10 Of The Biggest (And Best) Performances From Lollapalooza 2024

Lollapalooza 2024 has finally concluded.

As one of the most renowned music festivals in the world, the anticipation for this year’s Lollapalooza was at an all-time high due to its stellar list of performers. With industry heavyweights like Blink-182, Megan Thee Stallion, The Killers, and Hozier, plus rising superstars like Chappell Roan, Tyla, and a whole lot more all in attendance, it was obvious that Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois was the place to be for any avid music fan over the weekend. Yet given the extremely limited nature of tickets, not everyone who wanted to watch the show was able to do so, even without the geographical restrictions.

Luckily, thanks to the power of the internet and social media, this year’s iteration of the iconic music festival was even more accessible than ever. Music aficionados from all around the world were able to stay tuned to all the biggest and best moments from the show — almost as if we were living vicariously through the hype and clamor surrounding these top-tier performances. Billboard Philippines lists down our picks for the ten standout live sets from this year’s Lollapalooza, delving deep into why we think these performances deserve to be heard (and seen) from beyond its stage in Chicago, Illinois.

Laufey & The Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra

The music festival setting may not seem like the ideal scenario to hear jazz music live, but Laufey‘s magical stage presence continues to find a home with any audience that she finds herself in front of. Her set at Lollapalooza was no exception, given the massive crowd that the young jazz crooner managed to welcome at the festival’s main stage.

Laufeypalooza stood not only as a fantastic demonstration of her talents, but it also marked one of her best musical sets in recent years (according to several people in attendance). The inclusion of the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra to perform alongside her on stage added a special touch to her music, making it feel simultaneously nostalgic and fresh given the result of these rejuvenated renditions to her already notable discography. Adding to the magic of her set was the surprise appearance of UK-based singer-songwriter Raye, who joined Laufey for a harmonious duet cover of the popular jazz standard written by Johnny Burke and James Van Heusen.

Kesha

As one of the pop figureheads of the 2010s, Kesha has been long overdue for her major comeback — and Lollapalooza was the best place to do it.

Following her guest appearance at Renee Rapp’s excellent set in Coachella this year, the pop icon brought out all the stops for her set last weekend, putting one hell of a show that brought the house down. With an eclectic blend of her biggest hits and the newly-released track “JOYRIDE,” Kesha delivered a showcase of what the music industry has been missing from her absence in the mainstream. Her signature bravura and risque nature continue to stand out with a fiery flair that’s difficult (if not irreplaceable) to mimic — proving to the world that there’s no one else capable of doing it like her.

While it was the notable line delivery in her performance of the 2010 hit “Backstabber” that generated a whole lot of buzz across social media (particularly the “Katie’s to the left, ripping my style” lyrical jab), it was further proof of Kesha’s unapologetic nature to speak her mind and her ability to embolden both herself and the crowd with a sharp (if not piercing) impression that continues to linger well past the conclusion of her set.

Blink-182

Nostalgia continues to have a strong pull on audiences of all backgrounds, as exemplified by the monstrous amount of people gathered in attendance of Blink-182’s headlining set.

Of course, the American rock-trio performed an outstanding rendition to the crowd-favorite, “All The Small Things,” while sprinkling their set with an eclectic mix of their other greatest hits together with some noteworthy covers that took the crowd by surprise. Their twenty-four track setlist included “What’s My Age Again?,” “Feeling This,” “First Date,” and a whole lot more — including an unreleased track called “Can’t Go Back.”

Their covers to Box Car Racer’s “There Is” and +44’s “When Your Heart Stops Beating” may have shook their fans, but no one was prepared for their surprising inclusion of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” as part of their performance to “Dammit.” With the awe-struck nature of the crowd, the group has ultimately proven that they’ve still got it — and are unlikely to lose their magnanimous spark. For with what audiences witnessed, Blink-182 goes beyond the concept of nostalgia to prove that they are, and will ultimately be, timeless.

IVE

Marking the K-pop group’s first time performing for a music festival, IVE made sure to commemorate the occasion with an impressive debut that awarded them with more fans. Bringing their string of hits, such as “LOVE DIVE,” “After LIKE,” “Accendio,” and “I AM” to the festival’s grand stage was a treat for the thousands of people in attendance, and showcased the group’s refreshing and energetic take on the K-pop genre.

An Yujin, Gaeul, Rei, Jang Wonyoung, Liz, and Leeseo won over the hearts of the entire audience, with Yujin and Liz delivering a vocal spectacle that highlighted their impeccable high notes. Even as Yujin lost her hair extensions mid-performance, her professionalism made for a seamless performance alongside the rest of the group. Yet beyond talent, it was also Wonyoung’s infectious charm also enamored the crowd even further, making their set one of the more memorable performances of the festival this year.

The Killers

There’s a sense of euphoria to every song that The Killers perform on stage.

While “Mr. Brightside” continues to serve as an anthem to the closing moments of everyone’s late night parties, hearing the rest of their impeccable set at Lollapalooza is enough to make you realize that these guys have more than enough hit songs that continue to resonate far and wide with audiences from all around the world. “Somebody Told Me,” “When You Were Young,” “Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine,” and “Human” were all accompanied by fantastic covers, which included Erasure’s “A Little Respect” and a debut performance of Material Issue’s “Very First Lie.”

From what audiences witnessed, it was enthralling to witness just how impactful their songs continue to be with their fans –– because heck, they even invited a fan named Oscar to perform “For Reasons Unknown.” Because as The Killers have always done, they always know how to put one heck of a show.

Megan Thee Stallion

Though Megan Thee Stallion came in to replace Tyler, The Creator’s last-minute cancellation, her performance as the headliner to this year’s Day One of Lollapalooza was ultimately worth the change.

Stallion’s infectious energy and unparalleled confidence rang across the entirety of Grant Park’s 312.98 acres of land, bringing together thousands of people to celebrate her ‘hottie’ energy at full throttle. Given her plethora of hit songs, the crowd was roaring alongside the Houston-raised rapper, with her hits “Hiss,” “WAP,” “Body,” and “Savage” electrifying the audience in attendance.

One performance that delighted the crowd was her recent hit single “Mamushi,” which had everyone dancing along to the viral choreography that’s been making waves across TikTok. For sure, you’ve either seen audiences dancing along or twerking to Stallion’s string of hit songs from the online sphere, which is exactly the kind of legacy and impression that the rapper wants her fans to make the most of.

SZA

SZA has always been one heck of an artist, standing out as one today’s most promising and innovative musicians. Given her status as one of the industry’s chart-topping and record-breaking superstars, the audience’s expectations were already quite high — yet the Grammy-winning artist was able to surpass everyone’s preconceived notions.

With an earthy, greenery-inspired stage, SZA performed a twenty-eight track setlist that was jam-packed with her biggest hits. Yet even with how beloved or recognized these tracks already were, the energy of these tracks being translated into the live setting was what resonated with the audience on an entirely different level. Songs like “F2F,” “Drew Barrymore,” “Blind,” “Kill Bill,” and “Low,” brought out a rapturous response from the crowd (as expected), thought it was her introspective and somber set of tracks like “Normal Girl” and “Nobody Gets Me” that had audiences weeping across all corners of Grant Park. As she concluded her set with an emotional encore performance to “20 Something,” it was already solidified that her set had gone beyond the expectations of her audience.

Skrillex

With Skrillex’s music, thrashing is always expected to ensue. Despite breaking out into the scene with his hits “Bangarang,” “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites,” and “Where Are U Now” (featuring Justin Bieber), it was the dubstep veteran’s set at Lollapalooza that solidified his title as one of the most innovative musicians of the past decade.

Pairing his bass-defying tracks like “Xena” and “Rumble” with a series of onstage flame machines that (literally) heated up the park, the entirety of his hour-long-plus set was one giant mosh pit that took audiences back to the peak days of electronic dance music in the 2010s. Blending remixes to popular tracks from Fred again, Jay Z, Kanye West, Justice, and Avicii with some of his brand new material, there was more than enough material for everyone to partake in the ceremony of head-banging and fist-pumping in the air — making one hell of a rave to be a part of.

Stray Kids

It’s safe to say that Stray Kids definitely “ATE” with their headlining performance on Day Two of Lollapalooza 2024.

The eight-piece K-pop group delivered an explosive set that was also an excellent display of showmanship — complemented by the astounding use of a live band, pyrotechnics, lasers, and fireworks that further amplified their artistry to its full capability. Their cool confidence continued to win over the audience in attendance, as they injected punk-inspired renditions of their tracks that breathed new life to what STAYs have found themselves familiar with.

Together with their synchronized choreography on stage, the group’s performances of “FREEZE,” “Super Bowl,” “Maniac,” “MIROH,” “Chk Chk Boom,” and more immediately made such a strong mark on the crowd. With the addition of two whole encores added to close out their set, it left such an indelible mark on those who bore witness to the show — solidifying their rock-star status.

Chappell Roan

Despite not being a headliner, the one performance that everyone has been talking about from this year’s Lollapalooza Festival is that of Chappell Roan.

A “Femininomenon” definitely took place in Grant Park — because over 80,000 people crowded their way just to get a glimpse of Roan’s momentous debut on the festival’s stage. Clad in a Mexican luchador-inspired outfit that fit right at home with her stellar drag-inspired performance wardrobe, she pulled out all the stops to deliver a full-scale theatrical performance that is both camp and confidence all together.

The crowd roared and sang along to every lyric of the fan-favorites “Good Luck, Babe!,” “Red Wine Supernova,” and the anthemic “HOT TO GO!” — yet they also found themselves moved by emotive tracks like “Casual,” “Picture You,” and the unreleased heartbreaker “Subway” that resulted in more than a few tears shed across the venue. It’s undeniable how much of an impact and reach she’s accumulated in just one musical set, yet it promises an extremely bright future for this pop superstar in the making.

With the sheer spectacle that Chappell was able to deliver in one show, there’s no doubt that her standout set has cemented its place as one of the festival’s best and biggest performances in Lollapalooza’s longstanding history.