The Ernie Ball vans warped tour Battle of the Bands returns

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA — February 16, 2026 — Ernie Ball, the world’s leading manufacturer of premium guitar strings and accessories, proudly announces the return of the 2026 Ernie Ball Vans Warped Tour Battle of the Bands powered by Guitar Center. Building on the overwhelming success of the 2025 relaunch, the program once again offers unsigned artists the opportunity to perform live on the main stage of the iconic Vans Warped Tour and compete for over $100,000 in gear and prizes.

For more than two decades, the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands stood as the longest-running unsigned artist program of its kind, helping thousands of emerging bands gain national exposure. With Warped Tour’s return, the platform reclaims its role as a powerful discovery engine, connecting developing artists with live audiences, industry decision-makers, and career-defining momentum.

Registration opens February 16, 2026 and runs through May 1, 2026 at www.battleofthebands.com.

How It Works

Unsigned bands can enter by creating a profile and uploading a video showcasing original music. Submissions may include music videos, lyric videos, rehearsal footage, or live performances.

Bands select the Vans Warped Tour date they wish to compete for and are encouraged to rally fans to create accounts and upvote their profile. While fan engagement increases visibility, final selections are determined by a panel of industry veterans who evaluate the top 100 artists in each market based on technique, authenticity, originality, and style.

Six Bands. Three Cities. One Grand Prize.

Two bands will be selected per U.S. festival weekend, with one band performing on each main stage date:

Washington, DC — June 13–14
Long Beach, CA — July 25–26
Orlando, FL — November 14–15

Each performing band will receive an Ernie Ball prize pack along with additional prizing from participating sponsors valued at over $7,000. From the six main stage performers, one Grand Prize Winner will be selected and awarded a premium gear package valued at $75,000+, including:

Guitar and bass equipment from Ernie Ball, Ernie Ball Music Man, Sterling By Music Man, Marshall, VOX, Gallien-Krueger, Neural DSP, and BOSS
Drum Equipment from SJC, Gibraltar, Zildjian, Vic Firth, Remo, and Humes & Berg
Keyboard Equipment from Roland and Korg
Live and Studio equipment from Universal Audio, 64 Audio, Mackie, Electro-Voice, and Sennheiser
$5,000 Guitar Center gift card
$5,000 Smartpunk Manufacturing gift card
A $1,000 Vans gift card for each main stage performing band
A feature in an episode of the Ernie Ball session series: Big Sound
By combining live performance opportunities, fan-driven discovery, and brand-backed credibility, the Ernie Ball Vans Warped Tour Battle of the Bands powered by Guitar Center continues to help shape the next generation of artists.Unsigned bands are encouraged to register now at www.battleofthebands.com. Registration closes May 1, 2026.

About Ernie Ball

In 1962, veteran player and guitar teacher Ernie Ball created Slinkys®, the innovative light gauge electric guitar strings widely revered by thousands of iconic players including Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, Paul McCartney, Metallica, Brad Paisley, Slash, John Petrucci, Angus Young, and John Mayer. The strings are all crafted in Coachella, CA. Ernie Ball also offers state-of-the-art instrument accessories that are carried in more than 6,000 stores in the U.S. and 120 countries worldwide. Officially purchasing the Music Man® company in 1984, Sterling, joined later by his sons Scott and Brian, has built a team of dedicated professionals based in San Luis Obispo, CA who collectively share a common goal: crafting the highest level of hand-crafted instruments available. Originally founded by Tom Walker, Forrest White, and Leo Fender in 1974, Music Man built its name leading an industry revolution, introducing active electronics on its production instruments. As part of the team during the ’70s, Sterling Ball played an important role in the design and development of the iconic StingRay basses. The family-run company maintains its founder’s dedication to preserving the musician’s playing experience and delivering superior sound quality through the development of new products, such as Cobalt Slinkys, M-Steel, Earthwood, and the revolutionary Element Shield Packaging, keeping each set as fresh as the day they were made. The company also fosters artist development through musician-focused programs such as the world’s largest and longest-running unsigned artist programs, where bands compete each year to play live on national tours, festivals, and events.

Visit them online at www.ernieball.com and www.music-man.com.