I have a number of friends who work for C3 Presents in Austin and I try and get the lineup right every year, and so far this year I have come up with this list of people that seem to have a very strong chance of playing. Note: Everyone who works at C3 has sais that this year will be the biggest years for both Lollapollooza as well as ACL, just fyi

ACL Artists

Radiohead- They have been close to signing them two years in a row, they most certainly will this year.

REM- There playing the TV show, there playing SXSW, they WILL be playing ACL in the fall

The Black Crowes- Big fans of Austin/ACL, new album out, def. possibility.

The Raconteurs- After last years debacle, I expect them to be there for a great show. They were the suprise act of 2006.

Wilco- There always there...

Counting Crows- Would be a new act, theyve got new stuff coming out this year.

Coldplay- More likely to play lollapoloza.

Beck- Just likely, he was 5 minites away from signing last year.

So thats the list so far, if the Pearl Jam rumor is correct, then lets go with

Pearl Jam(Sunday)
REM(Friday)
Radiohead(Saturday)
Wilco
The Raconteurs

PM Productions- I hope you are right with this possible lineup because that would be amazing.

I have been wanting to see Beck for a long time!

Thats is
a.)a very logical prediction given fetival lineups, and tour dates this summer.

b.) A very amazing lineup, this would be a an amazing start to a lineup.

I would love to see coldplay again but they would probably have to be the sunday headliner, and i dont believe that ACL has ever had a repeat festival headliner. Plus i would love to see pearl jam on have that slot. I really do feel that this year is gonna be a great year. There is a really good possibility that acl or lolla will be the best festivals of the year. a couple other bands that i think could make it back to acl that have been here before. Jack johnson, and death cab for cutie. They are both booked for coachella and roo'. and they have both played at acl before. The only thing i dont really like is the fact that Jack Johnson is pulling festival headlining slots and i dont really like the idea of him headlining acl only beacause of the other amazing possibilities.What other bands do you think are a possibility?

That would suck! I want Robert Plant and Metallica, Willie, Shazy Hade, Voltress, Wilco awesome, Radiohead to appease my wife, but that is it!

ok im sorry for being negative, but c3 needs give the whole wilco thing a rest. They have been here so much and i think its just a wasted opportunity to get a new act that we havnt seen at austin before. Dont get me wrong wilco is great. but i think there are alot more bands out there that could easily fill wilcos slot from last year.

To anwser everyone's thoughts...

1. Beck was going to be the Friday Headliner going into late Febuary, but he backed out for some reason... Its a chance he'll be back this year, but I put it around 30%

2. Coldplay books itself, and if they wanted to play Austin again, they would be the first repeat headliner in the fesitval... ACL prides itself on staying diverse, but a repeat headliner happens... Im putting the chances at around 40%

3. ACL and Lolla are both going to have their best festivals of their histories... Coldplay will almost guaranteeidly be the headliner at Lolla, with Kanye West being a lock as well as Eddie Vedder. Both festivals are looking to be the best in the world, and they are shooting for the sky, I promise, you need to buy tickets now!

4. Metallica is a guaranteed no, willie is possible, Shazy Hade no, Voltress no, and thats not my personal prefrence, just my guarantee that they wont be booked for ACL.

5. Wilco is the number one alt/americana band in underground USA... They will most likely be booked this year, and every single year that ACL takes place. They have played all 7 years in ACL's history, and Jeff Twedie owns a house in Austin, just fyi.

Some more names that keep coming up in the headlines to consider...

Ben Kweller(managed by C3, same company that puts on the fest)

Bob Schneider(Has a new band, much to my anger and hatred because I love Jeff Plankenhorn and Bruce Hughes, but he is an icon in ATX and is working a 3 year absense right now...)

Muse most likely will not be playing, that would be three years in a row! Plus there supposidly recording a new psychdelic album all year long.

Pearl Jam- As positive as I am about REM playing, I am less positive about the Pearl Jam rumor... The rumor states that Pearl Jam has confirmed a taping for the TV show in the fall and are going to play the festival... I want proof of this before I believe it... Although it would make sense, because the same rumor came out about Coldplay in 2005, and they kept it secret until they confirmed the fest lineup and then they added that he was ganna tape the TV show, so thus by not formally announcing the Pearl Jam taping, and announcing the REM taping, I would infer that Pearl Jam has about a 70% chance of being the headliner.

Ben Harper- He is here off and on, and hes been off as of late, so lets say he will be on this year.

Jack Johnson- Add him to the confirms, he has a new album, national tour, hes ganna play.

WATCH FOR NEW RADIOHEAD TOUR DATES COMING OUT SOON, WE COULD PROBABLY BASE A GUESS OFF THOSE.

Typically, ACL artists will release a spotty fall tour schedule surrounding their ACL performance, so if anybody says their playing a bit in august, a couple dates in sept and a couple in oct, then they are a possibility.

that is all for now

So..as of right now the biggest talk has been surrounding:
Coldplay
Radiohead
R.E.M
Pearl Jam
Wilco

With some chances of:
The Raconteurs
Beck
Ben Harper
Jack Johnson

I would say that if ACL gets half of these bands I would be ecstatic. MUSE would be great but I also heard they were in the studio right now so they are doubtfull. I would love Coldplay to be the first repeat headliner. There 05' show was amazing. And they truly seem to love austin. Hopefully they come back.

So out of what has been discussed so far I would like to see these as the headliners:
Friday:Radiohead
Saturday:Pearl Jam/Coldplay
Sunday:Coldplay/Pearl Jam

PM Productions, Wilco did not play ACL in 2006. I would expect someone with such insight into the doings of ACL to know that.

With the exception of Wilco, if your lineup comes true my ticket will be up for sale.

OH, and you can hardly call Wilco underground since they have about half a dozen Volkswagen commercials.

I am not too excited about PJ, CP, or Radiohead either. Not with the likes of Robert Plant and Metallica playing Banaroo.

i agree about the robert plant thing. I still think that there may be a chance we get plant and krause. But metallica?I know there has been alot of hating on metallica. But i hate the idea of metallica playing at acl. They are much better in a arena setting. Now RATM...i would die a happy man if rage came to austin.

Yea, I know Metallica is pretty polarizing, they are the Hillary Clinton of music! But they are a personal favorite of mine (up to the Black Album) and this would save me much dollars not to have to go see them on their own tour.

Again, there wont be a Metallica siting, nor a RATM show at ACL, not this year, not ever...

go to my website for daily updates on the fest...

www.aclfestrumors.blogspot.com