’)The Ten Biggest, Best, and Most Memorable Music Festivals in the World.
Rankings were based on line up, location, festival set up, and intangibles. Summer is just around the corner so book your flight soon!10. Rothbury Rothbury, Michigan USA Dates: ??????
America’s true hippie festival (Sorry Bonnorro) has an atmosphere unlike any other. With jam staples like The Dead, Trey Anastasio, and DMB Rothbury is the ideal place for long haired hippies to hang out for a long weekend.
9. Lollapalooza Chicago, Illinois USA August 6-8
Despite the lack of camping Lollapalooza still finds a way to create happy vibes and a fun filled festival. The always impressive line up make a great excuse to plan a trip to Chicago. The festival rarely snags original acts but it makes up for it by signing pretty much everyone else.
8. Sasquatch! George, Washington USA May 28-30
The most beautiful venue in the world (The Gorge) plays host to an indie lover’s dream every Memorial Day weekend. What they lack in headlining power Sasquatch! makes up for in the middle of the line up which is pretty much a who’s who is indie music. The Gorge only holds around twenty thousand people but the campground has at least twice that many people set up and ready to party.
7. Leeds/Reading Leeds, Reading, England United Kingdom August 27-29
Any festival that snags Radiohead when no one else can is cool in my book. Always have major headliners and an extremely diverse lineup, plus you don’t have to worry about all those annoying flags blocking your view!
6. Ultra Miami, Florida USA March 26-27
Without a doubt the best electronic festival in the world. Year after year any DJ of significance makes the trip to southern Florida in late march. In recent years the organizers have also done a good job of securing superb live acts as well (The Prodigy, Cut Copy) and the organizers hold nothing back in making sure the concerts are the biggest spectacles possible with lights, lasers, and other effects.
5. Bonnaroo Manchester, Tennessee USA June 10-13
The thirty year old “I’m still trying to be a hippie despite my position in middle management’s” wet dream. Epic late night sets that rage until sunrise, a diverse lineup that will please both hippies, hipsters and thugs (snoop dog?), and big time headliners make this festival an American staple, now if only the camping was a little more fun…
4. Roskilde Roskilde, Denmark July 1-4 (Warm up from June 27)Nothing like some good Scandinavian girls to really liven up a get together. Roskilde is the worlds largest party with the gates opening up on the Sunday BEFORE the festival starts to allow the almost 75,000 guests a chance to get in a few more days of partying. It also boasts a monster lineup, a skate park and its own newspaper…oh and did I mention the girls aren’t bad either.
3. Coachella Indio, California USA April 16-18
One way or another Coachella finds ways to sign artists you won’t see anywhere else in the world. Last year Sir Paul McCartney rocked the California desert and the year before Prince did a once in a lifetime set. The location is stunning and it’s one of the few American Festivals that is actually well run.
2. Rock Werchter Werchter, Belgium July 1-4
Hands down the best line up in the world. Last year they boasted Oasis, Coldplay, and Metallica and still found time to fit in The Killers, Nine Inch Nails AND Kings of Leon and this year looks just as stacked. Plus it’s in Belgium, just think of the beer.
1. Glastonbury Pilton, England United Kingdom June 23-27
With over 700 acts and 175,000 people Glastonbury puts all other festivals to shame. All 175,000 tickets sell out months before a single act is announced because people know it’s going to be that good. Not only are the organizers notorious for snagging impossible acts (U2) but the lineup if full of every imaginable genre. The festival is known for its atmosphere, which includes a massive camping area and some of most far out art known to man.