Gov Ball 2026 came and went in a rush of New York City heat and the usual early June storms, but the lineup was juicy regardless, featuring headliners Jennie, A$AP Rocky, Lorde, and Baby Keem plus standout sets from Ravyn Lenae, KATSEYE, and more. Despite rain cancellations, music fans kept their energy (and their pinkies) up.
Our editors experienced Gov Ball both firsthand (popping up to the Verizon cabana where Verizon users could escape the crowds and the heat) and on social media, seeing in real time as fans flocked to their favorite artists and made memories together. Below, we rounded up the most memorable moments from Gov Ball 2026.
KATSEYE fans held their pinkies up en masse
We came into KATSEYE’s Gov Ball 2026 show thinking about the global girl group’s staying power. Do they have a future if Manon doesn’t return from hiatus, as many fans are speculating? And if so, where do they go from here? There are no clear answers just yet, but KATSEYE fans turned out in droves to see the group perform on Friday, June 5, at the GOVBALLNYC main stage, presented by Verizon. I was charmed by the echoes of “Pinky Up” reverberating through the crowd (especially from young voices, who made up a sizable portion of fans). The occasional low point (they need to cut “Monster High” from the setlist and replace it with literally anything else) was overwhelmed by the high highs; namely, the energy and charisma that Sophia, Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae brought to their performance.
Lorde combined past, present, and future
Lorde gave Gov Ball pretty much everything she could with a headlining setlist that included all her fan-favorite songs, and even kicked off with a new one. To start, she took us to 2013 with "Royals" and brought us back into the present with the viral hit "What Was That." Speaking to the crowd, Lorde got candid about her feelings returning to the festival and headlining it before playing vulnerable tracks like "Liability." Lorde picked the vibe back up with "Girl, So Confusing" and then headed into the crowd to close out the show, dancing and singing to "Green Light" and "Ribs" with fans.
Breakthrough sets from the rising pop-rock girlies you need to know
Hemlocke Springs, Audrey Hobert, and Rachel Chinouriri each made a big impact early on in their festival days, with early afternoon sets well worth arriving at the beginning of the day for. All make variations on pop-rock (with Hemlocke leaning more into alternative), and each brings a fresh, unique sensibility to their art. For Hemlocke Springs, that comes in the form of her effervescent energy and ‘80s pop influences. For Chinouriri, it’s her heartfelt, anthemic songs and matching stage presence. And for Hobert, her earnest earworms and Disney Channel Original Movie-esque charm. All three are ones to watch (and quickly become obsessed with).
Stray Kids stayed despite the rain
The rain couldn’t stop Stray Kids from taking over the main stage on Saturday. The K-pop group (minus member Seungmin, who sat out Gov Ball due to an ankle injury) took on headlining duties two hours earlier to make sure to greet fans with an abridged festival version of the setlist from their recent dominATE world tour. The members took the earlier spot in stride, closing out the festival for the day with 18 songs, including title tracks like “S-Class,” “MANIAC,” and “God's Menu” as well as B-sides like “TOPLINE,” “DOMINO,” “Do It,” and more. The result was yet another high-octane performance, what they are known and loved for, that got the crowd dancing and pumped in bright daylight and despite the coming thunderstorm. While other sets during the day were canceled, their rescheduled performance officially crowned Stray Kids as the first K-pop group to headline Gov Ball. The show, indeed, had to go on!
Jennie debuted a bunch of new songs
As one of Sunday’s headliners, Jennie was one of the most anticipated acts of the festival, and to say she delivered would be an understatement. The BLACKPINK member, who made history as the first K-pop soloist to headline Gov Ball, commanded the stage with an hour-long set centered on her 2025 project Ruby, which included live renditions of hit tracks “with the IE (way up)” and “like JENNIE.” The 30-year-old star also surprised fans with her remix of Tame Impala’s “Dracula” and the live debut of “One of the Girls,” her buzzy collaboration with The Weeknd and Lily Rose Depp for Sam Levinson’s ill-fated The Idol. Even more exciting? She performed not one, not two, but three unreleased songs, prompting fans and critics alike to think a new Jennie project might come sooner than we think.
A$AP Rocky partied until the very last minute
The only thing that was strong enough to shut down A$AP Rocky’s headlining set on Sunday was curfew. The Harlem rapper, who took on the honor of being this year’s homegrown headliner, took to the Gov Ball main stage a few minutes late, which means his set was sadly cut short before reaching its planned conclusion as the festival’s closer. That said, A$AP Rocky still ran riot and brought the heat with a setlist that serves both as a refresher of his latest studio album, Don't Be Dumb, and a crash course on his earlier discography with hits like "Praise the Lord" and “Fashion Killa." In the former bunch, Rocky surprised the crowd (which, yes, also included Rihanna) to deliver the very first performance of his dembow joint "Flackito Jodye," enlisting Dominican star Tokischa as a surprise guest.
Ravyn Lenae made a jetsetting debut
Less than 48 hours before taking to the Snapchat stage at Gov Ball, Ravyn Lenae was busy performing at another festival on the other side of the Atlantic, and that’s why she’s taking the commitment award. Fresh from her set at Primavera Sound 2026 in Barcelona, the Chicago singer-songwriter jetted off to NYC to usher in her new era stateside. Clad in a sparkly LBD, she performed her new song “Handle,” which came out last month, as well as a new unreleased track called “Saturday Night.” Both songs, alongside Dominic Fike's collaboration "Reputation," which she also performed during her set, will be part of her upcoming third studio album, Blue Island, out August 7. Of course, despite penning the few chapters of her new era, Lenae had to close out her Gov Ball debut with a rendition of her viral hit "Love Me Not.”
Chanpan represented a new wave of homegrown talent
NYC trio Chanpan, made up of singer Grace Dumdaw and twin brothers Matthew and Lance Tran, appeared on the Snapchat stage at Gov Ball on Saturday, donning football gear and face paint and ready to steal everyone’s attention. The act represents the success story of homegrown talent, going from busking in the city to playing its biggest festival, establishing themselves as ones to watch. The trio performed everything from their first-ever released song, nu-metal-inspired single "jungle," to “confessions part iii,” the first offering from their upcoming EP, autogratis, which releases on June 25.
Slayyyter cranked it to the max
After a scene-stealing Coachella debut and just two weeks following her first TV appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Slayyyter dominated the Gov Ball main stage and stood out as one of the festival’s standout performers. The 29-year-old artist put on a show comprising songs from her third studio album, Worst Girl in America, including tracks like "Dance…," "Old Flings," and "Yes Goddd." However, it was undoubtedly "Crank" that got the most energy from the crowd at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, leaving fans craving more of Slayyyter. Her set might have been one of those hit by delays, but the consensus is that it was well worth the wait. (And, yes, the “I ❤️NYYYC” hat was iconic.)
