last,” and Glaive on “More Than Life.”

Day three welcomed indie hardcore band Turnsile, a standout act that left the crowd in a frenzy. One lively and drunken crowdsurfer wrestled with a security guard up front in the pit early in the set, the struggle eventually dissipating like nothing ever happened.

Pop punk trio Meet Me @ The Altar showcased new songs off their upcoming full-length record for a huge crowd of fans early in the day, closing out their set with “Garden” under a canopy of trees. Fletcher, Griff, and Evan Giia played shortly after, followed by 15-year-old Prentiss on the BMI stage.

Blxst, Larry June, and Lil Durk performed in the evening, setting up fans for headliner J. Cole and Big Sean, who drew a huge sea of faces far and wide. Meanwhile Willow ignited energy on the Discord stage with an electric guitar in hand, sharing her dream of playing rock anthems with the audience. Norwegian artist Kygo helped wrap up the party with an electric fire and light display on stage.

The number of fans on Sunday seemed to swell even further with the likes of Denzel Curry, Green Day, and J-Hope— the first Korean artist to headline a major American festival— bringing in the masses.

Indie hip-hop group Blackstarkids was one not to miss, keeping up the 90’s nostalgia with a range of influences including Prince, A Tribe Called Quest, and The Smashing Pumpkins. Hailing from Germany, pop singer-songwriter Zoe Wees took the T-Mobile stage at 2:30 pm while emo power-pop band Hot Milk took over Tito’s Handmade Vodka at the same time.

Known for a wide range of genres— alternative rock, heavy metal, hip hop, and electronic dance to name a few— Lollapalooza has called Chicago home for 15 years and is located on the bustling lakefront. Next year, Lollapalooza will debut in India, becoming the eighth country to host the festival, joining Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Sweden, France, and Israel.

Missed Lollapalooza this year? Check out our favorite artists from the lineup each day with must-listen tracks for end of summer afternooons: Day One, Day Two, Day Three, and Day Four.