Bobapalooza 2025: One Nation Under Bob

I asked, and you delivered! What an amazing Bobapalooza lineup! This year is a truly diverse and wonderful list of artists, ranging across styles and decades, with a host of surprises and firsts befitting Bobapalooza. What do I mean? Well, for the first time ever we have a DJ on the Main Stage, and this year I got Rickrolled in the best possible way. If you don’t see someone you think should be on the list, well, you should have nominated them!

Some of our Main Stage artists could have been on the Stage of Legends in their own right, but there can be only one – um, sorry, there’s only room for five, and here they are!

THE STAGE OF LEGENDS

Willie Nelson, nominated by June Bonsall: If you don’t know the Red Headed Stranger, where have you been? Star of country music for decades, he’s also been in over 30 films, written dozens of songs (including “Crazy”, made famous by Patsy Cline), and is a political activist who founded Farm Aid. There are over 420 reasons to love Willie, and his music is just one of them.¹

Tupac Shakur, nominated by John Taylor: Considered one of the greatest rappers and hip-hop artists of all time, and taken far too soon, 2Pac was and is a Legend indeed. Not just a musician, but an actor and an activist, he ranks 49^th on the list of artists with the highest certified album equivalent units sold as of July 23^rd, 2024, with his double length posthumous greatest hits album being one of only nine hip-hop albums to be certified diamond in the United States.

The Who, nominated by Sue Anne Touart: I feel like I should have put them on first, but these kids are alright. A staple of classic rock radio, The Who are one of those groups that everyone knows and have a list of hits that goes on longer than their rock opera Tommy. Anyone in my generation will agree they belong on this list.

Leonard Cohen, nominated by Patrick Hoolahan: Dark and introspective, soulful and moody, a complicated man who lived a complicated life. His artistry is not easy to approach, but if you do, you’ll find a wealth of beauty and insight. His song “Hallelujah” has been recorded by almost 200 artists in various languages. He’s a poet and a songwriter, and everybody knows he’s a Legend.

Bette Midler, nominated by June Bonsall: Who can say no to the divine Miss M? Star of stage, screen, and song, Bette Midler has a career that spans decades and is a cultural touchstone for generations. Whether you know her from The Rose, the penultimate episode of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Beaches, or Hocus Pocus, Bette Midler has managed to stay not just relevant but truly divine.

And now for the Main Stage! It was a hard-fought year, with a lot of strong contenders to choose from, but these fifteen won out.

Fleetwood Mac, nominated by Marcel Smeester

LL Cool J, nominated by John Taylor

Marc Broussard, nominated by Vicki Sheldon

Ren, nominated by Russ Kirkman

BAD Boy Bill, nominated by John Taylor

5 for Fighting, nominated by Vicki Sheldon

Rick Astley, nominated by Pat Hoolahan

Lexington Lab Band, nominated by Vicki Sheldon

Heart, nominated by Marcel Smeester

Pearl Jam, nominated by John Taylor

Talking Heads , nominated by Jen Taylor

Nat King Cole, nominated by Marcel Smeester

They Might Be Giants , nominated by Mike Sherman

Santana, nominated by Marcel Smeester

Joe Cocker, nominated by Vicki Sheldon

That’s the lineup for this year, folks! Thanks to everybody who participated!

1. It’s a marijuana joke, mom. ↩︎