The Australian heavy music festival season is fast approaching, and if you’re a fan of metal, punk, and alternative rock, you already know what that means: the hype for Good Things Festival 2026 is reaching a fever pitch.
Watch the full Good Things 2026 Lineup Update on Metal on Tap here:
Over the years, Good Things has solidified itself as the premier alternative festival in Australia, filling the massive void left by Soundwave. We’ve seen unforgettable past festivals with colossal headliners dominating the main stages—from Fall Out Boy and Bring Me The Horizon to Parkway Drive and Babymetal. But as December creeps closer, the million-dollar question remains: Who is going to headline Good Things 2026?
If you’ve been glued to the rumor mill, you might want to throw out your old bingo cards. A massive wave of recent international tour announcements has completely flipped the script. Thankfully, heavy music commentators Jaimunji and Drew from Metal on Tap have sat down to do the heavy lifting for us in their latest lineup update.
Here is a taste of what the boys have uncovered about the Good Things 2026 lineup—without spoiling all the surprises.
The Fake Posters vs. Reality: Who is Officially Ruled Out?
Every year, the internet is flooded with “leaked” AI-generated festival posters that get fans’ hopes up, only for reality to come crashing down. Jaimunji and Drew were quick to burst a few bubbles, pointing out that some of the most requested deathcore and metalcore giants are officially out of the running.
If you were hoping to catch certain massive dual-headlining metalcore tours or legendary French progressive metal titans at Good Things this year, you’re going to have to make other plans. Massive standalone tours have already locked up bands like Trivium, Lamb of God, and Killswitch Engage. Even a few iconic nu-metal and European industrial legends have been officially crossed off the list due to scheduling conflicts with international festivals like Knotfest Mexico.
The “Locks”: Who is Heavily Rumored to Play?
With so many major players ruled out, who is actually left to take the stage? The Metal on Tap crew has put together a rock-solid case for a few acts that feel like absolute guarantees.
- The Overdue Heavyweights: There is a certain massive, female-fronted modern metalcore band that hasn’t played on Aussie soil since they were just blowing up. Given Destroy All Lines’ history of bringing bands down for a festival slot before a massive headline tour, this one feels like a lock.
- The Hometown Heroes: You can’t have an Australian heavy festival without a massive local hardcore presence, and a certain beloved Western Sydney act is almost guaranteed to bring the biggest mosh pits of the weekend.
- The Cryptic Teasers: One massive artist recently dropped tour dates with three mysteriously blurred-out Australian cities. Since Good Things operates on a strict three-city run (Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane), festival sleuths are connecting the dots.
The Headliner Mystery
The Good Things headliner slot is always fiercely debated. Will it be a legacy pop-punk band? An emo-revival heavyweight? Or a legendary 90s industrial act?
Drew and Jaimunji throw out some truly wild wildcard predictions for the top of the bill. Could we see an exclusive, festival-only performance from a massively popular, theatrical 2000s emo-pop act that technically isn’t even a touring band anymore? Or will we get a dark, atmospheric masterclass from a 90s industrial icon?
Watch the Full Breakdown
We aren’t going to give all the answers away here! If you want to know exactly which bands have been ruled out, which heavy metal legends are slated for the “old school” slot, and who Jaimunji and Drew have locked in for the main stages, you need to hear their full breakdown.
Who do you think is going to take the top spots at Good Things Festival 2026? Check out the video, leave your predictions in their comments, and get ready for what is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable Australian alternative festivals yet!
