Which 2026 Lollapalooza act is the electronic group founded by Diplo and Switch? The answer is Major Lazer.
Major Lazer began in 2008 as a collaboration between American producer Diplo and British producer Switch. The project blends electronic dance music with dancehall, reggae, hip-hop, and other global styles. Its name also belongs to a fictional Jamaican commando featured in the group’s visual identity and animated storytelling.
The project’s first album, Guns Don’t Kill People... Lazers Do, was released in 2009. After Switch departed, Major Lazer continued as a changing collective led by Diplo, with performers and collaborators including Walshy Fire and Jillionaire during the group’s best-known early touring era.
Listeners sometimes mistake Major Lazer for a fixed three-person band or for one of Diplo’s other projects, such as Jack Ü or Silk City. Major Lazer is better understood as a collaborative music project whose lineup and contributors have evolved. Its international breakthrough included songs such as “Lean On,” “Cold Water,” and “Light It Up,” which helped bring Caribbean and global dance sounds to a huge pop audience.