Boston Calling reveals 2024 festival lineup

On a cold winter's day, it might be hard to imagine throngs of music fans in t-shirts and shorts frolicking on the grounds of Harvard’s Athletic Complex. But hey, why not let your mind run wild for a minute as you ponder the Boston Calling Music Festival’s just-released lineup.

The annual, three-day festival will host headliners Ed Sheeran, The Killers and Tyler Childers over Memorial Day weekend, May 24-26.

The timing is spot on for the English pop superstar Sheeran, whose song “A Beautiful Game” (featured in Ted Lasso) just won Best Original Music and Lyrics at the Creative Arts Emmys. (The 2023 awards were delayed because of the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes.) Sheeran will close the first day of Boston Calling on Friday, May 24.

Saturday brings neo-country singer-songwriter Tyler Childers to Boston from Kentucky. NPR spoke with him about his latest album “Rustin” that features the song “In Your Love.” It’s about a romance between two male miners.

The heavy-hitting Las Vegas rock band The Killers will close the festival on Sunday night. It’s safe to assume they’ll unleash their slow-burn of a 20-year-old hit “Mr. Brightside” on Boston audiences. The Killers released the catalog-spanning, greatest hits album “Rebel Diamonds” last year.

Among the other 50 or so artists on Boston Calling’s bill are hip-hop maven Megan Thee Stallion, Phish founder Trey Anastasio and his side project jam band Classic TAB, neo-soul crooner Leon Bridges, Irish sensation Hozier, actress and singer Reneé Rapp (who stars in the upcoming “Mean Girls” musical movie), Houston’s psyche-infused trio Khruangbin and indie-rockers Young the Giant.

More than 20 regional artists will again take the festival’s Orange Stage, including the recently reunited Beach Weather, the genre-bending trio Bad Rabbits and Lowell artist Brittany Tsewole’s alter-ego Senseless Optimism. Also hailing from that mill city: the indie grunge band Tsk Tsk Task. Then there’s Dorchester native kei (profiled by WBUR's Arielle Gray last September) and Boston’s own the Wolff Sisters, “America’s Got Talent” alum Kieran Rhodes, the sensually brazen hip-hop artist Cakeswagg and beloved hometown rapper Billy Dean Thomas.

Boston Calling runs Memorial Day weekend, May 24-26. Tickets go on sale Jan. 11.