It happens to all of us. At some point in time, you stare at a festival poster and go “I don’t know who these bands are”. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s harder and harder to cut through all of the noise and various outlets to find out who is actually worth listening to. Luckily, I’m here. If you’re looking at the Lollapalooza lineup and you’re lost, these are 7 bands you need to know.

ALEXSUCKS

Q101 Twisted XMAS alumni ALEXSUCKS are back in town, hot off the heels of their excellent new single “Worm In The Sun”. Initially a band that drew comparisons to The Strokes, the Southern California quartet has proven to be far more than just a cheap imitation of a legacy act. Operating as an energetic, snotty band, ALEXSUCKS have slowly been winning over the alt-rock faithful over the course of the last few years.

hey, nothing

hey, nothing, are a two-piece alt-folk act that hails from the artistic safe haven that is Athens, Georgia. This band is undeniably charming. If you’ve ever heard Modern Baseball’s earliest work or were smitten with earnest folk punk bands like Sledding With Tigers, you’ll find a similar connection to hey, nothing.

julie

julie are, in theory, what Perry Ferrell set out to highlight when he launched Lollapalooza in 1991. Simply put: they are weird. Beautifully weird, yes, but unquestionably weird. They would’ve made sense sandwiched between Siouxsie and the Banshees and Nine Inch Nails on the festival’s inaugural tour. As shoegaze has come back into fashion, julie have stood out from the pack as arguably the best contemporary group of that genre. julie are completely left-of-center, a stark contrast to the pop acts that will dominate the main stages, but a band that is entirely deserving of their slot on this festival.

Ratboys

It wouldn’t be Lollapalooza without tried and true Chicago bands thriving over the course of the weekend. For over a decade now, alt-country heavyweights Ratboys have been leading the charge of the Chicago scene. With five records under the belt including 2023’s stellar The Window, there’s no shortage of tracks that Ratboys could bring to Grant Park. It’s thrilling to see a band who has been this good for this long get the recognition they deserve on a Lollapalooza stage. If you find yourself yearning for a simpler time when this city was pumping out acts like Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt, Ratboys can act as your modern medicine.

Sierra Ferrell

Sierra Ferrell is hitting the road this summer with Post Malone and my mortal enemy Jelly Roll. The eclectic trio make a stop at Wrigley Field on May 22. Luckily for us, Ferrell will return this summer and will be coming back with no Jelly Roll in sight. Whereas the aforementioned Ratboys fit the dictionary definition of “alt-country”, Ferrell is nothing but country. The West Virginia-born frontwoman harkens back to the time of Lynn Anderson or more recently, Lucinda Williams. Ferrell’s set will act as a soothing break from the general craziness that invades Grant Park for four days every summer, and as a result, she could end up stealing the entire weekend.

Sunami

Sunami is one of the many post-COVID hardcore standouts that have reached previously unfathomable heights. Following recent Lollapalooza alumni Knocked Loose and Militarie Gun, Sunami will bring a level of fury to Grant Park that no other band (not even Korn) will be able to match. Their 2019 EP Demonstration laid the groundwork for a string of releases unmatched in intensity and aggression. “Weak Die First” is as much a standout single as it is a mission statement. Their recent single, “Fence Walker” which dropped on a split EP with Pain of Truth, saw a continuation of the band’s consistency.

Wunderhorse

UK’s Wunderhorse are on the cusp of becoming huge. The next time this band plays a festival in Chicago, their name is going to be in a much larger font. Their performance at the start of February in Chicago at the Metro was a loud, brash explosion that stunned a sold-out audience to the point that a genuine “encore” chant erupted from the Wrigleyville faithful. Per the band’s philosophy, though, there was no encore. The band that was touted as “a band that could become generational” by Rolling Stone UK played at 110% for 55 minutes and then walked off stage, never to be seen again. If you are excited by punchy, yet lyrically gorgeous rock music, Wunderhorse are the band for you.