All Things Go Festival has announced its 2026 lineup, drawing together indie, pop, and alternative acts for the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. Hayley Williams, Mitski, and Ethel Cain headline the bill alongside Brandi Carlile, Father John Misty, and Zara Larsson.
The festival continues its pattern of pairing established indie rock figures with emerging pop voices. Williams brings the legacy of Paramore and her solo catalog. Mitski returns to festival circuits following the rollout of her 2022 album "Laurel Hell." Ethel Cain, whose 2024 debut "Perverts" drew critical acclaim, appears in a festival headline slot that reflects her rising profile in art-pop circles.
Carlile's presence anchors the folk-rock contingent. Father John Misty (Josh Tillman) contributes his theatrical indie pop sensibility. The roster extends to dance-pop acts like Zara Larsson and experimental performers like Slayyyter and Muna, rounding out a diverse bill that appeals across demographic and genre lines.
All Things Go has established itself as a festival less beholden to legacy acts than its competitors. The 2026 announcement skews toward artists still building catalogs or riding recent commercial momentum, a strategy that differentiates it from major festivals saturated with nostalgia bookings and reunion tours. The festival's September timing in Maryland positions it as an end-of-summer draw before fall touring seasons accelerate.
THE TAKEAWAY: All Things Go 2026 reflects contemporary indie-pop's collapse of genre boundaries, mixing established indie rock credibility with the ascendant visibility of boundary-pushing pop acts.