Sex Week, knackered, bed, Nori and Falinn gjóður among 40 new names for Iceland Airwaves

Elsewhere on the lineup are Australian folk innovators Any Young Mechanic, Dublin electro-punks Yard, Catalan folk artist Mar Pujol, London alt-pop duo The Itch, and post-punk outfit Heartworms. They join an already stacked lineup of buzzy names including PISS, Liim, Pollyfromthedirt and Bleech 9:3. The festival continues its commitment to gender-balanced lineups through ongoing work with Keychange.

Today's announcement also confirms the return of Best Fit favourites knackered, the electronic project of Danish-born and Iceland-based Ida Schuften Juhl; RAKEL, winner of the 2025 Airwaves PLUS Award; and Post-dreifing linchpin (and Supersport! member) Bjarni Daniel. They lead the local additions alongside Mexico-born, rap legends Úlfur Úlfur, Iceland-based artist Andervel, and Herdís Stefánsdóttir and Salka Valsdóttir's electro-pop project SCAM, who will also perform at a special Taste of Iceland x Airwaves showcase event in New York. Offering the US a pre-festival opportunity to experience some of the nation's rising artists, that showcase runs at Pianos on the Lower East Side on Thursday, 1 October.

The 2026 edition marks over two decades since the festival's 1999 launch in an airplane hangar, now promoted by Sena Live with support from founding sponsor Icelandair and the City of Reykjavík.

The three-day official showcase programming runs from 5-7 November, with Airwaves hosting special performances from Shygirl, The Streets and Daði Freyr with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra at the city's Harpa concert hall across the surrounding dates.

The festival's accompanying two-day industry conference, running 5-6 November, has also revealed its initial discussion topics for 2026. "Anybody in There? Human Curation in the Age of the Algorithm" will examine the revival of authentic discovery and niche communities amid an algorithm-divided industry, while "From Local to Global: Against The Odds" explores how smaller territories continue producing notable creative talent despite geographical and market disadvantages.

Early bird tickets are available from 10,900 ISK (approximately £65), with travel packages offered in partnership with Icelandair.

Iceland Airwaves 2026 lineup (so far)

Adult DVD (UK), Amor Vincit Omnia (IS), Andervel (IS), Any Young Mechanic (AU), Arima Ederra (US), Arny Margret (IS), Axel Flóvent (IS), Bana Zahiti (XK), bed (JP), Bjarni Daníel (IS), BKPM (IS), Bleech 9:3 (IE), BLUAI (BE), Brynja (IS), Brynya Rán (IS), David Bay (DE), Dove Ellis (IE), Einakróna (IS), Emmsje Gauti (IS), Esmeralda Road (UK), Falinn Gjóður (IS), Flesh Machine (IS), Formal Sppeedwear (UK), Gosi (IS), Haukur Páll (IS), Heartworms (UK), HÉR (PL), Inspector Spacetime (IS), Jamie Duffy (IE), Jamie Woon (UK), JEFF3 (DK), Joe & the Shitboys (FO), Jónfrí (IS), Júníus Meyvant (IS), knackered (IS), KOIKOI (RS), Liim (US), LiteFun (IS), LÓN (IS), Lucy Dreams (AT), MAMMÚT (IS), Mar Pujol (ES-CT), Marsibil (IS), Nori (UK), Oyama (IS), PISS (CA), Pollyfromthedirt (UK), punktò (LT), RAKEL (IS), Revenge of Calculon (UK), Róshildur (IS), RSP (FO), Sævar Jóhannsson (IS), SAKARIS (FO), SCAM (IS), Sex Week (US), Skeler (AU), Spouses (IS), SYL (DK), TÁR (IS), The Gnomes (AU), The Itch (UK), Them Flying Monkeys (PT), Tunghoyrt (FO), Úlfur Úlfur (IS), Valborg Ólafs (IS), Vicky Sometani (UK), virgin orchestra (IS), Yaelokre (PH/IS), YARD (IE).