Harry Styles stuns MSG crowd with Dolly Parton tribute and a completely transformed setlist

Harry Styles honoured Dolly Parton at MSG while unveiling major changes for his 30 show New York residency

Harry Styles turned the opening night of his Madison Square Garden residency into one of the most significant shows of his TOGETHER, TOGETHER tour so far, introducing a dramatically reshaped setlist while paying tribute to Dolly Parton following her death at the age of 80.

The singer performed at Madison Square Garden on August 26 for the first of 30 scheduled shows at the New York venue. According to Variety, Styles had largely retained the same setlist since the tour began in Amsterdam, apart from a special orchestra performance in London. The Madison Square Garden opening night brought a major change, with songs moved into new positions, several arrangements altered and a previously unperformed song finally making its live debut.

Styles opened the show with "Dance No More", replacing "Are You Listening Yet?" as the first song of the concert. He then performed "Carolina", marking its tour debut and bringing back a song from his self titled debut album that had not been performed live since his first solo tour. "Cinema" also returned to the set, while "Satellite" received its full tour debut with an extended introduction.

Harry Styles pays tribute to Dolly Parton during Night 1 of his tour at MSGhttps://t.co/VJeM23FKhW pic.twitter.com/ANjTm5D8CY

— Variety (@Variety) August 27, 2026

One of the biggest additions came with "The Waiting Game", a track from Styles' latest album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. The song received its live debut during the Madison Square Garden show, giving fans a first opportunity to hear the track performed in concert. "Kiwi" also returned with an alternate arrangement, while "Carla's Song" was performed as a piano version accompanied by strings.

Harry Styles delivers a stunning performance of “Satellite” during Night 1 of his tour at MSG ❤️ pic.twitter.com/vV4NmWVzJT

— Variety (@Variety) August 27, 2026

The emotional centre of the evening came late in the concert when Styles acknowledged Dolly Parton, whose death had been announced the previous day. Parton died on August 25 at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer, according to her representatives.

Styles paused to honour the country music icon and thanked the musicians who had influenced him throughout his career. He specifically named Parton before telling the audience, "Dolly, we love you. Thank you so much." Her recording of "I Will Always Love You" then played over the arena sound system, creating a poignant tribute during the encore.

Harry Styles tells a story about how he kissed the floor right before his first-ever performance at Madison Square Garden. He was 18 years old.

Tonight, the artist is kicking off Night 1 of his sold-out 30-show “Together, Together” residency at the iconic New York venue. pic.twitter.com/eT9ItgBETb

— Variety (@Variety) August 27, 2026

The night also carried personal significance for Styles because Madison Square Garden was the venue where he first performed with One Direction in 2012. He recalled being 18 at the time and shared a story about kissing the floor after arriving at the building, saying that he felt he had finally made it to Madison Square Garden. Variety reported that the memory prompted a strong reaction from the crowd.

Harry Styles performs “As It Was” during Night 1 of his 30-show “Together, Together” residency at Madison Square Garden. pic.twitter.com/WpwqLgjK4O

— Variety (@Variety) August 27, 2026

The reshuffled concert ended with "Sign of the Times" and "Aperture", while "I Will Always Love You" served as the Dolly Parton tribute. The Madison Square Garden residency is scheduled to continue through October 31, when Styles is expected to hold his annual Harryween concert, before the TOGETHER, TOGETHER tour moves to Australia for December dates in Melbourne and Sydney.

The opening night therefore established a new chapter for Styles' 2026 tour, combining a substantial musical overhaul with a deeply personal tribute to one of the artists he has publicly admired. With 29 further Madison Square Garden performances scheduled, the New York run now gives Styles considerable room to continue adjusting the show and surprising audiences.