The third headliner of Hills of Rock 2026 was announced today. Marilyn Manson is a provocateur, music icon, rebel, chameleon, and cultural phenomenon. He is distorting the boundaries of the contemporary alternative culture and changing the idea of what the global rock scene can be. His image constantly moves on the edge between high art, the grotesque, and rampant chaos. It is not a coincidence that his fans call him The God of F*ck. He will bring this primal energy to the scene of Hills of Rock 2026 on its first day, July 24.

photo: Perou

Having emerged at the beginning of the 90s as a strange, frightening, and simultaneously attractive figure between the actress Marilyn Monroe and the murderer Charles Manson, this dark theatrical icon with mystical symbolism and inexhaustible energy is quickly becoming the most polarizing artist of the decade. From the moment the slow, darkly pulsating version of “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” became an international hit, it became clear that he was also a cultural catalyst. Marilyn Manson is also an established visual artist with international exhibitions, known for his dark, expressive watercolors and surreal images that build a different, deeply personal universe, complementing his dark stage aesthetic. Last year, Marilyn Manson released his twelfth album, “One Assassination Under God – Chapter 1”, a comeback that continues to challenge, develop, and rewrite his own legend.

Sex Pistols Featuring Frank Carter join the Hills of Rock 2026 lineup on the first day of the festival with their authentic punk mayhem directly in Plovdiv, the city where ancient stones meet thundering amplifiers all summer long. Having reignited the spark with concerts around the world and shown that the renewed Pistols are not some nostalgic project but a living force, the band arrives with an energy that sounds sharp, direct, and thoroughly contemporary.

The French band Last Train is the embodiment of the independent rock ethic; they have been free, purposeful, and uncompromising for almost 15 years. With two albums, an orchestra project, documentaries, and over 600 concerts across Europe, the band has long since become a phenomenon with its own path, its own aesthetics, and a loyal audience. Live Last Train are in their element, and after appearances at the biggest European festivals, including Hellfest and Sziget, next year they will stand in front of the Bulgarian audience at Hills of Rock for the first time.

Plovdiv will also welcome one of the most interesting Australian modern metal bands of the last decade, Northlane. They arrive at Hills of Rock 2026 with a reputation as innovators and winners of numerous awards, and with a global audience, Northlane have long been leaders in the new generation of heavy music. Their sound is a combination of deep emotion, industrial elements, and modern heavy riffs, and their concerts are known for their precision and dramatic charge.

Hills of Rock 2026 takes place on July 24, 25, and 26 at the Rowing Base in Plovdiv, and from today, one-day tickets are also on sale, starting at 140 BGN in the Ticket Station network.

For additional information, follow festteam.bg, hillsofrock.com and ticketstation.bg, as well as the official festival profiles on social networks.

Hills of Rock 2026 is organized by Fest Team OOD as part of the Heritage 2023 program of the Plovdiv 2019 Foundation and with the support of the Plovdiv Municipality.