Hyderabad: Global electronic music duo The Chainsmokers are set to return to India later this year with a three-city tour, bringing their chart-topping hits back to Indian fans after their last visit in 2023.
The Grammy Award-winning duo, comprising Drew Taggart and Alex Pall, will perform in Mumbai on December 18, Delhi on December 19 and Bengaluru on December 20, as per the official announcement.
As part of the tour, The Chainsmokers will headline the Mumbai edition of Sunburn Festival 2026 at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse, marking the festival’s debut at the iconic venue.
About The Chainsmokers
Known for chartbusters like Closer, Don’t Let Me Down, Paris and Something Just Like This, The Chainsmokers are among the world’s most successful electronic music duos. Their music has amassed billions of streams worldwide, helping them build a massive global fanbase.
Hyderabad left out again
While fans in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru celebrate the announcement, many music lovers in Hyderabad are once again wondering why the city continues to be overlooked by major international acts.
Over the last few years, Hyderabad has emerged as one of India’s fastest-growing metropolitan cities and has successfully hosted large-scale concerts and live events. The city boasts modern venues, a young audience base and a thriving entertainment culture that has proven its ability to support major productions.
Yet when it comes to international tours, Hyderabad often remains absent from the itinerary.
From The Chainsmokers and Guns N’ Roses returning to India this year to globally acclaimed acts like Foo Fighters and Gorillaz preparing for their India debuts, Hyderabad has not featured in the announced schedules. Instead, Mumbai continues to dominate as the preferred destination for most international artists, followed by Delhi and Bengaluru.
Well, the trend is not new.
Hyderabad was notably absent from the India schedules of Grammy-winning DJ Calvin Harris this year and pop superstar Dua Lipa’s 2024 concert, despite the city’s growing reputation as a major entertainment hub.
Even Linkin Park chose Mumbai and Bengaluru while leaving out the city. In fact, the last major international act scheduled to perform in Hyderabad was DJ Snake, who was set to take the stage on February 7, 2026, as part of the Sunburn Arena India Tour. However, that concert was ultimately cancelled due to the artist’s health issues, leaving Hyderabad fans disappointed once again.
For many fans, the recurring omission is becoming increasingly difficult to understand. With its growing population, strong spending power and enthusiastic concert-going audience, Hyderabad has all the ingredients needed to become a regular stop on global music tours.
As India’s live entertainment industry continues to expand, fans hope international promoters and artists will begin looking beyond the traditional circuit and give Hyderabad the attention it increasingly deserves.
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