Five emerging Australian acts have joined the Laneway 2026 lineup, as the winners of triple j’s Unearthed competition.
The winners will join the stacked lineup alongside the likes of Chappell Roan, Role Model, Wolf Alice, PinkPantheress, Alex G, Lucy Dacus, Yung Lean, Bladee, and more of the most exciting local and international artists of the moment.
“Laneway and triple j Unearthed share a genuine love of supporting artists at early, pivotal moments in their careers. This year’s winners each bring something new to the 2026 lineup, and we’re incredibly proud to help spotlight them,” Laneway Festival’s Head of Programming, Travis Banko, said.
The sun-bleached, indie surf rock of Mid Drift will dazzle the Gold Coast with hooks you can’t shake. Mid Drift deliver warm, jangly guitar lines and nostalgia-kissed melodies built for summer festival sets. It’s clear they’re one of the state’s next big things after just one listen.
Sydney will be joined by Charli Lucas, a magnetic storyteller with diaristic pop instincts and a voice that feels both intimate and expansive. She has been steadily building buzz with her confessional songwriting and dynamic live presence – a rising force in Australia’s alt-pop landscape.
Sleepazoid are an alt-rock quintet blending the raw energy of grunge, the haze of shoegaze and the pulse of post-punk, who will take to the stage in Melbourne. Their self-recorded 2024 debut running with the dogs is a striking statement of intent – equally heavy and hypnotic.
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In Adelaide, festivalgoers can catch PASH, a punchy pop-rock four-piece blending sharp hooks, bright guitars and easy, electric chemistry. They will bring a fresh, carefree edge to the Laneway stage – big choruses, big energy, big feelings, and zero pretence.
And finally, in Perth, up-and-comer Ullah will play. A magnetic Perth artist blending soul, R&B and alt-pop with stunning emotional depth, Ullah’s vocal tone is instantly arresting, and her songwriting sits at the intersection of vulnerability and strength.
Celebrating its 21st anniversary, Laneway Festival 2026 is coming back bigger and better than ever next February, with a refreshed route across Australia and New Zealand, including three new venues. It will kick off in Auckland on February 5th, before making its way to Australia.
2025 was Laneway’s biggest year yet, drawing over 200,000 fans to sold-out shows, with an additional 40,000 at sideshows. And for the second year in a row, tickets to Laneway 2026 in Sydney and Melbourne sold out on the first day of general sale.
Each city sold out in under an hour, or “less time than Chappell Roan will spend commanding the stage with her 90-minute gothic fairytale spectacle at Laneway Festival 2026,” as organisers put it.
If you’ve missed out, don’t stress. Several artists have confirmed major sideshows, including Alex G, Lucy Dacus, Wet Leg, BENEE, Geese, Gigi Perez, Jensen McRae, Malcolm Todd, and more.
For more details about Laneway and its sideshows, see here.
