Festival season is right around the corner and we at the Next Luxury offices can not wait! As there are so many diverse, incredible, and famous music festivals happening this year, we thought there was no better time to celebrate these events than by listing our favorites. These multiple-day events attract the biggest and best musical artists and bands and are a fantastic way to enjoy your favorite tunes with thousands of other like-minded individuals.
There is something magical about music festivals that is hard to put into words. Gathering together in one place with your friends to witness your fav band or artist perform live is always an incredible affair that sometimes borders on a religious experience.
The best music festivals combine a multitude of genres with smaller acts all the way up to chart-topping bands and artists. While famous festivals like Coachella, Glastonbury, and Fuji Rock should all be on your music festival bucket list, there are plenty of other lesser-known events growing in popularity, such as Poland’s Open’er Festival, Germany’s techno fest Time Wrap, and America’s Rolling Loud.
Below is a list of our picks for the most famous music festivals covering all genres and a variety of countries around the globe. In the words of Neil Young, “Keep on rocking in the free world!”
20 Famous Music Festivals Should Attend This Year
1. Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Where: Indio, United States
Date: April 14-16 and 21-23
Headliners: Bad Bunny, BLACKPINK, and Frank Ocean
Tickets: coachella.com
Arguably the most famous music festival in America (besides Woodstock, which is no longer a thing), Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a three-day bonanza of music held over two consecutive weekends in April. First held in 1999 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, Coachella has become a massive event where you are just as likely to run into celebrities as you are the bands and artists that are playing.
Over 120,000 people attend each day of the festival, with the music going well into the early hours of the morning. If you only manage to get to one American festival this year, make sure it’s Coachella. You won’t be disappointed.
2. Glastonbury Festival
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Where: Somerset, United Kingdom
Date: June 21-25
Headliners: Elton John, Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses, Lizzo, and Yusuf/Cat Stevens
Tickets: glastonburyfestivals.co.uk
The big daddy of the British festival scene, Glastonbury has been charming punters for over 50 years, making it one of the oldest on this list. A right of passage for anyone born in the U.K., the festival comprises multiple stages featuring a diverse range of artists from all over the world.
While it’s the music that brings people to Glastonbury, there is just as much entertainment happening off-stage, with the vast area the festival takes up meaning there are a lot of people interacting and getting involved in all types of shenanigans.
3. Lollapalooza
Where: Chicago, United States
Date: August 3-6
Headliners: TBA
Tickets: lollapalooza.com
The brainchild of Perry Farrell, Lollapalooza was created as a way for him and his band, Jane’s Addiction, to say goodbye to their fans in 1991. Since then it has turned into an annual four-day music extravaganza held in the heart of Chicago at Grant Park. The event has nine stages featuring over 170 acts as well as a massive selection of food trucks catered for by some of the Windy City’s best restaurants.
4. Tomorrowland
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Where: Boom, Belgium
Date: July 21-23 and 28-30
Headliners: Armin van Buuren, Eric Prydz, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Hardwell, Amelie Lens, ANNA, Honey Dijon, Martin Garrix, Steve Aoki, Paul Kalkbrenner, and more.
Tickets: tomorrowland.com
The biggest dance festival in the world has been making people shake their booties for over 15 years. The idea of brothers Manu and Michiel Beers, Tomorrowland has become a juggernaut, winning several high-profile festival awards and welcoming 600,000 visitors from 200 countries at the 2022 edition.
It’s estimated the latest event will feature over 600 DJs across 14 different stages with this year’s theme being Adscendo, which means to “rise up.” Expect another four nights of non-stop partying where sleep is kept to a minimum.
5. Sziget Festival
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Where: Budapest, Hungary
Date: August 10-15
Headliners: Billie Eilish, David Guetta, Florence + the Machine, and Imagine Dragons
Tickets: szigetfestival.com
One of the largest music festivals in Europe is also one of the best. Situated on Óbudai-sziget (“Old Buda Island”) in the middle of the Danube, this week-long festival has over 1,000 performers, from musical acts and acrobats to magicians and theatre shows. There really is something for everyone at Sziget.
Some call it the European Burning Man, minus the orgies, while one reviewer claimed it is “an electronically amplified, warped amusement park that has nothing to do with reality.” All you really need to know is Sziget Festival has everything you could want from a camping festival, with top-notch facilities that are just as dependable as the always impressive line-up.
6. New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
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Where: New Orleans, United States
Date: April 28-May 7
Headliners: Mumford & Sons, Ed Sheeran, Santana, Jill Scott, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, and more.
Tickets: nojazzfest.com
Jazz might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there is much more to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival than the music. Sure, that’s the main drawcard, but the festival is a cultural cornerstone that touches on the heritage of New Orleans and the jazz sound. There are craft markets, cultural events, and a slew of famous restaurants churning out the best local grub New Orleans has to offer.
Taking place over a week, it’s the perfect chance for anyone unfamiliar with the Big Easy to spend an extended amount of time in the city and experience everything it has to offer while also watching some fantastic live music.
7. Splendour in the Grass
Where: Byron Bay, Australia
Date: July 21-23
Headliners: TBA
Tickets: splendourinthegrass.com
If you’re not from Australia then Spelndour in the Grass might not be on your radar. For those not in the know, it is the biggest music festival in Australia, occurring over three days in the picturesque town of Byron Bay (where Hollywood hunk and Aussie favorite Chris Hemsworth lives).
Although the headliners are not announced until closer to the date, Splendour always has a few big names, with the 2022 edition featuring Gorillaz, The Strokes, and Tyler, the Creator.
8. Pitchfork Music Festival
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Where: Chicago, United States
Date: July 21-23
Headliners: TBA
Tickets: pitchforkmusicfestival.com
Music website Pitchfork decided to get in on the festival scene in 2011 with the launch of Pitchfork Music Festival. As you would expect from a publication as hipster as Pitchfork, the line-up is always eclectic, and while you can expect big names, there’s also a heap of small up-and-coming acts with buzz behind them.
9. Primavera Sound
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Where: Barcelona, Spain
Date: May 29-Jun 4
Headliners: Pet Shop Boys, Blur, Kendrick Lamar, Rosaliá, Halsey, New Order, Depeche Mode, and Calvin Harris
Tickets: primaverasound.com
If there is one thing the Europeans do well, it’s music festivals. Primavera Sound is the perfect example of this. First taking place in 2001 in a castle in Barcelona, it is now held in a sprawling area near the beach. Not only is it a bigger area, but the festival also hosts a sister event in Porto, Portugal, and is holding a third festival in Madrid a week after the Barcelona event.
Primavera prides itself on delivering a line-up that consists of everything from rock and electronic to hip-hop and pop, with this year’s festival shaping up as an absolute banger.
10. The Governor’s Ball Music Festival
Where: New York, United States
Date: June 9-11
Headliners: Lizzo, Odesza, and Kendrick Lamar
Tickets: governorsballmusicfestival.com
A favorite New York festival, The Governor’s Ball Music Festival is another event catering to lovers of all genres of music. Whether you’re a fan of hip-hop, electronica, rock, or pop, you’ll find something on the line-up that satisfies your musical cravings.
Launched in 2011, the festival is well known for attracting famous people as well as featuring amazing food, with the biggest restaurants in New York setting up camp on the festival grounds.
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11. Riot Fest
Where: Chicago
Date: September 15-17
Headliners: TBA
Tickets: riotfest.org
Chicago is where it’s at when it comes to famous music festivals in North America. One of the best that caters to punk rockers is Riot Fest. Established in 2005, the three-day event brings together the best punk rock bands from across the globe and has been responsible for the reformation of The Replacements in 2013, the Misfits in 2016, and Jawbreaker in 2017.
12. Fuji Rock Festival
Where: Naeba, Japan
Date: July 28-30
Headliners: The Strokes, Foo Fighters, Lizzo, Weezer, Lewis Capaldi, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and more.
Tickets: fujirockfestival.com
Japan’s biggest music festival is a celebration of everything great about the country. Held at the Naeba Ski Resort in Yuzawa, Niigata, Fuji Rock Festival combines fantastic music with the polite and respectful culture of Japan. So expect exceptionally clean festival grounds, useable toilets, easily accessible campgrounds, and a feel-good vibe.
Aiming to be the “cleanest festival in the world,” Fuji Rock is also set in a picturesque location with rolling hills and lots of grasslands. But be warned, like Glastonbury, it can take a long time to walk between stages, so plan your day well.
13. Field Day
Where: London, United Kingdom
Date: August 19
Headliners: Aphex Twin and Bonobo
Tickets: fielddayfestivals.com
Unlike most of the festivals on this list, Field Day runs for a solitary day. That doesn’t mean it’s not worth experiencing, with the annual event playing host to a wide selection of R&B and electronically influenced acts. There is a great variety of food and drink options, including craft beer and vegan options. Hipster central it might be, but Field Day is still one of the best single-day festivals in the UK.
14. When We Were Young
Where: Las Vegas, United States
Date: October 21 and 22
Headliners: Green Day and Blink 182
Tickets: whenwewereyoungfestival.com
Probably not taking its name from the Adele song, When We Were Young is a new festival that has quickly become famous thanks to its line-up. It is stacked with punk and rock bands that have been out there getting it done for years, with some even harking back to the 90s.
The first edition of the festival occurred in Santa Ana, California in 2017 before it was moved to Las Vegas in 2022 for the second edition. Incredibly the festival line-up in 2022 was announced before the bands had agreed to play, but every one of them showed up and put on a show. The one-day festival is being held twice due to high ticket demand and is aimed at those who love a good nostalgia tour.
15. CMA Fest
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Where: Nashville, United States
Date: June 8-11
Headliners: Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Lainey Wilson, and many more
Tickets: cmafest.com
It makes sense for America’s biggest country and music festival to take place in Nashville. CMA music festival got its start in 1972 and has become an annual event delivering the best local and international country music artists. Running across four days, the event features over 400 artists and bands who not only perform but also take part in autograph sessions.
What makes CMA Fest so special is that half of the proceeds from the festival are donated to charity while the other half is invested in the Country Music Association to keep fostering country music in America.
16. Electric Zoo
Where: New York, United States
Date: September 1-3
Headliners: TBA
Tickets: electriczoo.com
Claiming to be “New York’s premier electronic music festival,” Electric Zoo certainly lives up to the hype. Held over the Labor Day weekend, the festival has expanded from one day to three and is regularly praised as one of the best electronic festivals in the world. As well as top-notch DJs and electronic artists, the festival includes art installations, food trucks, and several environmental initiatives.
17. Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival
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Where: Tennessee, United States
Date: June 15-18
Headliners: Kendrick Lamar, Odesza, and Foo Fighters.
Tickets: bonnaroo.com
The alternative to Coachella, Bonnaroo Music Festival is one for music lovers who like a variety of big names, mid-size headliners, and newcomers. Named after Dr. John’s 1974 album, Bonnaroo started in 2002 and has steadily grown over the years from an indie festival to one of the most famous in the world.
Bonnaroo has implemented many environmental initiatives and is all about sustainability while the music often goes on all night, with some stages playing music 24/7.
18. Essence Music Festival
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Where: New Orleans, United States
Date: June 29 – July 3
Headliners: TBA
Tickets: essence.com
What began as a festival celebrating the 25th anniversary of the African-American-centric magazine Essence is now an annual event drawing massive crowds and featuring a slew of fantastic black artists. Recent editions of the festival have been heavily in favor of R&B and hip-hop artists, with a great balance of men and women performers.
19. Beale Street Music Festival
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Where: Tennesse, United States
Date: May 5-7
Headliners: The Lumineers, Greta Van Fleet, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Roots, and more.
Tickets: memphisinmay.org
Beale Street Music Festival takes place during the Memphis in May International Festival. Held over the first weekend of May, the festival attracts over 100,000 people and has been running since 1972. It often features a diverse line-up covering genres such as rock, blues, soul, and rap.
20. Dekmantel
Where: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Date: August 2-6
Headliners: Shygirl, Gary Numan, Omar S, Blawan, Stingray 313, Jeff Mills, Peach, Young Marco, Carista, and more
Tickets: dekmantelfestival.com
Taking place all across Amsterdam, Dekmantel is for those who like electronic music. Whether it’s house, trance, techno, drum and bass, or disco, you are sure to find a venue or tent playing the tunes you love. The party kicks off in venues along the river before the main festivities continue at Amsterdamse Bos, a large grassed area in the center of the city.
Dekmantel features over 100 artists performing across five days, with this year’s event paying “particular attention to those who navigate the outer limits of the dancefloor and beyond, this year’s Dekmantel is a celebration of forward-facing visions and bold new crossovers, and will unfold across a diverse array of ambient concerts, sonic explorations, high-energy DJ sets, radio broadcasts, panel discussions, film screenings and more.”
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