Nova Rock 2026: Iron Maiden, Volbeat & The Cure cause excitement!

Nova Rock 2026: Iron Maiden, Volbeat & The Cure cause excitement!

The Nova Rock Festival, one of the largest music festivals in Austria, will take place in Nickelsdorf from June 11th to 14th, 2026. Ewald Tatar has already signed some well-known bands to the line-up. Loud oe24 Iron Maiden will headline and possibly perform a farewell show. The band plans to impress with a “setlist for the ages” consisting of their most famous hits, such as “The Number Of The Beast”, “The Trooper” and “Run To The Hills”.

The festival is expecting over 220,000 fans and promises an impressive line-up that also includes The Cure, Volbeat, The Offspring and Bring Me The Horizon. The Offspring will also give a concert in Linz on October 24th. Particularly striking is Iron Maiden's demand for a ban on cell phones during concerts in order to ensure concentration on the music.

Insight into the festival history

The Nova Rock Festival has a long history that began in 2005. Since then it has become a central event in the music landscape. The festival takes place annually in June near the Hungarian and Slovak borders and attracts international artists. However, the event has also been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the past, resulting in cancellations in 2020 and 2021, such as metalphotos reported.

Well-known artists such as System Of A Down, Metallica, Guns N' Roses and Rammstein often play there. The festival structure has evolved over the years; It started with one stage in 2005 and has now had three stages in use since 2015.

Economic and social significance

Music festivals are not only an important part of the cultural landscape, but also drivers for the local economy. According to a comprehensive study of the festival landscape in Germany, which was carried out by the Initiative Musik and the Federal Foundation LiveKultur, festivals are crucial for finding identity and offer newcomers a platform. They also promote encounters and cultural diversity, which is of great importance for the region around Nickelsdorf, as the study shows. There are around 1,800 music festivals in Germany, with 71% representing popular music and jazz. Many events also offer social and cultural supporting programs, which ⸺ is an important element of attractiveness given the large number of visitors to Nova Rock ⸺.

With the Nova Rock Festival coming up and the artists already confirmed, fans can hope for an experience like no other. The anticipation for the event, which will once again attract thousands of music lovers next year, is already palpable.