The Killers

AUSTIN (Sept. 1, 2025) — In a last-minute but high-profile swap, Doja Cat has pulled out of Austin City Limits Music Festival to focus on the rollout of her new album Vie (due Sept. 26). Festival organizers announced that The Killers will step in as Sunday night headliners on both weekends, returning to ACL for the first time since 2017.

Why the change?

Doja Cat explained via social media that rehearsals and promo obligations around Vie made it impossible to deliver the ACL set she envisioned. It’s a setback for fans looking forward to her only Texas festival date, but the replacement offers a very different kind of finale: Brandon Flowers and company, armed with two decades of festival bangers.

Headliners at a glance

Here’s the current top-line picture for both weekends (Oct. 3–5 & Oct. 10–12):

• Friday: Luke Combs (8:30 p.m.) and Hozier (8:15 p.m.)

• Saturday: The Strokes (8:30 p.m.) and Sabrina Carpenter (8:35 p.m.)

• Sunday: The Killers (8:30 p.m., replacing Doja Cat) and John Summit (8:15 p.m.)

Other high-profile acts on the 2025 bill include Cage the Elephant, Doechii, T-Pain, Wet Leg, and Laufey, underscoring ACL’s signature blend of rock veterans, pop chart-toppers, and buzzy newcomers (full lineup here).

What it means for festival-goers

The Sunday schedule will still feature overlapping headliners, with The Killers anchoring the American Express stage while John Summit closes out the other side of the park. If you were banking on Doja’s set, this is a pivot but it’s also a chance to see The Killers at full force. 

Tickets: Three-day GA is sold out, but single-day passes and premium tiers remain available.