Global tours, major comebacks and a stop in Kazakhstan: concerts to watch in 2026

The Weeknd

Canadian singer and producer The Weeknd, one of the defining pop artists of the past decade, is set to continue his record-breaking After Hours Til Dawn tour into 2026. A four-time Grammy winner, he is best known for hits including Blinding Lights and Save Your Tears, which have dominated charts worldwide.

In April and May, the tour will visit Mexico and Brazil before moving to Europe from June through September. Concerts are scheduled across the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Notably, the Latin American dates will feature Brazilian star Anitta as a special guest, while European shows will be supported by rapper Playboi Carti.

Ed Sheeran

British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran is one of the most commercially successful artists of his generation, with more than 200 million records sold worldwide. As of mid-2024, he was the third most-followed artist on Spotify. In 2025, Time magazine also included him in its list of the world’s 100 most influential people.

In 2026, Sheeran will continue his Loop Tour in support of his eighth studio album, Play. The tour begins in January in Australia and New Zealand, moves to Latin America in May, and then runs across the United States and Canada from June through September. Several of his previous tours rank among the most attended in live music history, with the ÷ Tour becoming the highest-grossing tour of all time in 2019, followed by his - (Subtract) Tour in 2023.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is an American singer, actress, and cultural icon, widely regarded as one of the most influential pop figures of the 21st century. With more than a dozen Grammy Awards and over 120 million records sold, she returns to the stage in 2026 with The Mayhem Ball, supporting her seventh studio album, Mayhem.

The tour opens in Japan in January before moving to the United States and Canada from February through April. As with previous Gaga tours, the shows combine pop music with theatrical direction, high fashion, and elaborate visual concepts. Her last tour, The Chromatica Ball, was one of 2022’s most talked-about live productions.

Linkin Park

Formed in 1996, Linkin Park became one of the defining rock bands of the 2000s, blending alternative rock, metal, and electronic elements. After a long hiatus, the band returned with a new lineup featuring vocalist Emily Armstrong and the album From Zero.

Their world tour - the first since 2017- began in late 2024 and will continue through June 2026. Next year’s schedule includes dates in the Middle East, Australia, and Europe, with concerts planned in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and several other countries.

Metallica

Metallica is one of the most influential heavy metal bands of all time and a founding force behind thrash metal. Formed in 1981, the band continues to operate at full stadium scale more than four decades later. In 2026, Metallica will continue the European leg of their M72 tour in support of 72 Seasons, their 2023 studio album.

From May through July, Metallica are scheduled to perform in Greece, Poland, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the UK, and Ireland. The tour follows the band’s extensive 2021-2022 global run, which marked their first major post-pandemic tour and coincided with the 30th anniversary of Metallica (The Black Album), the group’s 40th anniversary, and the continuation of the WorldWired Tour.

P!nk

American singer P!nk is widely regarded as one of the strongest live pop performers, known for combining powerful vocals with acrobatics, aerial stunts, and elements of physical theatre. With more than three Grammy Awards and 135 million records sold worldwide, she ranks among the best-selling music artists of all time and remains one of the most-played female solo artists.

In April 2026, P!nk is scheduled to perform in Mexico, extending the touring cycle that followed her Summer Carnival and Trustfall tours. Notably, The Summer Carnival Tour (2023-2024), staged in support of her album Trustfall, became the second highest-grossing tour by a female artist as of late 2024.

Tame Impala

Tame Impala is the music project of Australian multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker, who writes, records, and produces the project’s music solo in the studio. Live performances, however, expand into a full-band experience with immersive visuals.

In April and May 2026, Tame Impala will tour extensively across Europe, with shows scheduled in Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and several other countries. The setlist will feature tracks from Deadbeat (2025) alongside earlier releases.

The Neighbourhood

The Neighbourhood is an American alternative rock band formed in California in 2011. Their earlier releases - most notably Sweater Weather - saw a renewed surge in popularity in the early 2020s after going viral on TikTok.

After announcing a hiatus in 2022, the band officially returned in 2025 with new material and plans for a global tour supporting the album (((((ultraSOUND))))). In 2026, the tour will span Europe, Asia, Oceania, and North America. The comeback marks the group’s first major release and touring cycle in more than three years.

Sabrina Carpenter

American singer and actress Sabrina Carpenter rose from Disney Channel fame to become one of the most prominent pop artists today. Her album Short n’ Sweet (2024) debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and earned her two Grammy Awards.

In 2026, Carpenter is scheduled to perform at festivals across Latin America in March, followed by appearances in the United States in April. No standalone solo tour has been announced for the year so far. However, her previous Short n’ Sweet Tour went viral on social media in 2024 and 2025, leading to global recognition.

Gorillaz

Gorillaz is a British virtual band created by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, blending animation with alternative rock, hip-hop, and electronic music. Active since the late 1990s, the project is known for high-profile collaborations and a distinctive visual universe.

In 2026, Gorillaz will tour the United States, the UK, and Europe, with additional shows scheduled in Turkey, Bulgaria, Poland, Sweden, and Kazakhstan. The tour follows the release of the band’s ninth album, The Mountain, set to arrive on March 20, 2026.

On August 22, Gorillaz will perform in Almaty, having been announced as the first headliner of Park Live Almaty 2026. The show will feature new material alongside the band’s most iconic tracks.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reviewed the top 10 albums and top 10 songs of 2025.