The 2026 iHeartRadio Music Festival presented by Capital One wrapped its two-night run at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this weekend. Ryan Seacrest hosted a lineup that spanned country, pop, rock, K-pop and hip hop. As a result, fans got one of the most genre-diverse nights in the festival’s history. And as a fan following along on social media myself, these were my highlights.
Cardi B Talks Radio and New Music Backstage
Beyond her Night 1 set, Cardi B chatted backstage with The Breakfast Club backstage for one of the weekend’s most candid moments. She revealed her plans for new music, saying, “after my birthday in November, I’m shipping myself away just to record.” When asked how many songs she currently has, she kept it simple: “two that I like.”
The most notable part of the conversation centered on radio itself. Cardi B made her stance clear, saying, “I’m gonna tell these labels, I’m gonna tell these execs, don’t ever count out radio. The radio will never lose its value.” For an industry audience, that kind of endorsement from one of Hip Hop’s biggest stars carries real weight.
Lainey Wilson Honors Dolly Parton
Night 2 brought its own standout moment courtesy of Lainey Wilson. She performed her own hits, including “Heart Like A Truck” and “4x4xU.” Then, she surprised the crowd with a tribute to Dolly Parton, singing “9 to 5.”
The Breakfast Club Tries to Keep Up With Ciara
Ciara’s Night 2 set included “GET UP,” “1, 2 Step” and “LEVEL UP,” and her dance moves clearly made an impression backstage. In an Instagram reel, The Breakfast Club’s Charlamagne Tha God and Jess Hilarious attempted to replicate her choreography. Honestly, both impressed me with how they could go.
To be fair, Ciara was “dancing for two” after she recently announced being pregnant with her fifth child. Here’s another highlight of her performing “Goodies.”
Snoop Dogg Closes the Show With a Wiz Khalifa Surprise
Snoop Dogg closed out the festival with a career-spanning set that included “Gin and Juice,” “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and “California Gurls.” Then, midway through, he brought out Wiz Khalifa for a surprise performance of “See You Again” and “Young, Wild and Free.” Consequently, the pairing gave the entire weekend a memorable send-off.
Both iHeartRadio’s Bootleg Kev and Heavy Hitter’s DJ Bonics posted some great behind the scenes content on Instagram.
What’s Next
A highlight special covering the full weekend will stream on Disney+ and Hulu starting October 1st. Between Cardi B’s radio comments, Lainey Wilson’s Dolly Parton tribute and Snoop Dogg’s Wiz Khalifa surprise, this year’s festival gave fans and industry insiders plenty to talk about.
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