AC/ DC return to US stadiums: new 2026 tour dates revealed

AC/DC are cranking the amps back up in the United States, bringing their high-voltage rock show to major arenas and stadiums as part of a fresh wave of 2025–2026 tour dates. As of May 19, 2026, the hard rock legends are in the middle of a full-scale touring comeback built around their “Power Up” era and a rejuvenated lineup that puts Brian Johnson and Angus Young back at center stage, giving US fans their most extensive chance in years to see the band live, according to Billboard and Rolling Stone.

With new North American shows added after a successful European run and festival headline slots, AC/DC are positioning themselves for one of the biggest classic rock tours of the current concert cycle, per Variety and Pollstar. The band’s US routing includes a mix of historic arenas, outdoor amphitheaters, and modern NFL-sized stadiums, making it a major event for rock fans across generations.

What’s new: AC/DC expand 2026 US tour and keep the “Power Up” era alive

The latest development driving renewed attention around AC/DC is the continued expansion of their 2025–2026 touring schedule, which now includes additional US dates following strong early ticket sales and packed shows overseas, per Billboard and Variety. As of May 19, 2026, industry reports describe the current AC/DC run as one of the most in-demand classic rock tours on the market, driven by a mix of nostalgia and the rare chance to see Brian Johnson back in full voice after his earlier hearing issues forced him off the road in 2016, according to Rolling Stone and The New York Times.

According to coverage in Billboard and Pollstar, AC/DC’s current touring push is effectively the live victory lap for their 2020 album “Power Up,” which reunited Johnson with the band in the studio and signaled a late-career surge for the Australian icons. Even though several years have passed since the album’s release, the tour functions as the long-delayed full-scale live rollout of that material in North America, after the pandemic and health-related setbacks initially kept the group off the road.

On AC/DC’s official tour page, accessible via AC/DC's official website, the band continues to list new and upcoming dates in multiple territories, including key US stops that align with major markets traditionally targeted by Live Nation and AEG Presents. As of May 19, 2026, fans are being encouraged to monitor the page closely for newly added shows, production changes, and localized presale information.

Lineup, health, and how AC/DC found a second (or third) wind

The current AC/DC tour is notable not just because the band is back on the road, but because it features one of rock’s most closely watched comebacks: Brian Johnson’s return to regular live performance after earlier hearing loss threatened to end his touring career. In 2016, Johnson stepped away mid–“Rock or Bust” tour, with Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose famously stepping in to help the band complete dates, as reported at the time by Rolling Stone and The Washington Post. According to later interviews cited by Rolling Stone and NPR Music, Johnson’s hearing was stabilized through new in-ear technology, clearing a path for his studio comeback on “Power Up” and now his sustained return to large-scale touring.

Guitarist Angus Young remains the band’s visual and musical focal point, continuing to perform his trademark schoolboy-suit duckwalk across arena stages while anchoring the group’s signature riff-driven sound. Per profiles in Rolling Stone and Classic Rock magazine, Angus is widely viewed as the keeper of the AC/DC flame in the wake of co-founder Malcolm Young’s death, with longtime fans scrutinizing each tour for signs of how the band is preserving Malcolm’s rhythm legacy in the live mix.

The touring lineup supporting Johnson and Young has evolved in the past decade. According to reporting in Billboard and Ultimate Classic Rock, bassist Cliff Williams returned from what was initially framed as retirement, and the band has worked with drummer Chris Slade and others in the wake of legal and health complications involving longtime drummer Phil Rudd. As of May 19, 2026, coverage in major rock outlets consistently frames this version of AC/DC as a seasoned, road-tested unit capable of delivering a close approximation of the group’s classic live sound at arena volume.

From a US concert industry perspective, AC/DC’s ability to mount a full-scale tour at this stage of their career puts them in rare company alongside other veteran acts like The Rolling Stones, Metallica, and Bruce Springsteen, all of whom remain reliable stadium draws. Pollstar and Variety have both emphasized that legacy rock tours still command premium ticket prices and often rank near the top of annual grossing lists, underscoring the commercial logic behind AC/DC’s extended run.

Setlists, staging, and what US fans can expect in 2026

For US fans considering tickets, the obvious question is what AC/DC are playing and how far the band is leaning into deep cuts versus essentials. Based on recent setlists from European and early North American shows reported by outlets such as Rolling Stone, NME, and Loudwire, the 2025–2026 tour focuses heavily on classics from “Back in Black,” “Highway to Hell,” and “Let There Be Rock,” with staples like “Thunderstruck,” “Hells Bells,” “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap,” “High Voltage,” and “T.N.T.” appearing consistently.

“Shot in the Dark,” one of the standout singles from “Power Up,” has served as a key new-era track in the set, often slotted alongside ‘80s and ‘90s favorites to connect the current studio era with AC/DC’s deep legacy, according to show reviews in Rolling Stone and Classic Rock. As of May 19, 2026, fan reports and critic write-ups suggest the band is favoring a tight, hit-heavy set running roughly two hours, prioritizing punch and familiarity over extensive improvisation.

Visually, AC/DC are sticking with their long-established arena-rock playbook: massive walls of Marshall-style backline, towering catwalks, and bold, high-contrast lighting designed to echo the aesthetic of the band’s album art and classic videos. According to tour coverage in Variety and Billboard, iconic staging elements like the giant bell for “Hells Bells,” the inflatable Rosie for “Whole Lotta Rosie,” and cannon blasts for “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)” remain central to the production. Pyrotechnics, high-definition video boards, and synchronized lighting cues amplify the impact, making the shows feel both nostalgic and technically modern.

US audiences can also expect robust crowd participation, with choruses built for sing-alongs and classic call-and-response moments that have been part of AC/DC’s DNA since the Bon Scott years. Reviewers in Rolling Stone and local US newspapers consistently highlight the intergenerational nature of current AC/DC crowds, with teens, thirtysomethings, and veteran fans all converging in band T-shirts spanning multiple eras. This makes the tour a significant cultural moment, not just a nostalgia trip, particularly in US markets where major rock tours have increasingly been outnumbered by pop, country, and hip-hop packages.

Tickets, demand, and how AC/DC fit into the 2026 live boom

Ticket demand for AC/DC’s returning US shows has been strong, in line with the broader boom in live music attendance reported since touring resumed at full scale in 2022 and 2023. According to Billboard and Pollstar, high-profile legacy rock acts have consistently posted multi-night sellouts in major American markets, with dynamic pricing and platinum ticket schemes pushing face values higher than many fans remember from previous decades. As of May 19, 2026, AC/DC’s US dates are reported as either sold out or “limited availability” in multiple cities across primary outlets like Ticketmaster, with secondary market demand keeping prices elevated.

Industry observers quoted in Variety and The Wall Street Journal point out that baby boomer and Gen X fans are increasingly willing to pay premium prices to see era-defining bands like AC/DC while they still can, treating these tours as potentially final or near-final opportunities. The group’s long hiatus from sustained touring added further scarcity to the current shows, giving promoters strong leverage when negotiating venue holds at high-capacity locations such as NFL stadiums and major amphitheaters controlled by Live Nation and AEG Presents.

From a business standpoint, AC/DC’s tour feeds into a broader narrative about classic rock’s durable draw in the United States. Even as younger artists dominate streaming charts and social media buzz, box office tallies show veteran bands commanding some of the highest average ticket revenues. Pollstar’s year-end reports for recent seasons have repeatedly featured legacy-rock packages near the top of the global-gross lists, and early projections cited by Billboard suggest that AC/DC’s 2025–2026 runs could place the band among the top touring acts of the cycle if the US and European legs maintain their current pace.

Fans looking to keep up with show announcements, routing changes, or additional festival tie-ins can also follow more AC/DC coverage on AD HOC NEWS, where updates on rock and pop tours with US relevance are tracked as they develop.

AC/DC in the US rock landscape: influence, legacy, and new generations

AC/DC’s return to active touring has implications that go well beyond one band’s schedule. In the wider US rock ecosystem, the group’s presence on the road signals the continued relevance of riff-based, guitar-driven hard rock in a mainstream live context, even as radio and streaming lean increasingly toward pop, hip-hop, country crossovers, and electronic sounds. According to NPR Music and The New York Times, AC/DC’s catalog has proven unusually durable in the streaming age, with evergreen tracks like “Back in Black,” “Highway to Hell,” and “Thunderstruck” maintaining strong monthly listener counts on major platforms.

Music historians and critics often point to AC/DC as a core influence on multiple generations of American rock and metal bands. In profiles and retrospectives published by Rolling Stone, Spin, and Loudwire, US artists from Guns N’ Roses and Metallica to Foo Fighters and The Black Keys have cited the group’s simplicity, groove, and commitment to blues-rooted riffing as a defining template. The persistence of that sound in festival and arena lineups—whether at hybrid events like Coachella and Outside Lands or rock-focused gatherings like Rocklahoma and Aftershock—underscores how AC/DC’s aesthetic continues to resonate with US audiences.

In the streaming era, AC/DC initially lagged behind some peers due to a slower embrace of digital platforms. However, once their catalog arrived widely on major services, catalog consumption surged, a trend chronicled by Billboard and The Guardian. This boost in visibility has helped introduce the band to Gen Z and younger millennial listeners who now encounter “Back in Black” or “Shoot to Thrill” in movie soundtracks, video games, sports broadcasts, and viral social media clips. For US sports fans, AC/DC’s music remains ubiquitous in stadium soundtracks, from NFL intros to NHL power-play hype reels, ensuring constant exposure well beyond traditional rock-radio formats.

AC/DC’s 2025–2026 tour therefore functions not only as a career milestone but also as a live on-ramp for these newer listeners. For many young US fans, this run may represent their first—and possibly only—chance to experience the band’s legendary volume and communal energy in person, a factor that further drives demand in key markets.

Why this AC/DC tour matters now to US fans

For American rock fans, the stakes around AC/DC’s current tour feel particularly high. The band’s core members are well into their 60s and 70s, and each new announcement carries an implicit sense that there may not be many more large-scale runs of this magnitude. According to long-form features in Rolling Stone and The New York Times, artists and insiders often frame tours at this stage as “victory laps,” giving fans a chance to say a kind of live goodbye, even if that language is rarely used explicitly in marketing.

In practical terms, the tour offers US fans the chance to see several historically significant elements in one package: Brian Johnson’s improbable hearing-technology-assisted comeback, Angus Young’s still-ferocious stage presence, and a catalog that has soundtracked countless American parties, bar nights, road trips, and sporting events since the late 1970s. Critics writing for Variety and NPR Music have emphasized how much of American rock culture—from bar-band repertoires to film soundtracks—has been built around the punch and swagger of AC/DC’s songs.

Another reason this run resonates now is the broader conversation about rock’s role in mainstream American culture. Pop and hip-hop dominate charts and award shows, but live performance remains one arena where rock’s communal power still shows up in undeniable ways. AC/DC’s ability to pack stadiums side by side with pop superstars and country headliners reinforces the idea that there remains a large, multi-generational appetite for loud guitars and shout-along choruses in the US. For promoters like Live Nation Entertainment and AEG Presents, these tours also help anchor rock’s presence at major venues such as Madison Square Garden, SoFi Stadium, and other marquee spaces.

As of May 19, 2026, AC/DC’s ongoing presence on the North American touring circuit also intersects with festival planning. While the band is more often associated with stand-alone headlining dates than multi-artist bills in the US, promoters continue to explore possibilities for strategic festival appearances, particularly at rock-oriented or cross-genre events where a legacy headliner can help boost ticket sales across age groups, according to reporting in Billboard and Variety.

FAQ: AC/DC’s 2025–2026 US tour, explained

Is AC/DC officially touring the United States in 2025–2026?

Yes. As of May 19, 2026, AC/DC are actively touring in support of the “Power Up” era, with North American dates including multiple US cities listed on the band’s current tour page, according to Billboard and Variety. While exact routing can shift as new dates are added or rescheduled, the group’s official channels and tour partners have consistently framed this as a major, full-production run rather than a handful of isolated festival one-offs.

Where can US fans find the latest AC/DC tour dates and ticket information?

For the most accurate and up-to-date information, US fans are encouraged to consult AC/DC’s official tour portal, which lists each city, venue, and date alongside links to authorized ticket vendors. This is the primary source for confirmation of any new shows, presale windows, or production notes as of May 19, 2026, per guidance reported by outlets such as Billboard and Rolling Stone. Fans are also advised to refer to venue websites and major US promoters like Live Nation and AEG Presents for local details and venue-specific policies.

Who is singing for AC/DC on the current tour?

Brian Johnson is fronting AC/DC on the current tour, marking a continuation of his return to live performance that began after the recording of “Power Up.” His comeback follows a widely reported hiatus from touring due to hearing issues that forced him to step away during the 2016 “Rock or Bust” tour, as documented by Rolling Stone and The Washington Post. Thanks in part to advanced in-ear monitoring technology, Johnson has been able to rejoin the band onstage, a development that has been widely celebrated by critics and fans alike.

What songs are AC/DC performing on this run?

As of May 19, 2026, setlists from the current tour captured by outlets like Loudwire and NME show AC/DC focusing on a mix of classic hits and select “Power Up” tracks. Staples such as “Back in Black,” “Highway to Hell,” “Thunderstruck,” “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “T.N.T.,” “Whole Lotta Rosie,” and “Hells Bells” appear frequently, while newer cuts like “Shot in the Dark” represent the latest studio era. While minor variations occur from night to night, reviews suggest that the band is prioritizing a crowd-pleasing, hit-heavy approach designed for maximum impact in large US venues.

How long does an AC/DC concert typically last in 2026?

Current reviews and fan reports indicate that AC/DC’s shows on this tour generally run around two hours, including encores, though exact durations can vary slightly by city and venue curfew. As of May 19, 2026, critics writing for Rolling Stone and Variety describe the pacing as tight and energetic, with relatively little between-song banter and a focus on keeping the momentum high from the opening riff to the final cannon blast of “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You).”

Are there any signs this could be AC/DC’s last major US tour?

The band has not officially labeled this run as a farewell tour, and members have avoided definitive statements about retirement in recent interviews cited by Billboard and The New York Times. However, many observers note that the group’s age and the physical demands of AC/DC’s performance style naturally raise questions about how many more cycles of this scale are realistic. For now, the operative guidance from the band appears to be simple: they are on the road, they are playing hard, and fans who want to experience AC/DC in a full-scale arena or stadium setting would be wise not to assume that similar opportunities will remain plentiful in the years ahead.

For US rock fans, AC/DC’s 2025–2026 tour is more than just another round of greatest hits. It is a rare convergence of legacy, resilience, and live spectacle—a chance to see one of hard rock’s foundational bands still delivering at ear-ringing volume while the lights, cannons, and sing-alongs bring decades of American rock history into the present tense.

By the AD HOC NEWS Music Desk » Rock and pop coverage — The AD HOC NEWS Music Desk, with AI-assisted research support, reports daily on albums, tours, charts, and scene developments across the United States and internationally.
Published: May 19, 2026 · Last reviewed: May 19, 2026

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