[UPDATE 8/19/21]: Following the announcement that Nine Inch Nails have canceled all 2021 appearances due to COVID-19 concerns, Louder Than Life organizers have offered refunds for the date of the band’s scheduled performance.

The announcement from the festival also noted that organizers were working around the clock to lock down a replacement Saturday headliner. Read the full statement from organizers below.

[5/14/21] Louder Than Life Festival will return to Louisville, KY’s Highland Festival Grounds at KY Expo Center for an expanded four-day event set to take place from September 23rd–26th, 2021.

The 2021 edition of the “largest rock festival in America,” presented by Danny Wilmer Presents, will include headlining appearances by Metallica (two unique sets), Nine Inch Nails, Jane’s Addiction, KORN, Judas Priest, Snoop Dogg, and more.

On Thursday, September 23rd, Louder Than Life will welcome performances by KORN, Staind, Cypress Hill, Anthrax, Beartooth, Sevendust, Knocked Loose, Wage War, Helmet, Escape The Fate, Zero 9:36, Hyro The Hero, Teenage Wrist, Currents, Jeris Johnson, Another Day Dawns, and Blame My Youth.

On Friday, September 24th, Metallica will perform its first of two unique Louder Than Live sets alongside performances by Jane’s Addiction, Rise Against, Gojira, Killswitch Engage, Starset, Avatar, Fever 333, Turnstile, Cleopatrick, Dead Sara, ’68, The Blue Stones, South Of Eden, Tallah, Joyous Wolf, and Contracult Collective.

Nine Inch Nails and Snoop Dogg lead the festival’s Saturday, September 25th roster, which also includes Machine Gun Kelly, Ghostemane, The Distillers, Asking Alexandria, Grandson, Code Orange, Ice Nine Kills, Spiritbox, Red, Butcher Babies, Bones UK, Diamante, Siiickbrain, UNITYTX, Dana Dentata, and The Messenger Birds.

Finally, Metallica will return on Sunday, September 26th to close things out following performances by Judas Priest, Mudvayne, Seether, Pennywise, Skillet, Sabaton, The Hu, Badflower, Mammoth WVH, Fozzy, Red Fang, Ayron Jones, From Ashes To New, Avoid, Tempt, Dead Poet Society, and Like Machines.

As promoter Danny Wilmer notes in a press release, “DWP has always considered Louisville home, so to be able to bring America’s Biggest Rock Festival back in 2021 means everything to us. After a year filled with challenge after challenge, we worked incredibly hard to curate a lineup worth the wait for our fans. Weather got in the way of Nine Inch Nails in 2018, the pandemic derailed our plans for two big Metallica sets in 2020 – so to have them both back for 2021, along with KORN and the rest of this incredible lineup over four days, that’s the kind of ‘new normal’ that we’re all looking forward to.”

In addition to nearly 70 music acts over 4 days across 3 stages, Louder Than Life will feature award-winning bourbons, whiskey, spirits, craft beer, and the best food Louisville has to offer. Festival attendees will enjoy a variety of onsite food and beverage experiences, as well as sponsor activations that celebrate the bourbon culture and culinary heritage of this unique American city.

Single day and weekend general admission and VIP passes for Louder Than Life 2021 are on sale now via the festival website. See below to check out the full 2021 lineup and watch the festival’s official announcement video.