What are the best major music festivals in the United States?

christinecaponeJune 16, 2023

0 22 8 minutes read

This Map Shows the Biggest Music Festivals in Each State

Coachella, Lollapalooza and SXSW are often the first US festivals that come to mind. From the well-known to the unexpected, here’s our list of the best festivals in the United States…

Coachella

Festival lineup (2022): Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, Harry Styles, Swedish House Mafia, Lil Baby, Flume, Megan Thee Stallion, and Phoebe Bridgers are among the artists included.

Every year, the Indio desert transforms into a stylish swarm of the coolest artists, observed by trendy people and celebrities. Near the top of everyone’s bucket list of festivals, the Coachella lineup is a constant source of annual anticipation and a hotbed for musical discussion.

When & where: April 14-16 & 21-23, 2022; Indio, California

Coachella Guide & Mailing List undefined

Lollapalooza

Festival lineup (2022): Metallica, Dua Lipa, J.Cole, Green Day, Doja Cat, MGK, Lil Baby, and Kygo are among the artists included.

A wonderful gathering of music, dance, comedy and craft booths, Lollapalooza is another multi-genre delight which also provides a platform for political and non-profit artists and groups. The festival is forever generating historical moments in the careers of numerous performers, firmly establishing it in the worldwide hall of fame for festivals.

When & where: August 3-6, 2023; Chicago, Illinois

Lollapalooza Guide & Mailing List

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South By South West

Festival lineup (2022): Big Joanie , Shamir, Circuit Des Yeux, Moor Mother, Wet Leg, Lust, Self Esteem

Regarded as the ultimate trend-setter and launcher of careers, SXSW is an annual showcase of music, film and interactive highlights enjoyed through performances, showcases, talks, screenings and more. Everyone in the music industry, from fans to journalists, is congregating in Austin to uncover the next big thing.

When & where : March 10-19, 2023; Austin, Texas

Pitchfork Music Festival

Festival lineup (2022): National, Spiritualized, and Parquet Courts Mitski, Japanese Breakfast, Lucy Dacus, Earl Sweatshirt, The Roots

Organised by independently focused music source Pitchfork Media, this three day event is a music genre melting pot of rock, hip-hop, electronic, jazz, punk and any other genre and sub-genre you want to celebrate. This is a cultural feast, complete with a record fair, cuisine, art, and drinks from local and national merchants.

When & where: July 2023; Chicago, Illinois

Pitchfork Music Festival Guide & Mailing List

Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas

Festival lineup (2023): Eric Prydz, Charlotte de Witte, Armin van Buuren, Excision, Porter Robinson, and Grimes

This magical carnival experience has toured Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the United Kingdom in addition to its two famous American shows in Vegas and Orlando. Inviting attendees into an EDM wonderland of neon decor and walkabout performers, every year the event pulls in a record attendance with fans ready to escape reality through electronic music.

When & where: May 19-21, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada

EDC Las Vegas Guide & Mailing List

Austin City Limits Music Festival

Festival lineup (2022): P!nk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Chicks, SZA, Lil Nas X, Kacey Musgraves, Paramore, and Flume are among the artists performing.

Inspired by a concert series of the same name, the festival is an eight stage celebration of all things music, along with an art market, delicious food and drink, a dedicated family area and much more. Initially a one-weekend event, the festival successfully extended to two weekends in 2012 with overwhelming approval from the local council.

When & where: October 7-9 & 14-16, 2022; Austin, Texas

Austin City Limits Guide & Mailing List

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Ultra Music Festival

Festival lineup (2022): DJ Snake, David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Carl Cox, Nina Kraviz, Alison Wonderland, Armin van Buuren

The streets of Miami transform into a bold and pounding party with adored DJs bringing in what will be the sounds of summer, as seen as the ultimate gathering for electronic music aficionados around the country and world.

When & where: March 24-26, 2023; Miami, Florida

Ultra Music Festival Guide & Mailing List

The Governors Ball Music Festival

Festival lineup (2022): Kid Cudi, Halsey, J.Cole, Migos, Playboi Carti, Migos, Jack Harlow, and Glass Animals are among the artists included.

Moving off of Randalls Island to Citi Field in Queens, Gov Ball is an exciting and infectious mix of rock, hip-hop, electronic, and pop. Governors Ball includes a range of music and cuisine choices, so whether you want to kick back and relax or submit to rhythms and riffs, Governors Ball has everything you need.

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

Festival lineup (2022): The Who, Stevie Nicks, Foo Fighters, Jimmy Buffet & The Coral Reefer Band, Erykah Badu, Lionel Richie, Willie Nelson, and Luke Combs are just a few examples.

Few events have a greater impact on their community than the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. From its inception in 1970, the festival has provided a comprehensive cultural experience that extends well beyond music. This is not a stuffy, formal affair: Jazz Fest has grown throughout the years, alongside one of the world’s most exciting cities.

When & where : April 28-30, 2023; New Orleans, Louisiana

Guide & Mailing List for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

Life Is Beautiful Music & Arts Festival

Festival lineup (2022): Artic Monkeys, Calvin Harris, Gorillaz, Lorde, Jack Harlow, Kygo, Cage The Elephant, and Beach House are among the artists included.

Life Is Beautiful Music & Arts Festival, the list’s youngest major event, was started in 2013. Melding commercial and critical darlings across pop, rock, hip hop, and electronic genres on the bill every year, rest assured you will witness some of the biggest names in music plying their craft in the heart of North America’s hedonist capital.

When & where : September 22-24, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada

Festival Guide & Email List for Life is Beautiful Music & Arts Festival

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Boston Calling Music Festival

Festival lineup (2022): Rage Against The Machine, Foo Fighters, Run The Jewels, Haim, Black Pumas, EARTHGANG, Sudan Archives are just a few examples.

Boston Calling is New England’s largest multi-genre event. The event, held during Memorial Day weekend, delivers some of the most prominent bands from rock, hip hop, and electronic music to the Harvard Athletic Complex. Beyond the music, Boston Calling features an all star selection of the city’s best food vendors, art installations, immersive games, and an eye-catching 100ft ferris wheel.

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Burning Man

Festival lineup: Burning Man does not have a set roster; instead, the event features music, art, and cultural activities created by its guests.

While the organizers may not like the term, Burning Man is the ultimate event. It’s all about restoring freedom to an increasingly restricted existence in the Nevada desert. Burning Man, which began in 1986, has become a cultural phenomenon, generating several replica events throughout the world.

When & where: August 2023; Black Rock Desert, Nevada

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Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival

Festival lineup (2022): J.Cole, Tool, Stevie Nicks, The Chicks, Machine Gun Flume, Roddy Rich, and 21 Savage

Initially focusing on jam bands and folk music, this event has grown to encompass a diverse range of popular genres. Once praised by Rolling Stone magazine as being amongst the “50 Moments That Changed Rock & Roll,” Bonnaroo has firmly cemented its place as one of the most influential festivals in North America.

When & where: June 15-18, 2023; Great Stage Park, Tennessee

Day N Vegas

Festival lineup (2021): Travis Scott, Tyler, The Creator, DaBaby, SZA, Doja Cat, and Lil Baby

Day N Vegas, the newest event on the list, will have its second edition in 2021. It’s easy to understand why the nascent festival has risen so swiftly in the American pecking order: its lineups have been nothing short of spectacular so far. Grabbing headline sets from the biggest names in hip hop and filling out the rest of the bill with a who’s who list of buzzy genre mainstays and up-and-comers, the sky’s the limit for this festival.

When & where : TBA November, 2022; Las Vegas, Nevada

Day N Vegas 2022 Guide & Mailing List

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AFROPUNK

Festival lineup (2022): Burna Boy, Tierra Whack, Isaiah Rashad, Freddie Gibbs, Earl Sweatshirt, Lucky Daye, The Roots, and Adenkule Gold are among the artists included.

Starting out as a DIY movement in the US, as a response to feeling like an outsider and desiring a sense of belonging, AFROPUNK is now one of the world’s most famous cultural movements. Its unique blend of art, activism, and music now draws up to 60,000 people and spreads its message in cities all over the world, honoring black culture and providing a sense of belonging to many who feel marginalized in contemporary Western countries.

When & where: September 2023; Brooklyn, New York

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III Points

Festival lineup (2022): Rosala, Flume, Porter Robinson, FISHER, James Blake, Black Coffee, and Joji

Since 2013, III Points, one of the country’s top boutique events, has been pushing the standard in terms of providing a platform for innovation. Firmly rooted in electronic music, the festival also features the greatest in hip hop, rock, and beyond, with just one criterion for inclusion: your music must be fantastic.

When & where: October 2023; Miami, Florida

III Points Guide & Waiting List

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Firefly Music Festival

Festival lineup (2022): Halsey, My Chemical Romance, Green Day, Dua Lipa, Big Sean, Zedd, Weezer, and Gunna are among the artists included.

Firefly, an American multi-genre giant, is the largest camping event on the east coast. Everything about this festival is top of the line, from the lineup which is annually made up of the biggest names in popular music to an utterly immersive experience onsite with tons of areas to explore.

When & where: September 2023; Dover, Delaware

Firefly Music Festival Guide & Waiting List

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Desert Daze Festival

Festival lineup (2022): Tame Impala, Iggy Pop, Sky Ferreira, The Maras, BadBadNotGood, Chicano Batman, JPEGMAFIA, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard

Perhaps the premier psychedelic-tinged festival in The States, the sun-drenched, fuzzed-out sounds that pervade the artists’ music that make up the bill are perfectly melded with Desert Daze’s palm tree lined, beach-fronted location on Lake Perris. Instead of going on a vacation to Joshua Tree, come here.

When & where : September/October 2023; Lake Perris, California

Desert Daze Festival Guide & Mailing List

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Rolling Loud Festival

Festival lineup (2022): Future, Kendrick Lamar, Kid Cudi, Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby, Gunna, and Lil Durk are among the artists included.

Rolling Loud has quickly risen to become the uncontested king of all hip hop event series. With editions held in New York, LA, the Bay Area, Australia, Toronto, the Netherlands, Portugal and of course its flagship in Miami, the festival is by far the biggest festival dedicated to hip hop by any metric.

When & Where: July 21-23, 2023; Miami, Florida

Rolling Loud Miami Guide & Mailing List

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Stagecoach Festival

Festival lineup (2023): Luke Bryan, Kane Brown, Chris Stapleton, Jon Pardi, Old Dominion, Riley Green, Gabby Barrett, and Parker McCollum are among the performers.

In every aspect, Stagecoach is the Coachella of country music. The lineup is one of the most hotly anticipated in the country and annually features the biggest names in modern (country) music, you’re likely to spot some celebs onsite and it even takes place on the same hallowed grounds in Indio, California.

When & Where: April 28-30, 2023; Indio, California

Stagecoach Guide & Waiting List

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