History of Lollapalooza in Timeline

Lollapalooza is a prominent four-day music festival held annually in Chicago's Grant Park. Originating in 1991 as a touring event, it found its permanent home in Chicago in 2005. The festival showcases a diverse range of genres, including alternative rock, heavy metal, hip hop, and electronic dance music. Beyond music, Lollapalooza incorporates visual arts, nonprofit organizations, and political organizations. Drawing approximately 400,000 attendees each year, it consistently sells out. As one of the world's largest and longest-running music festivals in the US, Lollapalooza holds significant cultural importance.

1990: Lollapalooza Conceived as a Farewell for Jane's Addiction

In 1990, Lollapalooza was conceived by Perry Farrell, Ted Gardner, Don Muller, and Marc Geiger as a farewell for Farrell's band Jane's Addiction, inspired by events like Britain's Reading Festival.

July 18, 1991: Lollapalooza Premiere in Phoenix Covered by MTV

On July 18, 1991, the Lollapalooza premiere in Phoenix, Arizona, was covered by a report on MTV, with journalist Dave Kendall predicting it "could be the tour of the summer".

August 1991: Lollapalooza toured across the United States and Canada

Lollapalooza toured across the United States and Canada from mid-July until late August 1991. The tour included artists from alternative rock, industrial music, and rap, such as Siouxsie and the Banshees, Nine Inch Nails and Ice-T.

August 28, 1991: Inaugural Lollapalooza Tour Ended Near Seattle

On August 28, 1991, the inaugural Lollapalooza tour ended at King County Fairgrounds in Enumclaw, Washington, near Seattle.

1991: Inaugural Lollapalooza Set the Stage for Future Festivals

After 1991, the festival included a second stage (and in 1996, a third) for up-and-coming bands or local acts. The inaugural edition influenced the organization and format for subsequent events.

1991: Lollapalooza Started as a Touring Event

In 1991, Lollapalooza originally started as a touring event.

1991: Lollapalooza Conceived as Farewell Tour

In 1991, Lollapalooza was conceived and created as a farewell tour by Perry Farrell of Jane's Addiction, stopping in over twenty cities in North America, achieving commercial success with its diverse collection of bands.

1991: Inaugural Lollapalooza Edition a Massive Success

The inaugural edition of Lollapalooza in 1991 was a surprise massive success, helping change mentalities in the music industry. Ice-T predicted it would be a tour people would talk about for a long time, and Farrell coined the term "Alternative Nation".

August 29, 1992: Lollapalooza at Alpine Valley Festival

On August 29, 1992, Lollapalooza took place at the Alpine Valley festival in East Troy, Wisconsin. At World Music Theater in Tinley Park, Illinois, concertgoers caused tens of thousands of dollars in damages to the venue.

1993: Lollapalooza Featured Grunge and Rap Artists

In 1993, Lollapalooza leaned heavily on grunge and alternative acts, and usually featured an additional rap artist. Crowd behaviors such as mosh pits and crowd surfing became regular parts of the shows.

1993: Steve Albini Criticizes Lollapalooza

In a 1993 interview, recording engineer, guitarist, and journalist Steve Albini criticized Lollapalooza for its corporatization of popularized "alternative" music.

April 7, 1994: Nirvana Officially Dropped Out of Lollapalooza

On April 7, 1994, Nirvana officially dropped out of Lollapalooza, after Kurt Cobain turned down the offer to headline at the festival.

1995: Lollapalooza Returned to Great Woods in Mansfield, Massachusetts

In 1995, after relocating to the naval yard at Quonset Point for two years, Lollapalooza returned to Great Woods in Mansfield, Massachusetts, after Rhode Island officials vowed to keep it out.

1996: Lollapalooza Booked Waylon Jennings

In 1996, Lollapalooza booked eclectic acts such as country superstar Waylon Jennings in an effort to revive relevance to audiences.

1996: Farrell Did Not Participate in Producing Lollapalooza

In 1996, Perry Farrell decided to focus his energy to produce his new festival project, ENIT, and did not participate in producing Lollapalooza. He quit in protest of Metallica's inclusion, feeling their macho image violated his peaceful vision for the festival.

1996: Lollapalooza Included a Third Stage for Up-and-Coming Bands

In 1996, the festival included a third stage for up-and-coming bands or local acts, expanding the platform for emerging artists.

1997: Lollapalooza Emphasized Electronica Groups

In 1997, Lollapalooza emphasized heavily electronica groups such as the Orb and the Prodigy. This was also the final tour from the initial series of Lollapalooza events.

1997: Lollapalooza Runs Annually Until 1997

Lollapalooza ran annually until 1997, touring North America from its inception.

1998: Lollapalooza Announced Cancellation in 1998

In 1998, Lollapalooza failed to find a suitable headliner and therefore announced Lollapalooza's cancellation. Spin magazine said, "Lollapalooza is as comatose as alternative rock right now."

1999: Farrell Performs at PurimPalooza

In 1999, Perry Farrell performed at PurimPalooza, hosted by Rabbi Josef Langer, at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco.

2003: Jane's Addiction Reconvened for Lollapalooza Tour

In 2003, Perry Farrell reconvened Jane's Addiction and scheduled a new Lollapalooza tour. The tour achieved only marginal success, presumably because of high ticket prices.

2003: Lollapalooza Revived in 2003

Lollapalooza was revived in 2003 and toured North America.

2004: Lollapalooza Edition Canceled in June

In 2004, another tour was scheduled for a two-day festival in each city. Despite a bill with Morrissey, Sonic Youth, PJ Harvey, Pixies, and the Flaming Lips, the 2004 edition was canceled in June due to weak ticket sales.

2004: Lollapalooza's Tour Canceled After Poor Ticket Sales in 2004

In 2004, the Lollapalooza organizers expanded the dates to two days per city but canceled the tour after poor ticket sales.

2005: Chicago Becomes Permanent Location

In 2005, Chicago became the permanent location for Lollapalooza.

2005: Lollapalooza Resurrected as Destination Festival in Chicago

In 2005, Farrell partnered with Capital Sports & Entertainment (now C3 Presents) to resurrect Lollapalooza as a two-day destination festival in Chicago's Grant Park, attracting over 65,000 attendees.

2005: Kidzapalooza Debut

In 2005, Kidzapalooza, an idea by Tor Hyams for a child-centered experience at Lollapalooza, debuted in Chicago, offering games, design, art stations, and musical instruments for children.

2005: Lollapalooza retooled as an annual festival in Chicago

In 2005, Perry Farrell and the William Morris Agency partnered with Capital Sports Entertainment to retool Lollapalooza into its current format as an annual festival in Chicago.

October 25, 2006: Lollapalooza Staying in Chicago Until 2011

On October 25, 2006, the Chicago Park District and Capital Sports & Entertainment agreed to a five-year, $5 million deal, keeping Lollapalooza at Grant Park in Chicago until 2011.

2006: Farrell Performs at PurimPalooza Again

In 2006, Perry Farrell performed at PurimPalooza at the Ruby Skye in San Francisco, featuring artists such as Matisyahu and Chutzpah.

2007: Lollapalooza Ran August 3–5, 2007

Lollapalooza took place on August 3–5, 2007, continuing its run in Chicago's Grant Park.

2008: Kidzapalooza at the Hollywood Bowl

In 2008, Kidzapalooza expanded to other venues, with the Hollywood Bowl hosting its own stand-alone Kidzapalooza event.

2008: Lollapalooza Ran August 1–3, 2008

Lollapalooza took place on August 1–3, 2008, continuing its run in Chicago's Grant Park.

2009: Lollapalooza Ran August 7–9, 2009

Lollapalooza took place on August 7–9, 2009, continuing its run in Chicago's Grant Park.

April 2010: Antitrust Investigation Launched into Lollapalooza

In April 2010, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan launched an antitrust investigation into Lollapalooza for imposing radius clauses on acts, restricting performances within 300 miles of Chicago.

2010: Lollapalooza Announces South American Debut

In 2010, it was announced that Lollapalooza would debut in South America, with a branch of the festival staged in Santiago, Chile.

2010: Lollapalooza to Remain in Chicago and Debut Outside the US

In 2010, it was announced that Lollapalooza would remain in Chicago, while also debuting outside the United States.

2010: Lollapalooza Ran August 6–8, 2010

Lollapalooza took place on August 6–8, 2010, continuing its run in Chicago's Grant Park.

2011: Lollapalooza Staged in Santiago, Chile

In 2011, a branch of Lollapalooza was staged in Santiago, Chile, on April 2–3, partnering with Lotus.

2011: Brazilian Version Confirmed

In 2011, following the success of the Chilean events, a Brazilian version of Lollapalooza was confirmed.

2011: Lollapalooza Ran August 5–7, 2011

Lollapalooza took place on August 5–7, 2011, continuing its run in Chicago's Grant Park.

2011: Lollapalooza Debut in Chile

On April 2–3, 2011, Lollapalooza debuted in South America, staged in Santiago, Chile.

August 7, 2012: Lollapalooza Announces Tel Aviv Debut

On August 7, 2012, Perry Farrell announced that Lollapalooza would be debuting in Tel Aviv, Israel.

2012: Brazilian Version of Lollapalooza Held in São Paulo

In 2012, Geo Events confirmed the Brazilian version of Lollapalooza, which was held at the Jockey Club in São Paulo on April 7–8.

2012: Antitrust Investigation Closed

In 2012, the antitrust investigation into Lollapalooza was closed, with no action taken.

2012: Lollapalooza Ran August 3–5, 2012

Lollapalooza took place on August 3–5, 2012, continuing its run in Chicago's Grant Park.

2012: Inaugural Brazilian Edition

The inaugural edition of Lollapalooza Brazil was held at the Jockey Club in São Paulo on April 7–8, 2012.

September 10, 2013: Argentine Version of Lollapalooza Announced

On September 10, 2013, it was announced that the Argentine version of Lollapalooza would be held in Buenos Aires.

2013: Lollapalooza Brazil Expands to Three Days

In 2013, Lollapalooza Brazil was again held at Jockey Club during Holy Week, this time expanding to three days, filling the whole Paschal Triduum (March 29–31).

2013: Lollapalooza Ran August 2–4, 2013

Lollapalooza took place on August 2–4, 2013, continuing its run in Chicago's Grant Park.

2013: Lollapalooza Tel Aviv Postponed

The Lollapalooza event scheduled for August 20–22, 2013, in Tel Aviv was postponed to an unspecified date, reportedly due to financial challenges and the political situation in the Middle East.

April 2014: Argentine Version of Lollapalooza Started in Buenos Aires

In April 2014, the Argentine version of Lollapalooza started in Buenos Aires.

November 4, 2014: First European Lollapalooza Announced

On November 4, 2014, it was announced that the first European Lollapalooza would be held in Berlin, Germany.

November 2014: First European Lollapalooza Announced and Held in Berlin

In November 2014, the first European Lollapalooza was announced and was held at the former Berlin Tempelhof Airport.

2014: Live Nation Entertainment Buys Controlling Interest in C3 Presents

In 2014, Live Nation Entertainment bought a controlling interest in C3 Presents.

2014: Lollapalooza Ran August 1–3, 2014

Lollapalooza took place on August 1–3, 2014, continuing its run in Chicago's Grant Park.

2014: Lollapalooza Brazil Moved to Autódromo José Carlos Pace

The third edition of Lollapalooza Brazil was moved to the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo's borough of Interlagos, happening on April 5 and 6, 2014.

2015: First European Lollapalooza Held in Berlin

In 2015, the first European Lollapalooza was held on September 12–13 in Berlin-Tempelhof.

2015: Lollapalooza Weekend Passes Cost $275 in 2015

Lollapalooza weekend passes cost $275 in 2015.

2015: Lollapalooza Brazil held at Interlagos

On March 28–29, 2015, Lollapalooza Brazil was held at Interlagos.

October 12, 2016: Lollapalooza Announces Paris Festival

On October 12, 2016, Lollapalooza announced that they would be hosting a festival in Paris, France.

2016: Lollapalooza Passes Sold Out Quickly

For the 2016 Lollapalooza event, the four-day general passes sold out in about one day after the sale began, and the one-day passes sold out in less than three hours after the lineup was revealed.

2016: Lollapalooza Weekend Passes Cost $335 in 2016

Lollapalooza weekend passes cost $335 in 2016.

2016: Lollapalooza Brazil held at Interlagos

On March 12–13, 2016, Lollapalooza Brazil was held at Interlagos.

2016: Lollapalooza Berlin Held in Treptower Park

The 2016 edition of Lollapalooza Berlin took place in the Treptower Park on September 10–11, drawing 70,000 visitors each day.

2016: Lollapalooza 25th Anniversary

The 2016 iteration of Lollapalooza was four days long, from July 28 to 31, to celebrate the event's 25th anniversary.

January 17, 2017: Lollapalooza Paris 2017 Lineup Announced

On January 17, 2017, the lineup for Lollapalooza Paris 2017 was announced, and included Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Weeknd as headliners.

2017: Lollapalooza Brazil held at Interlagos

On March 25–26, 2017, Lollapalooza Brazil was held at Interlagos.

2018: Deal signed to keep Lollapalooza in Chicago

After a successful 2008 festival, another deal was signed in 2018 to keep Lollapalooza in Chicago through 2018, guaranteeing the city $13 million.

2018: Lollapalooza Released Lineup Early Due to Slower Sales

In 2018, the Lollapalooza festival experienced unusually slower sales, so they released the lineup about eight hours earlier.

2018: Lollapalooza Brazil held at Interlagos

On March 23–25, 2018, Lollapalooza Brazil was held at Interlagos.

2018: Lollapalooza Berlin Moves to Olympiapark

Since 2018, Lollapalooza Berlin has been held at the Olympiapark Berlin.

2018: Eighth Edition Headliners

The eighth edition of Lollapalooza was held on March 16–18, 2018, with Pearl Jam, Lana Del Rey, The Killers, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and LCD Soundsystem as headliners.

2018: Weekend Passes Remained the Same Price

The price for weekend passes from 2016 to 2018 remained the same.

2019: Lollapalooza Brazil held at Interlagos

On April 5–7, 2019, Lollapalooza Brazil was held at Interlagos.

2019: First Scandinavian Lollapalooza

The first Scandinavian edition of Lollapalooza was held in Stockholm, Sweden, on June 28–30, 2019.

2020: Lollapalooza 2020 Canceled Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Lollapalooza festival, initially scheduled for July 30 – August 2, was officially canceled on June 9. The city of Chicago offered a livestreamed event with acts such as A$AP Rocky and Outkast.

2020: Kidzapalooza Cancellation

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 installation of Kidzapalooza was canceled.

2020: Lollapalooza Rated Best Concert of the Last 35 Years

In 2020, Spin rated the first Lollapalooza as the best concert of the preceding 35 years.

2020: First Lollapalooza Edition Rated Greatest US Tour in 35 Years

In 2020, Spin rated the first Lollapalooza edition as the greatest US tour in 35 years, noting that it "changed the trajectory of the '90s, helping usher the alternative era into the mainstream" and became the template for modern American festivals.

2020: Lollapalooza Weekend Passes Cost $340 in 2020

In 2020, a slight increase of five dollars was added to Lollapalooza weekend passes, making them $340.

2020: Lollapalooza Paris Canceled Due to COVID-19

The 2020 Lollapalooza Paris was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: 2020 Edition Cancelled and Rescheduled Multiple Times

The 2020 edition of Lollapalooza, scheduled for April 3–5 with headliners Guns N' Roses, Travis Scott, and The Strokes, was canceled a week prior due to COVID-19 lockdowns. It was rescheduled to December 4–6 of the same year with the same headliners but was once again shut down due to COVID.

May 18, 2021: Lollapalooza to Return at Full Capacity

On May 18, 2021, festival organizers and the City of Chicago announced that Lollapalooza would return at full capacity from July 29 to August 2, 2021.

August 2, 2021: Lollapalooza returned at full capacity

Lollapalooza returned at full capacity from July 29 to August 2, 2021.

2021: 2020 Edition Rescheduled Again

The 2020 edition of Lollapalooza was again rescheduled to September 10–12, 2021, due to continued COVID restrictions, without confirming headliners or other attractions.

March 2022: Lollapalooza Returns After Two Years

After multiple reschedulings, Lollapalooza finally returned in March 2022 on the scheduled dates (March 25–27), with headliners The Strokes and Miley Cyrus. Foo Fighters were scheduled to close the festival on March 27, but were replaced by various Brazilian artists paying tribute to the musician after their drummer, Taylor Hawkins, died.

May 2022: Hulu to Exclusively Stream Lollapalooza

In May 2022, it was announced that Hulu would exclusively stream Lollapalooza, alongside Austin City Limits and Bonnaroo.

July 27, 2022: Lollapalooza Announces Debut in Mumbai, India

On July 27, 2022, Lollapalooza announced that they would be debuting at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai, India, on January 28–29, 2023, partnering with BookMyShow.

October 2022: Lineup Announced for Next Year's Event

In October 2022, the lineup for the next year's Lollapalooza event was announced and included headliners Blink-182, Billie Eilish, Lil Nas X, Drake, Rosalía, and Tame Impala.

2022: Lollapalooza Returns to Stockholm

After being canceled for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lollapalooza returned to Stockholm on July 1–3, 2022, with over 70,000 attendees.

2023: Inaugural Lollapalooza India Event

Lollapalooza's first event in Asia was held in Mumbai, India, on January 28–29, 2023, headlined by Imagine Dragons, The Strokes, and Diplo.

2023: Lollapalooza Brazil 2023

The 2023 Brazilian version of Lollapalooza took place from March 24 to 26. The announced headliners were Billie Eilish, Blink-182, and Drake. Blink-182 cancelled and was replaced by Twenty One Pilots. Drake also cancelled and was replaced by Skrillex.

August 2024: Headliners Announced for Following Year

In August 2024, the headliners of the following year's Lollapalooza lineup were announced: Olivia Rodrigo, Rüfüs Du Sol, Justin Timberlake, Alanis Morissette, Tool, and Shawn Mendes.

2024: Lollapalooza Paris Canceled Due to Logistical Constraints

Lollapalooza Paris was canceled in 2024 due to logistical, administrative, and security constraints.

2024: Lollapalooza Brazil 2024

The 2024 edition of Lollapalooza Brazil happened on March 22–24, with Blink-182, SZA, Kings of Leon, Sam Smith, Arcade Fire, Limp Bizkit, and Titãs headlining. Kings of Leon were replacements for Paramore, who canceled.

2025: Lollapalooza Brazil 2025 Headliners

The 2025 edition of Lollapalooza Brazil is scheduled for March 28–30, headlined by Olivia Rodrigo, Rüfüs Du Sol, Shawn Mendes, Alanis Morissette, Justin Timberlake, and Tool.

2025: Lollapalooza India 2025 Headliners Announced

The 2025 edition of Lollapalooza India saw Green Day and Shawn Mendes headline and also featured international artists like Louis Tomlinson, Glass Animals, Aurora, Cory Wong, and Zedd and Indian musicians such as Hanumankind, Niladri Kumar, and DOT, among others.