Written by: Kai Eldridge, Music Discovery Editor, OnesToWatch
Key Takeaways
- The Strokes and Mumford & Sons headline Sea.Hear.Now 2026 on September 19–20 in Asbury Park, New Jersey, with Goo Goo Dolls, The Offspring, and Chaka Khan also confirmed.
- The two-day festival spans multiple stages at North Beach and Bradley Park, with rock, alternative, and soul split across Saturday and Sunday lineups.
- Tickets include single-day, two-day, and VIP options, and early purchase is recommended due to high demand and venue capacity limits.
- Emerging acts such as Boygenius, Wet Leg, The Linda Lindas, Flipturn, and The Marías stand out as must-see rising talent on the 2026 festival circuit.
- Stay ahead of the next wave of music by exploring OnesToWatch for in-depth coverage and the Top Artists To Watch in 2026.
Sea.Hear.Now 2026 Daily Lineup by Day
The Sea.Hear.Now 2026 daily lineup spans two full days of rock, alternative, and soul across the North Beach and Bradley Park stages in Asbury Park. Saturday leans into folk-rock, punk, and soul, while Sunday centers on New York and 1990s-influenced alternative rock. The following table breaks down the confirmed headliners and major supporting acts by day so you can choose which pass fits you best.
| Day | Date | Headliners | Major Supporting Acts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | September 19, 2026 | Mumford & Sons | Chaka Khan, The Offspring, additional acts TBA |
| Sunday | September 20, 2026 | The Strokes | Goo Goo Dolls, additional acts TBA |
Full supporting act announcements are expected closer to the festival date. Check the official Sea.Hear.Now website for the most current additions to the bill.
Discover your next favorite artist and the stories behind their rise. Explore OnesToWatch for exclusive in-depth content that highlights the future of music.
See which Sea.Hear.Now–style headliners and openers made OnesToWatch’s Top Artists To Watch in 2026.
Sea.Hear.Now Asbury Park Headliners
The 2026 edition brings a cross-genre headliner slate to the Asbury Park shoreline. These are the confirmed top-billed acts and the context behind their slots.
- The Strokes – The New York rock icons behind Is This It and Room on Fire remain one of the most in-demand live acts in alternative rock. Their Sunday headline slot marks a return to the festival circuit after a period of selective touring.
- Mumford & Sons – The British folk-rock band, known for albums including Sigh No More and Babel, take the Saturday headline position. The group has kept an active touring schedule through the mid-2020s.
- Goo Goo Dolls – The Buffalo-born rock band, best known for “Iris,” fit naturally with the Asbury Park crowd and appear on the Sunday bill as a major supporting act.
- The Offspring – The Southern California punk-rock veterans, whose catalog includes Smash and Americana, round out the Saturday lineup as a major supporting act.
- Chaka Khan – The Grammy-winning R&B and soul legend adds a distinct genre dimension to the Saturday lineup and broadens the festival’s appeal beyond rock.
How the Sea.Hear.Now 2026 Schedule Usually Runs
The Sea.Hear.Now schedule follows a familiar pattern each year, which helps you plan your arrival and set-hopping. Specific stage times for 2026 have not yet been published, so fans should verify final times on the official festival site as the event approaches.
- Gates open: Gates typically open in the mid-morning on both Saturday and Sunday, with the earliest sets beginning shortly after entry.
- Afternoon sets: Supporting and emerging acts fill the early-to-mid afternoon slots across the North Beach and Bradley Park stages.
- Evening sets: Major supporting acts move into prime-time slots as daylight fades over the Atlantic.
- Headliner sets: Saturday and Sunday headliners take the main stage in the final hours of each evening and usually close around 10:00–11:00 PM local time.
- Stage structure: The festival runs across at least two primary stages, which allows overlapping sets and continuous programming throughout the day.
Sea.Hear.Now Tickets 2026: Pass Types and Demand
Sea.Hear.Now 2026 offers several ticket types so you can match your pass to your weekend plans. Ticket options include single-day and two-day general admission passes, with VIP upgrade tiers available. Pricing and availability details can change, and the most accurate information appears on the official Sea.Hear.Now ticketing page.
- General Admission (Single Day): Provides access to all stages on the selected day.
- General Admission (Two-Day): Covers both Saturday, September 19 and Sunday, September 20.
- VIP Packages: Typically include dedicated viewing areas, expedited entry, and access to premium amenities. Specific 2026 VIP inclusions will be confirmed by the organizers.
- Availability: Demand for Sea.Hear.Now consistently runs high because of the Asbury Park venue’s capacity constraints, so early purchase is recommended once tickets go on sale.
Emerging Acts Worth Catching in 2026
Rising artists often deliver the most memorable sets at Sea.Hear.Now and across the wider 2026 festival season. OnesToWatch tracks emerging talent that is most likely to headline stages of their own in the years ahead. The following acts form a curated shortlist worth seeking out at Sea.Hear.Now and on the 2026 touring calendar.
- Boygenius – The indie rock supergroup has built a devoted following through emotionally precise songwriting and commanding live performances that land especially well on festival stages.
- Wet Leg – The Isle of Wight duo’s sardonic guitar-pop has earned them a reputation as one of the most compelling live acts in contemporary alternative music.
- The Linda Lindas – The Los Angeles punk-rock band brings high-energy performances and a growing catalog that fits naturally alongside Sea.Hear.Now’s rock-forward programming.
- Flipturn – The Florida indie rock band has steadily expanded their festival presence, with anthemic songwriting that rewards both first-time listeners and longtime fans.
- The Marías – The Los Angeles dream-pop outfit blends English and Spanish across lush, cinematic arrangements that stand out on any multi-genre festival bill.
- MK.xyz – An artist tracked closely by OnesToWatch for a genre-blurring approach and a growing live reputation heading into the second half of 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ticket price range for Sea.Hear.Now 2026?
Sea.Hear.Now 2026 offers general admission single-day passes, two-day passes, and VIP upgrade options. Exact pricing tiers for 2026 are confirmed through the official festival ticketing page. Historically, general admission passes for comparable two-day rock festivals in the Northeast have ranged from roughly $100 to $250 per day, with two-day bundles offering a modest discount. VIP packages carry a significant premium and typically sell out faster than general admission inventory.
What time do the gates open at Sea.Hear.Now?
Gate times for Sea.Hear.Now 2026 have not been officially published as of this writing. Based on the festival’s prior editions, gates have typically opened in the mid-morning hours, with programming beginning shortly after. Attendees should check the official Sea.Hear.Now website and their ticket confirmation emails for finalized entry times as September approaches.
What happens if there is bad weather at Sea.Hear.Now?
Sea.Hear.Now takes place on the Asbury Park beachfront, which is an outdoor venue exposed to Atlantic weather patterns. The festival has historically operated rain or shine. In the event of severe weather, organizers may delay or reschedule specific sets. Attendees should monitor official festival communications and local weather forecasts in the days leading up to September 19–20. Refund and cancellation policies in the event of a full postponement appear in the terms and conditions at the time of ticket purchase.
How can I discover emerging artists performing at Sea.Hear.Now 2026?
OnesToWatch is a dedicated platform for emerging and independent artist discovery, covering approximately 300 artists per year through editorial features, curated playlists, and annual selections. Festival-goers who want to identify rising acts on the Sea.Hear.Now bill before the event can browse OnesToWatch’s artist pages and the 2026 Top 30 Artists To Watch list as a vetted, editorially curated starting point. The platform has previously featured artists including Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Olivia Rodrigo, and Gracie Abrams before their mainstream breakthroughs.
Is Sea.Hear.Now an all-ages festival?
Sea.Hear.Now is generally an all-ages event, though specific age restrictions may apply to certain areas such as beer gardens or VIP zones. Attendees under 18 are typically required to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Exact age policy details for 2026 are available through the official festival website and ticketing terms.
Plan Your Sea.Hear.Now 2026 Weekend
This guide covers the confirmed Sea.Hear.Now 2026 headliners, the day-by-day lineup structure, ticketing context, schedule logistics, and a curated shortlist of emerging acts to discover alongside the major names. Use it as a planning framework for the September 19–20 weekend in Asbury Park. For fans who want to go deeper on rising talent before and after the festival, OnesToWatch provides the editorial depth and artist pipeline to keep discovery going year-round.