Olivia Rodrigo Joined Smashing Pumpkins at Lollapalooza, 32 Years After the Band Last Played the Festival

At the July 31 edition of Lollapalooza, Olivia Rodrigo made a notable appearance alongside the Smashing Pumpkins, marking a significant moment as the band played the festival for the first time in 32 years. Rodrigo performed “Thirty-Three,” a deep cut from the Pumpkins’ 1995 album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, a song that notably predates her birth.

This collaboration reflects a larger pattern of Rodrigo joining forces with established artists she admires from previous generations. The Smashing Pumpkins’ set closed the festival’s second day with a sequence of their most recognizable songs. Following this, they invited guest performers to the stage, including Rodrigo, YUNGBLUD, and former bassist Melissa Auf der Maur, who returned to perform “The Everlasting Gaze.”

Rodrigo’s affinity for iconic musicians extends beyond this performance. In 2025, she invited Robert Smith of The Cure to join her at Glastonbury for renditions of “Just Like Heaven” and “Friday I’m in Love.” Their partnership grew into a recorded collaboration, with Rodrigo featuring on Smith’s track “What’s Wrong With Me,” which they debuted live at Primavera Sound. Rodrigo has long acknowledged Smith’s influence on her music, frequently referencing The Cure throughout her work.

Further illustrating her cross-generational connections, Rodrigo performed with David Byrne at Governors Ball in June 2025, delivering a spirited version of “Burning Down the House.” Byrne later honored Rodrigo by covering her breakthrough hit “drivers license” for its fifth anniversary, a live collaboration they released on a limited-edition vinyl.

Rodrigo’s festival appearances also include bringing out Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo and his band during her Lollapalooza headlining set in August 2025. She shared with audiences that Weezer was the first band she ever saw live, emphasizing the personal significance of this collaboration. Their joint performance of “Buddy Holly” and “Say It Ain’t So” was also commemorated on exclusive vinyl.

Her admiration for rock legends continues with Jack White, whom she has described as a paramount influence. At the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction for The White Stripes, Rodrigo performed an acoustic version of “We’re Going to Be Friends” alongside Feist, immediately following White’s speech. The two maintain a personal connection, with White even sending handwritten notes to Rodrigo, including one discovered in her SNL dressing room.

The Smashing Pumpkins’ Lollapalooza set featured a strong focus on classic hits such as “1979,” “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” “Today,” “Disarm,” “Cherub Rock,” and “Zero.” The performance encountered a brief technical hiccup with frontman Billy Corgan’s microphone during “1979,” but the issue was swiftly resolved. Midway through the set, a rain shower prompted some concertgoers to use ponchos or leave early, though the weather quickly cleared.

Olivia Rodrigo’s integration into the rock world she grew up admiring highlights an ongoing trend of young artists bridging generational divides through collaborative performances. These moments not only celebrate the endurance of seminal acts but also introduce their work to new audiences, fostering a dynamic dialogue between past and present in the music industry.

Details regarding the full scope of Rodrigo’s upcoming projects or additional collaborations remain limited at this time. However, her continued presence alongside music legends underscores her evolving role within contemporary music culture, blending the legacy of alternative rock with the sensibilities of modern pop.