The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Festival returned to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on September 18 and 19, filling two nights with a lineup that crossed pop, hip-hop, rock and country. BTS, Cardi B, Muse, Snoop Dogg, Kenny Chesney, Weezer, The Smashing Pumpkins, LE SSERAFIM, Zara Larsson, Benson Boone and Lainey Wilson were among the artists on the bill. Ryan Seacrest returned to host both evenings, guiding a program that has become one of the busiest dates on the American concert calendar.
BTS headlined the opening night in one of the group’s marquee appearances of the year. The set drew on their recent album “ARIRANG,” including the songs “SWIM” and “2.0,” before turning to older material such as the 2017 single “MIC Drop.” The performance ended with a burst of pyrotechnics, capping a run that moved between newer tracks and songs already familiar to longtime fans.
Cardi B also performed on the first night, working through a set built around her singles and more recent releases. During her time on stage she teased plans for touring in the year ahead, offering the crowd a preview of what could come next. Her appearance added star power to an evening that paired established headliners with acts still building their audiences.
The festival reached well beyond the arena floor. Disney+ and Hulu carried the performances live as the event’s official streaming partners, while iHeartMedia radio stations aired the shows across more than 150 markets in the United States. That combination of live attendance, streaming and radio has helped the festival grow into one of the larger annual music gatherings in the country.
The two-night format has become a signature of the iHeartRadio event, bringing together artists from different genres and eras on a single stage. This year followed that approach, with veteran rock bands sharing the schedule alongside K-pop groups, country stars and pop chart regulars. For many in attendance, the appeal was the range of the program, which offered a broad sweep of current and past hitmakers over the course of the weekend.
