Loudwire reports that 32 new rock and metal tours were announced during the week of January 16-22, making it one of the busiest touring news weeks of the young year and signalling that the 2026 concert season is shaping up to be historically packed. The sheer volume of announcements reflects the continued post-pandemic boom in live music, with bands and promoters racing to fill calendars that are becoming increasingly competitive for both venues and fan dollars.
Major announcements include SEPULTURA's final North American farewell dates with EXODUS and BIOHAZARD, ARCHITECTS' US tour with HOLYWATR, LORNA SHORE's North American run with PALEFACE SWISS and SIGNS OF THE SWARM, and SEVENDUST's spring US headline trek supporting their fifteenth album "One." Each of these tours represents a significant draw in its respective corner of heavy music, from thrash metal heritage to modern deathcore innovation to post-metalcore stadium ambition.
Other notable tour confirmations came from ALICE COOPER, who will bring his legendary theatrical rock show across North America this summer; BLACK VEIL BRIDES, continuing their comeback momentum; THE BLACK CROWES, crossing over from the rock world; and WHITECHAPEL, who join LORNA SHORE's European juggernaut. The diversity of the week's announcements underscores the health of the rock and metal touring ecosystem, which has proven remarkably resilient despite rising ticket prices, inflation pressures, and increasing competition from streaming platforms for fans' entertainment budgets. Industry analysts note that 2026 may surpass 2025 as the biggest year for rock and metal touring since the pre-pandemic era, with major farewell tours from MEGADETH and SEPULTURA adding urgency to an already stacked calendar.