Credit: Alfred Nitsch

Twisted Sister cancel 2026 reunion tour due to Dee Snider’s degenerative arthritis

Fri 6 February 2026 9:33, UK

Twisted Sister have cancelled their plans to tour in 2026 due to singer Dee Snider’s health worries.

The new dates were set to mark the band’s grand return for their 50th anniversary after a decade away, after they previously retired in 2016.

A small batch of special shows around the globe was confirmed in September, which was due to be kicked off in Sâo Paolo in April, with other notable dates including the Alaska State Fair, Graspop Metal Meeting in Belgium, the Welsh festival Steelhouse, and a show in Mexico.

However, in a new update on social media, posted on February 5th, Twisted Sister have confirmed that Snider is no longer able to perform like he once did due to degenerative arthritis, and the shows won’t be going ahead.

The statement from their management reads, “Due to the sudden and unexpected resignation of Twisted Sister’s lead singer Dee Snider brought on by a series of health challenges, the band has been forced to cancel all shows scheduled, beginning April 25th in Sao Paulo Brazil and continuing through the summer.”

It adds, “The future of Twisted Sister will be determined in the next several weeks.”

In another statement, they said that Snider had been secretly battling degenerative arthritis for many years and “has had several surgeries over the years just to keep going, able to only perform a few songs at a time in pain”.

In addition to his arthritis struggle, Snider is also facing heart problems which mean he can “no longer push the boundaries of rock ‘n’ roll fury like he has done for decades”.

Meanwhile, in a personal statement, Snider said, “I don’t know of any other way to rock. The idea of slowing down is unacceptable to me. I’d rather walk away than be a shadow of my former self.”

Upon announcing the reunion last year, Snider was full of enthusiasm for the road ahead for Twisted Sister, stating, “In 2026, Twisted Fucking Sister will hit stages around the world because WE STILL WANNA ROCK!!”

Whether the band continue with a different frontman remains to be seen.